Search Safety & Operations Project Intern（TikTok-Platform Responsibility-Search）- 2026 Start

TikTok; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing allowance

Job summary

TikTok is seeking a Project Intern to support the Platform Responsibility Search team in building a safer, more trustworthy search experience for TikTok's global community.

You will engage in short-term projects, collaborate with Policy, PG, GR, and OPS, and help strengthen risk detection and governance in the US market. This paid internship requires 5 days on-site per week for at least 3 months, with immediate availability preferred.

Qualifications

• Pursuing an Undergraduate related discipline.
• Strong cross-functional communication and stakeholder management.
• Good understanding of social media platforms and content-driven products.
• Solid analytical and problem-solving skills with a results-oriented mindset.
• Fluency in written and spoken Chinese is needed to manage stakeholders in China market.

Responsibilities

• Own search safety operations in the US market, including risk identification, risk mitigation, and public sentiment management. Collaborate with Policy, Product Governance, Government Relations, and Operations to define risks and governance objectives.
• Conduct proactive risk monitoring, respond to escalations and feedback, assess potential risks and mitigation strategies.
• Partner with the Rapid Response team on day-to-day operations, supporting request execution, issue investigation, data analysis, and access approval processes.
• Collaborate with US Content Moderation Operations to drive safety-related models, data annotation, and governance strategies; monitor moderation quality and model performance.

Skills

Cross-functional communication

Stakeholder management

Social media knowledge

Public sentiment governance

Analytical skills

Learning agility

Chinese language

Job description

Responsibilities

TikTok Platform Responsibility Search team is dedicated to building a safer, more trustworthy, and reliable search experience for TikTok's global community.

TikTok Platform Responsibility Search team is dedicated to building a safer, more trustworthy, and reliable search experience for TikTok's global community. We proactively identify and mitigate emerging risks across the search ecosystem, combining data-driven strategies, AI-powered solutions, and cross-functional collaboration to address evolving content safety challenges. Working closely with Product, Policy, Engineering, and Operations teams, we develop scalable governance frameworks, strengthen risk detection and response capabilities, and continuously improve the quality and effectiveness of search safety solutions.

Our mission is to protect user trust, uphold platform integrity, and empower safe and responsible content discovery at global scale.

As a Project Intern, you will contribute to impactful short-term projects and gain hands-on experience in a fast-paced, professional environment. This internship offers the opportunity to develop practical skills, apply your knowledge to real-world challenges, and explore your career interests.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early.

Successful candidates must be able to commit to 5 days on-site per week and at least 3 months long internship period, with immediate availability preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own search safety operations in the US market, including risk identification, risk mitigation, and public sentiment management. Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Policy, Product Governance (PG), Government Relations (GR), and Operations (OPS), to define risks associated with major events and emerging public concerns, align on governance objectives and mitigation approaches, and drive the implementation and effectiveness evaluation of relevant product features and safety strategies.
• Conduct proactive risk monitoring, respond to escalations and feedback, assess potential risks, and implement appropriate mitigation strategies. Monitor and respond to emerging social media incidents, trending topics, and public sentiment risks in the US market.
• Partner closely with the Rapid Response team on day-to-day operations, supporting request execution, issue investigation, strategy reviews, data analysis, and access approval processes.
• Collaborate with US Content Moderation Operations teams to drive the implementation of safety-related models, data annotation processes, and governance strategies. Monitor and evaluate moderation quality, model performance, and strategy effectiveness in the US market.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Currently pursuing an Undergraduate related discipline.
• Strong cross-functional communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to clearly communicate requirements, align on solutions, and drive project execution across different teams and functions.
• Good understanding of social media platforms and content-driven products, with the ability to identify and assess potential content safety risks and emerging platform challenges. Good awareness of global public discourse, international politics, and emerging social issues, with sound judgment and a genuine interest in platform safety, risk management, and public sentiment governance.
• Solid analytical and problem‑solving skills, with a results-oriented mindset and the ability to translate insights into actionable solutions. Detail-oriented, hands-on, accountable, and capable of driving initiatives through execution.
• Proven learning agility and adaptability, with the ability to quickly understand new business domains, navigate complex organizational structures, and leverage emerging technologies such as large language models (LLMs). Ability to manage risks, navigate conflicts, and operate effectively in high-pressure environments.
• Fluency in written and spoken Chinese is needed to manage stakeholders in China market.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in content operations, strategy operations, or related functions within social media platforms, content-driven products, or internet companies is preferred.
• Experience in search, recommendation systems, platform safety, content governance, or public sentiment management for global digital platforms is preferred.
• Experience with LLM applications, model optimization, AI agent development, workflow automation, or model performance evaluation is a plus.

Job Information

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

The hourly rate range for this position in the selected city is $25- $25.

Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. 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

• 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