Senior Software Engineer, Search - USDS

TikTok USDS Joint Venture; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 187,000 - 360,000; Full time

Job summary

TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC is seeking a backend-focused engineer to architect and optimize large-scale search infrastructure on the TikTok Search Team. You will work on full-stack search system components, combining information retrieval and machine learning techniques, in a fast-paced, self-directed environment.

The role emphasizes performance tuning, latency reduction, and high-throughput processing for peak traffic, with strong collaboration across teams in an on-site setting in California.

Qualifications

• BS degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or other relevant majors.
• At least 3+ years of experience in developing and implementing large-scale consumer-facing services/products and/or backend services.
• Proficiency in languages: C/C++, Python, Java or Golang.
• Effective team communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Architect and optimize large-scale search infrastructure to improve system efficiency and user experience, focusing on resource utilization, latency, and throughput.
• Optimize the searching quality to provide TikTok's users the best search experience.
• Combine understanding of product objectives with ML/IR techniques to improve search quality and perception.
• Build core systems and algorithms development including query understanding, ranking, recommendations, and reliability.

Skills

C/C++

Python

Java

Golang

Education

BS degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or other relevant majors

Tools

Profiling tools

Job description

Responsibilities

About the Team

Our Search Team is responsible for building and owning TikTok's search engine, which provides our users the best search experience.

On the TikTok Search Team, you’ll have the opportunity to build a full-stack search engine system and combine information retrieval technology with modern machine learning methods from related fields such as NLP, CV, and recommender system. We embrace a culture of self-direction, intellectual curiosity, openness, and problem-solving.

• Architect and optimize large-scale search infrastructure to improve system efficiency and user experience, focusing on maximizing resource utilization (CPU/GPU/Memory), reducing end-to-end service latency, and ensuring high-throughput processing for peak traffic scenarios.
• Optimize the searching quality to provide TikTok's users the best search experience
• Combine your understanding of product objectives and take full advantage of modern machine learning and information retrieval techniques to improve search quality and perception
• Build the core systems and algorithms development including query understanding, result ranking, query recommendation, system reliability, and etc.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• BS degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or other relevant majors
• At least 3+ years of experience in developing and implementing large-scale consumer-facing services/products and/or building backend services for large-scale consumer-facing applications
• Proficiency in the following languages but not limited to: C/C++, Python, Java or Golang
• Effective team communication and collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong proficiency in system performance tuning and optimization, including the use of profiling tools (e.g., pprof, perf, gperftools) to optimize CPU/memory usage and a proven track record of reducing latency for large-scale, distributed services.
• Working knowledge in one of the following or similar domains: search, recommendation, ranking, ads, etc.
• Working knowledge in one of the following areas: machine learning, deep learning, backend, large-scale systems, data science, full-stack
• Experience with Big Data Frameworks, such as hadoop, spark, flink, etc.

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 $187040 - $359720 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.