Machine Learning Engineer Graduate (E-Commerce Knowledge Graph) - 2027 Start (PhD)

TikTok; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 162,000 - 388,000; Full time

Job summary

TikTok is seeking a PhD‑level researcher to join the Knowledge Graph team in San Jose. You will help build knowledge graphs to power feed ranking, recommendations, and ads.

You will collaborate with product managers, data scientists, and the operations team to craft forward‑looking features, map buyer and product connections, and identify top‑performing items.

Qualifications

• PhD in Software Development, Computer Science, Computer Engineering or related discipline.
• Strong interest or exposure to ML, NLP, multimodal systems, and computer vision.
• Familiarity with programming languages such as C++, Python, Go, or Java.
• Familiarity with DL frameworks (TensorFlow/PyTorch) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Dive deep into building knowledge graphs to support feed ranking, recommendations, and ads.
• Collaborate with product managers, data scientists, and operations to craft forward-looking product features and strategies.
• Create knowledge graphs covering product/content insights, category/brand/SPU development, and buyer/product connections.
• Architect knowledge maps detailing buyer and product connections.

Skills

Machine learning

NLP

Multimodal systems

Computer vision

Teamwork

Communication skills

Education

PhD in CS/CE or related field

Tools

C++

Python

Go

Java

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Hadoop

Spark

Hive

Flink

Job description

Location:

San Jose

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Code:

A62417

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Responsibilities

The Knowledge Graph team is responsible for the neural network of e-commerce, which includes tasks such as categorizing products, influencers, and merchants, mining product information, and providing this data to the recommendation team. Additionally, they manage operations related to product tags and category attributes. When we come across a product, they determine whether it belongs to the clothing or sports category, who thie product will be suitable for, etc. Furthermore, the team conducts competitive research, identifying top-performing items on the platform and analyzing why one similar product outperforms others. They are also involved in brand recognition. This team plays a pivotal role, in bridging various aspects of our business and maintaining close collaboration with other teams.We are looking for talented individuals to join our team. As a graduate, you will get opportunities to pursue bold ideas, tackle complex challenges, and unlock limitless growth.Successful candidates must be able to commit to an onboarding date by the end of the year. Please state your availability and graduation date clearly in your resume.

• Dive deep into the construction and development of vast knowledge graphs that encapsulate real-world products, aiding in feed ranking, recommendations, and ads.
• Collaborate closely with our dedicated product managers, astute data scientists, and the strategic product & operation team to craft forward-thinking product strategies and features.
• Craft intricate knowledge graphs, encompassing areas like product/content insights and category/brand/SPU development.
• Architect knowledge maps detailing buyer and product connections.

Qualifications

• Individuals who are completing or have recently completed a PhD degree in Software Development, Computer Science, Computer Engineering or a related discipline.
• Passion or exposure to areas like machine learning, NLP (Natural Language Processing), multimodal systems, and computer vision.
• Familiarity with or coursework related to programming languages like C++, Python, Go, or Java.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills. Any hands‑on experience or group projects in relevant technical scenarios will be a plusPreferred Qualifications:- Familiarity with deep learning frameworks like TensorFlow/PyTorch.
• Coursework or projects related to text classification, text matching, sequence labeling, and knowledge graphs.
• Knowledge of domain adaptation, text mining, and unsupervised/semi‑supervised methodologies.
• Experience with machine learning and deep learning algorithms, and text representation methods.
• Exposure to large-scale text data processing or tools like Hadoop/Spark/Hive/Flink.

Job Information

The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $162000 - $387600 annually.

Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.

Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).

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:

1. Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;

2. Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and

3. 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

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