Software Engineer Intern (TikTok Search Architecture) - 2027 Summer

Centro Escolar University; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 30,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Centro Escolar University in San Jose, CA invites ambitious computer science students for a 12-week internship in 2027. You will build and optimize search systems, tackle large-scale problems in search quality, ranking, and NLP, and explore integration of search engine tech and LLMs to enhance user experience.

Collaborate with product managers, researchers and engineers to translate user needs into scalable solutions, applying ML, information retrieval, NLP and distributed systems principles.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related technical discipline.
• Strong foundation in data structures, algorithms, and operating systems.
• Proficient programming in C++, Python, Go, or Java.
• Curious, eager to learn, and able to quickly solve complex technical problems.
• Good communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively in a team environment.
• Available to commit to a 12-week internship in 2027.

Responsibilities

• Build and optimize search systems and features serving hundreds of millions of users globally.
• Work on large-scale, complex technical problems in search quality, ranking, query understanding, retrieval, and system reliability.
• Explore integration of search engine technologies and LLMs to enhance user experience and search relevance.
• Develop algorithms and systems supporting next-generation search experiences and new interaction paradigms.
• Collaborate with product managers, researchers, and engineers to translate user needs into scalable technical solutions.
• Apply machine learning, information retrieval, natural language processing, and LLM techniques to improve search quality and user perception.

Skills

Data structures

Algorithms

Operating systems

Team collaboration

Curiosity

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS or related

Master's degree in CS (preferred)

Tools

C++

Python

Go

Java

Job description

Your Role

Here's what you will be doing:

• Build and optimize search systems and features serving hundreds of millions of users globally.


• Work on large-scale, complex technical problems in search quality, ranking, query understanding, retrieval, and system reliability.


• Explore integration of search engine technologies and Large Language Models (LLMs) to enhance user experience and search relevance.


• Develop algorithms and systems supporting next-generation search experiences and new interaction paradigms.


• Collaborate with product managers, researchers, and engineers to translate user needs into scalable technical solutions.


• Apply machine learning, information retrieval, natural language processing, and LLM techniques to improve search quality and user perception.

About You

The company is looking for candidates who meet the following qualifications:

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related technical discipline.


• Strong foundation in computer science fundamentals, including data structures, algorithms, and operating systems.


• Proficient programming skills with experience in one or more languages such as C++, Python, Go, or Java.


• Curious, eager to learn, and able to quickly solve complex technical problems.


• Good communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively in a team environment.


• Available to commit to a 12-week internship in 2027.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Currently pursuing a Master's degree in Computer Science or related field.


• Experience in search, recommendation systems, machine learning, NLP, LLMs, or distributed systems.


• Software engineering experience through internships, research projects, open-source contributions, or publications.


• Award-winning programming competition experience (e.g., ICPC, CCPC, NOI, IOI) is a plus.


• High creativity, self-motivation, and strong problem-solving skills.