(General Hire) Machine Learning Scientist Graduate (TikTok Recommendation) - 2026 Start (PhD)

TikTok; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 136,800 - 259,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) plan with company match

Paid parental leave

Wellbeing benefits

Job summary

A leading tech company is seeking a Machine Learning Scientist Graduate to enhance its recommendation system. Candidates must hold a PhD in computer science or a related field and have strong skills in deep learning frameworks. The position involves building solutions to improve user experience and collaborating with cross-functional teams. Benefits include medical insurance, 401(k), paid leave, and more.

Qualifications

• PhD degree or equivalent with a background in computer science, machine learning, or related fields.
• Strong theoretical and empirical research capability in addressing research problems.
• Solid knowledge and experience with deep learning frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Build an industry-leading recommendation system.
• Deliver end-to-end machine learning solutions.
• Own the full-stack machine learning system.

Skills

Deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow)

C/C++ proficiency

Python

Shell scripting

Research capability

Education

PhD in computer science or related field

Job description

Overview

(General Hire) Machine Learning Scientist Graduate - TikTok Recommendation - 2026 Start (PhD) – TikTok

Join to apply for the (General Hire) Machine Learning Scientist Graduate - TikTok Recommendation - 2026 Start (PhD) role at TikTok.

Responsibilities

• Build an industry-leading recommendation system to improve user experience, content ecosystem, and platform security.
• Deliver end-to-end machine learning solutions to address critical product challenges.
• Own the full-stack machine learning system and optimize algorithms and infrastructure to improve recommendation performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design product strategies and build solutions to grow TikTok in important markets.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD degree or equivalent with a background in computer science, machine learning, or related fields.
• Strong theoretical and empirical research capability in addressing research problems.
• Solid knowledge and experience with at least one popular deep learning framework (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow) and familiarity with deep neural network architectures.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Research experience in applied machine learning, ML infrastructure, large-scale recommendation systems, or market-facing ML products.
• Strong first-author publications record in top AI conferences or journals (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, EMNLP, NAACL, etc.).
• Proficiency in C/C++, Python, and shell scripting; solid data structure and algorithm design understanding.
• Internship experience in an AI research organization.

Job Information

Compensation: The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $136,800 – $259,200 annually. Compensation may vary based on qualifications, skills, competencies, experience, and location. The total package may include discretionary bonuses, restricted stock units, and other benefits.

Benefits include medical, dental, vision insurance from day one, a 401(k) plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-/long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, and paid holidays/sick days/personal time. The Company reserves the right to modify these programs at any time.

EEO/Fair Chance Statement (Los Angeles County): Qualified applicants will be considered in accordance with federal, state, and local laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act. Our policies cover interactions with clients and colleagues, handling of confidential information, and exercising sound judgment.

About TikTok

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. Our global offices include Los Angeles, Singapore, New York, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

We value diversity and inclusion and strive to create an environment that reflects the communities we reach.