Machine Learning Engineer Intern (Ads) - 2027 Summer

TikTok USDS Joint Venture; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 51,000 - 73,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance from day one

Housing allowance (eligible)

Paid holidays & sick time

Job summary

TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC is seeking an intern to work on ads delivery, monetization, and user experience in the U.S. The role focuses on large-scale data analysis, collaboration with engineering and data teams, and writing clean code within defined workstreams.

The program offers hands-on exposure, industry insight, and development workshops. Applicants should include start/end dates in their resume and be available for a 12-week Summer 2027 internship.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in a technical field.
• Commit to a 12-week internship during Summer 2027.
• Familiar with at least one programming language (JS/TS, Python, Java, Go).
• Strong problem-solving, detail-oriented, eager to learn from feedback.

Responsibilities

• Work with large-scale data to understand user search behavior and improve product quality.
• Collaborate with engineers, product, data science, and ML teams to define requirements and milestones.
• Write clear, maintainable code and documentation for workstreams.
• Communicate progress, risks, and learnings with mentors and stakeholders.

Skills

JavaScript/TypeScript

Python

Java

Go

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or related field

Master's degree in CS/CE/SE or related field (preferred)

Job description

Responsibilities

About the team

TikTok USDS Ads team focus on building and scaling the systems that power ads delivery, monetization, and user experience in the U.S. From improving ads performance and efficiency, to strengthening infrastructure reliability, to enabling global expansion, the team is focused on building a platform that is both high-performing and trusted in the U.S.

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.

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

• Work with large-scale data, logs, metrics, or experiments to understand user search behavior and improve product or system quality.
• Collaborate with engineering, product, data science, and machine learning partners to define requirements and deliver project milestones.
• Write clear, maintainable code and documentation for assigned workstreams.
• Communicate progress, risks, and learnings with mentors and stakeholders throughout the internship.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification(s)

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Able to commit to a 12-week internship during Summer 2027.
• Familiarity with at least one programming language, such as JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, Java, Go, or similar.
• Strong problem‑solving skills, attention to detail, and willingness to learn from feedback. Interest in developer platforms, full‑stack engineering, or AI‑assisted development tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Familiarity with databases, distributed systems, data pipelines, experimentation, or large-scale backend services.
• Experience using data to investigate product, user, or system problems.
• Ability to communicate technical ideas clearly and collaborate with cross‑functional partners.
• Interest in improving search experiences for large‑scale consumer products.

Job Information

About USDS

TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC is dedicated to the safety and security of millions of Americans who create, discover, and connect with what they love on the apps we operate. The Joint Venture has been established in compliance with the Executive Order signed by President Trump on September 25, 2025. Our foundation is a comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity program we operate under defined safeguards to protect national security and secure U.S. user data, apps and the algorithm. We safeguard the U.S. content ecosystem, holding decision‑making authority for trust and safety policies and moderation. USDS Joint Venture helps ensure Americans can continue to express their creativity, discover new hobbies and interests, and build thriving communities and businesses on a global scale.

On‑site presence across teams allows the company to operate with greater speed, alignment, and agility — especially in areas like real‑time decision‑making, team development, and integrated execution. As such, the company is shifting from a hybrid work model to a fully in‑person schedule up to 5 days a week.

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.

USDS Reasonable Accommodation

USDS 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/USDS-RA

Compensation Description (hourly)

The hourly rate range for this position in the selected city is $45- $45.

Benefits

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.