Machine Learning Engineer Intern (Search Ads) - 2027 Summer

TikTok

San Jose (CA)

On-site

USD 55,000 - 69,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance

Wellbeing benefits

Housing allowance

Paid holidays

Job summary

TikTok is seeking interns for its Search Ads team to work on large-scale ads systems, NLP, and ranking strategies. You will apply machine learning to improve ad relevance and delivery, while exploring real-world challenges across multiple apps.

We offer hands-on experience, industry exposure, and opportunities to contribute to product strategy while gaining professional growth. Expect a collaborative environment with access to health benefits and housing allowances where applicable.

Qualifications

Pursuing a Bachelor’s degree or above in CS/SE/CE or related field.
Strong grounding in machine learning concepts and techniques.
Proficient in programming languages such as Go, C/C++, Python.
Experience with ML frameworks: TensorFlow, PyTorch, MXNet.
Commitment to a 12-week full-time internship during Summer 2027.

Responsibilities

Participate in development of a large-scale Ads system.
Contribute to relevance model and ranking strategy optimization.
Develop Ads algorithms using machine learning.
Improve NLP capabilities and query understanding.
Collaborate with product teams to define strategy and features.

Skills

Machine learning concepts

Critical thinking

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s or above in Computer Science or related technical discipline

Tools

C/C++

Python

TensorFlow

PyTorch

MXNet

Job description

Responsibilities

The Search Ads team constantly pushes the boundaries of general search engine monetization across our apps, including TikTok, TopBuzz, BuzzVideo, and more, building a globally leading Search Ads monetization system. At the Search Ads team, you will have the chance to work on large-scale distributed storage and architecture, NLP, Rank, and IR related problems. You will be also deeply involved in the innovation and optimization of our Ad format, creative display, and the ROI of ads delivery.

Responsibilities

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

Participate in the development of a large-scale Ads system
Responsible for relevance model and strategy optimization, such as semantic matching models, active learning, text/photo/video multi-model, ranking strategy, etc
Participate in the development and iteration of Ads algorithms by using Machine Learning.
Work on NLP (Natural Language Processing) capability improvement and query understanding, such as query classification, seq2seq, NER (Named Entity Recognition), knowledge graph, bidword optimization, etc
Work on CTR/CVR model estimation accuracy, data analysis, modeling, feature engineering
Research and develop Ads pacing algorithms, ads traffic control, etc
Partner with product managers and product strategy & operation team to define product strategy and features

Minimum Qualifications

Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or above degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
Experience in and good theoretical grounding in machine learning concepts and techniques.
Excellent programming, debugging, and optimization skills in one or more general purpose programming languages, including but not limited to: Go, C/C++, Python.
Experience in one or more of the following frameworks: Tensorflow/PyTorch/MXNet, etc
Ability to think critically and to formulate solutions to problems in a clear and concise way.
Must be able to commit to a 12-week full-time work period during Summer 2027.

Preferred Qualifications

Familiar with Ads system, recommendation, searching, ranking, etc.

Job Information

【For Pay Transparency】Compensation Description (Hourly) - Campus Intern

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

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

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