Privacy & Cybersecurity Counsel

TikTok USDS Joint Venture; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 229,000 - 419,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) plan with company match

Paid parental leave

Disability coverage

Life insurance

Wellbeing benefits

10 holidays per year

10 sick days per year

17 days of Paid Personal Time

Job summary

TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC is seeking a senior leader for Legal and Compliance to drive privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity initiatives across a fast‑paced technology platform. The role requires deep experience with US privacy laws, incident response, and complex vendor contracts.

On-site in Los Angeles County area with a strong emphasis on cross‑functional collaboration, regulatory engagement, and governance program development.

Qualifications

• J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school and active U.S. state bar membership.
• CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPM, or CIPT certifications preferred.
• 15+ years in law practice with focus on data protection, privacy, and cybersecurity.
• Hands-on experience with US privacy laws, international transfer frameworks, and cybersecurity standards.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and advise on US privacy laws and AI governance at state level.
• Lead incident response guidance for data breaches and regulatory notifications.
• Draft, review, and negotiate data processing agreements and complex vendor contracts.
• Represent the company before data protection authorities and assist with enforcement defense.

Skills

J.D. degree

US bar admission

Privacy law experience

Cybersecurity knowledge

Regulatory compliance

Education

J.D. degree

Tools

IAPP certifications

Job description

Responsibilities

About the Team

Our Legal and Compliance team provides key support for all TikTok USDS Joint Venture's innovative initiatives, state-of-the-art products, and integrated platforms. We help our technological and business teams enable their vision by providing integrated legal and compliance guidance and support.

• Regulatory Compliance & Strategy: Coordinate, monitor, and advise on changing US privacy laws and regulations with a focus on state-level privacy laws and AI governance rules. Assist with Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) and collaborate with security and product teams to embed Privacy by Design into JV roadmaps. Coordinate and oversee policies regarding data retention, data mapping, and subject access requests)
• Incident Response & Cybersecurity: Serve as the legal lead on the Enterprise Incident Response team, directing privilege, risk assessments, and containment actions during data breaches or security incidents. Independently manage and coordinate necessary regulatory notifications and law enforcement outreach. Partner closely with Security Officer and security apparatus.
• Commercial Transactions & Vendor Risk: Draft, review, and negotiate Data Processing Agreements and assist with complex tech vendor contracts. Advise corporate teams on privacy and cybersecurity due diligence. Support Third Party Risk Management processes as necessary.
• Regulatory Engagement & Disputes: Represent the company before data protection authorities and state/federal regulatory bodies as needed. Coordinate with outside counsel on privacy or cybersecurity litigation and enforcement defense.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• J.D. Degree from an ABA-accredited law school and active membership in good standing with a U.S. state bar.
• CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPM, or CIPT certifications from the IAPP preferred.
• 15+ years of law practice, including experience at a fast‑paced technology platform company, focused on data protection, privacy, and cybersecurity.
• Hands‑on experience with US federal/state privacy legislation, international transfer frameworks, and cybersecurity standards (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001).
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with cross‑functional and global teams across various time zones and building processes from scratch.
• Excellent analytical, writing and communications skills.
• Ability to manage complex incident responses and prioritize and manage competing demands and long‑term projects.

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

Job Information

【For Pay Transparency】Compensation Description (Annually)

The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $228800 - $419200 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:

• 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.