Backend Software Engineer Intern (TikTok-Social-Friending) - 2027 Summer

TikTok; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Housing allowance

Paid holidays

Paid sick time

Job summary

TikTok is offering a campus internship in San Jose, CA, focused on the Social Friending team. You will contribute to features that help users connect with real-life friends, across Story, Like, Comment, and other core components.

The program emphasizes hands-on experience, industry exposure, and growth opportunities, with rolling reviews and a 12-week summer commitment. Housing allowance may be available for non-remote interns.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing an Undergraduate/Master degree in Software Development, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Able to commit to working for 12 weeks during the Summer of 2027.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.

Responsibilities

• Build new features that touch hundreds of millions of people around the world.
• Solve unique, large-scale, highly complex technical problems.
• Participate in technical discussions related to team's product and engineering work.

Skills

Software Development

Communication

Teamwork

Code Debugging

Education

Undergraduate/Master in CS/CE/Software Development

Job description

Responsibilities
Social Friending team is mainly focusing on building a reliable and adaptive platform that enables users to meet and interact with their real-life friends seamlessly on TikTok, and encourage them to share their life moments with each other and stay connected regardless of where they are. Some core features and components we build and maintain include Story, Video Like, Comment, Friends Tab, Inbox Tab, Repost, TikTok Now feature and standalone app, etc. We seek talented individuals who enjoy the intersection of product, data, design, and engineering. As a Social team member, you'll help us improve the TikTok social experience and bring joy to hundreds of millions of users every day.

Responsibilities
Social Friending team is mainly focusing on building a reliable and adaptive platform that enables users to meet and interact with their real-life friends seamlessly on TikTok, and encourage them to share their life moments with each other and stay connected regardless of where they are. Some core features and components we build and maintain include Story, Video Like, Comment, Friends Tab, Inbox Tab, Repost, TikTok Now feature and standalone app, etc. We seek talented individuals who enjoy the intersection of product, data, design, and engineering. As a Social team member, you'll help us improve the TikTok social experience and bring joy to hundreds of millions of users every day.
We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship. Our internship program offers students hands-on experience, industry exposure, and opportunities to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges while building a strong foundation for personal and professional growth.
Interns will gain practical experience, explore potential career paths, and participate in social events, learning programs, and development workshops alongside industry professionals.
Candidates may apply to a maximum of two positions across Our Company and its affiliates globally. Applications will be considered in the order they are submitted.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early. Please clearly state your availability in your resume, including your start and end dates.
Responsibilities:

• Build new features that touch hundreds of millions of people around the world.
• Solve unique, large-scale, highly complex technical problems.
• Participate in technical discussions related to team\'s product and engineering work.

Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:

• Currently pursuing an Undergraduate/Master degree in Software Development, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Able to commit to working for 12 weeks during the Summer of 2027.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to understand and debug large and complex code bases.
• Good team communication and collaboration skills.
• Passion and experience building consumer-facing products is a huge plus; We would love to hear about apps you\'ve developed!

By submitting an application for this role, you accept and agree to our global applicant privacy policy, which may be accessed here: https://careers.tiktok.com/legal/privacy

Job Information
For Pay Transparency Compensation Description (Hourly) - Campus Intern
The hourly rate range for this position in the selected city is $45- $45.
Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Interns have day one access to health insurance, life insurance, wellbeing benefits and more. Interns also receive 10 paid holidays per year and paid sick time (56 hours if hired in first half of year, 40 if hired in second half of year). Interns who are not working 100% remote may also be eligible for housing allowance.
The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.
For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates: Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:

• Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
• Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and
• Exercising sound judgment.

About TikTok TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok\'s global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, and we also have offices in New York City, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Why Join Us
Inspiring creativity is at the core of TikTok\'s mission. Our innovative product is built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and bring joy - a mission we work towards every day.
We strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and innovate as one team. We\'re resilient and embrace challenges as they come. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.


Diversity & Inclusion
TikTok is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.


TikTok Accommodation
TikTok is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at https://tinyurl.com/RA-request