Research Engineer (LLM/ML/RL) - TikTok Ads Core ML, Ranking

TikTok

San Jose (CA)

On-site

USD 136,800 - 259,200

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

401(k) with match

Parental leave

Paid time off

Job summary

A leading tech company in San Jose is seeking a Research Engineer to optimize advertising delivery using machine learning technologies. The ideal candidate will have solid programming skills in C/C++ and Python, with experience in ML frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch. This role offers a competitive salary and benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage.

Qualifications

Solid programming skills in C/C++ and Python.
Research/industry experience in machine learning and deep learning required.
Curiosity toward learning and applying new technologies.

Responsibilities

Optimize efficiency across the entire advertising funnel.
Research and develop an advanced advertising delivery system using ML/DL.
Collaborate with product and business teams globally.

Skills

C/C++ programming

Python programming

Machine Learning

Deep Learning

Statistical models

Big Data systems

Education

BS/MS degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Operations Research, Applied Mathematics, Physics or similar

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

MXNet

Job description

Overview

Research Engineer (LLM/ML/RL) – TikTok Ads Core ML, Ranking. Base pay range: $136,800.00/yr - $259,200.00/yr.

Responsibilities

Optimize efficiency across the entire advertising funnel, including Recall & Rough-sort, Fine-sort (CTR/CVR), format/creative personalization, and system resource allocation.
Research and develop a global advanced advertising delivery system using frontier technologies, including ML/DL, RL, LLM, and scaling laws in ads recommendation.
Design and set up system frameworks and standards to continuously improve overall efficiency and meet different vertical business needs.
Collaborate with product and business teams across scenarios with global impact.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

BS/MS degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Operations Research, Applied Mathematics, Physics or similar quantitative fields, or related experience.
Research/industry experience in machine learning, deep learning, statistical models, or applied mathematical methods.
Solid programming skills in C/C++ and Python; familiarity with data structures and algorithms.
Experience with at least one mainstream ML framework (TensorFlow, PyTorch, MXNet).
Familiarity with online experimentation, analytics, and big data systems (Hadoop, Spark).
Curiosity toward learning and applying new technologies.

Preferred Qualifications

Participation in national math/coding competitions (ACM/Hacker Cup/Hash Code/USACO/IOI/CCPC, etc.).
Paper publications/citations in NLP/CV/RecSys (KDD/ICML/CVPR/NeurIPS, etc.).
Experience in LLM, reinforcement learning, transfer learning, and counter-factual optimization.

About TikTok

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. Our global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, with offices worldwide.

Why Join Us

We value creativity, curiosity, humility, and impact. We foster an "Always Day 1" mindset to achieve meaningful breakthroughs for our users and employees. Join us to grow together in a rapidly expanding tech company.

Diversity & Inclusion

TikTok is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills and perspectives. We celebrate diverse voices and strive to reflect the communities we reach.

TikTok Accommodation

TikTok provides reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities or other protected reasons. If you need assistance, please reach out to us at https://tinyurl.com/RA-request

Job Information

Pay Transparency Compensation descriptions are provided in the job post. The base salary range for this position is $136,800.00 – $259,200.00 annually. Actual compensation varies by location, qualifications, and experience. Base pay may be eligible for bonuses, incentives, and stock units. Benefits may vary by location and employment type. Day-one benefits include medical, dental, and vision, 401(k) with match, parental leave, disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, and paid time off.

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