Research Scientist Graduate (TikTok Recommendation-Agentic AI) - 2026 Start (PhD)

TikTok; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 136,800 - 359,720; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance from day one

401(k) with company match

Paid parental leave

Disability coverage

Life insurance

Wellbeing benefits

Paid time off (holidays, sick days, personal time)

Job summary

A leading social media platform is seeking a Research Scientist Graduate in San Jose, California, to focus on recommendation-agentic AI. The ideal candidate will be a final-year Ph.D. student or recent graduate in Computer Science with strong knowledge in reinforcement learning. Responsibilities include designing datasets, optimizing algorithms, and translating research into applications. The position offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits starting from day one.

Qualifications

• Final-year Ph.D. candidate or recent Ph.D. graduate in Computer Science or a related field.
• Strong knowledge and hands-on experience in reinforcement learning, agent development, or LLM post-training.
• Passion for exploring cutting-edge research topics and bridging theory with practice.

Responsibilities

• Design and construct reinforcement learning datasets tailored for recommendation scenarios.
• Explore and optimize reinforcement learning algorithms, and develop scalable training and inference frameworks.
• Conduct research on agentic recommendation systems and generative recommendation models.

Skills

Reinforcement learning

Agent development

LLM post-training

Education

PhD in Computer Science or related field

Job description

Overview

Research Scientist Graduate (TikTok Recommendation-Agentic AI) - 2026 Start (PhD)

Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Narratives about onboarding dates and early application notices are retained only as context and not as job instructions.

Responsibilities

• Design and construct reinforcement learning datasets tailored for recommendation scenarios.
• Explore and optimize reinforcement learning algorithms, and develop scalable training and inference frameworks.
• Conduct research on agentic recommendation systems and generative recommendation models.
• Stay up to date with the latest state-of-the-art advancements in relevant areas, and translate research ideas into real-world applications.

Qualifications

• Final-year Ph.D. candidate or recent Ph.D. graduate in Computer Science or a related field.
• Strong knowledge and hands-on experience in at least one of the following areas: reinforcement learning, agent development, or LLM post-training.
• Passion for exploring cutting-edge research topics and bridging theory with practice.

Preferred Qualifications

• Publications in top-tier conferences such as NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, AAAI, IJCAI, RecSys, KDD, WWW, or WSDM.
• Internship or project experience related to reinforcement learning, agent-based systems, or LLM alignment/post-training.

Job Information

• Compensation: Base salary range for this position in the selected city is $136,800 - $359,720 annually. Total compensation may include bonuses/incentives and restricted stock units. Location-specific factors apply.
• Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance from day one, 401(k) with company match, paid parental leave, disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, and paid time off (holidays, sick days, and paid personal time).

Work Authorization & Additional Information

For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) candidates: qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered in accordance with applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act. The company highlights potential impacts of criminal history on job duties and conditional offers.

About TikTok

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy, with offices globally including Los Angeles, Singapore, New York, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Diversity & Inclusion

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