Machine Learning Engineer, TikTok Ads Core Global - Traffic & Strategy

TikTok; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

TikTok Ads Core ML Team develops state-of-the-art ad technologies, including ranking, retrieval, targeting, and bidding. The role emphasizes improving ROI for advertisers while optimizing the ad delivery pipeline across recalls, ranking, and final placement.

You will join a team delivering innovative ad systems at scale, collaborating with multiple global groups to push the efficiency and effectiveness of TikTok’s advertising products.

Qualifications

• BS/MS in CS/CE or related technical field with industry or model optimization experience.
• Proficient in C/C++ and Python; strong deep learning fundamentals.
• Linux development environment proficiency.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking; knowledge of statistics.
• Experience with ML frameworks: TensorFlow, PyTorch, or MXNet.
• Ability to collaborate with cross-location teams across time zones.

Responsibilities

• Achieve rapid iteration and optimization of ad models using advanced technologies (AIGC/LLMs/RL/DL) to boost revenue and system efficiency.
• Improve delivery efficiency of automatic delivery products to increase penetration versus manual delivery.
• Iterate bidding and budget algorithms to match traffic for advertisers.
• Develop ads delivery capability as a tool for doing business with the global team.
• Establish a robust framework for parallel model iteration across multiple teams in the delivery funnel.

Skills

C/C++

Python

Deep learning

Statistics

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

BS/MS in CS/CE or related field

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

MXNet

Job description

Responsibilities

TikTok Ads Core ML Team aims at creating automatic delivery products for the next generation and developing advertising as a global business, instead of just a monetization tool to consolidate the delivery funnel framework allowing multiple teams to iterate parallel.

• Ads Core Traffic Strategy & User Experience team is essential to TikTok’s success, our work focuses are: Personalized Ads Experience: We optimize every stage of the ad delivery pipeline, from recall and ranking to final placement, by integrating user feedback to make ads more relevant and engaging.
• Cutting-Edge Multi-Scenario Integration: this includes building context models that analyze ads-related information and scene elements to improve accuracy, as well as developing list-wise models to optimize recommendation outcomes and ads ROIs.

We’re looking for innovative Machine Learning Engineers to develop state-of-art ad technologies, including ranking, retrieval, targeting, bidding, auction, etc. You will be part of a team that's optimizing ads format and ranking strategies, and you will be responsible for bringing a better returns on investment for advertisers.

What will you do

• Achieve extreme iteration and optimization of advertising models via adanvanced technologies like AIGC/LLMs/RL/DL to enhance TikTok’s overall revenue and system efficiency, plus improving customer experience.
• Optimize the delivery efficiency of automatic delivery products, aiming to increase the penetration rate and lift compared to manual delivery.
• Iterate bidding and budget algorithms to sort out the best matching traffic as aspect of advertisers.
• Develop ads delivery capability as a tool for doing business with joint effort of TikTok's global recommendation optimization.
• Establish a robust, flexible and fair framework for multiple teams to parallely iterate related models in the delivery funnel.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• BS/MS degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline with industry experience or model optimization experience.
• Solid programming skills, proficient in C/C++ and Python. Good theoretical grounding in deep learning concepts and techniques. Familiar with Linux development environment.
• Good analytical and critical thinking capabilities. Have essential knowledge and skills in statistics.
• Familiar with architecture and implementation of at least one mainstream machine learning programming framework (TensorFlow/Pytorch/MXNet).
• Good collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams across different locations and time zones for global business needs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Participation in national math/coding competitions (ACM/Hacker Cup/Hash Code/USACO/IOI/CCPC etc.)
• Good understanding in one of the following domains: ads bidding & auction, ads quality control, and online advertising systems (familiar with one or more of these terms: CPC/CPM, CTR/CVR, Ranking /Targeting, Conversion/Budget, Campaign/Creative, Demand/Inventory, DSP/RTB).
• Experience in resource management and task scheduling with large scale distributed software (such as Spark and TensorFlow).

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.

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