Software Engineer, Tech & Product

TikTok USDS Joint Venture; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 137,000 - 259,000; Full time

Job summary

TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC is seeking a Backend Software Engineer to design, implement, and maintain highly scalable, fault-tolerant server-side systems for the U.S. enterprise ecosystem.

You will bridge infrastructure needs with reliable, efficient user experiences while upholding strict security and compliance protocols. You will collaborate across SRE, Infrastructure, and product teams to build production-grade services, CI/CD pipelines, and robust monitoring, contributing to a secure and

Qualifications

• BS/MS degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 3 years of professional experience as a Software Engineer, with a proven track record of contributing to team-based projects.
• Proficiency in modern programming languages, specifically C/C++, Go, or Python, with a strong grasp of data structures and algorithms.
• Solid understanding of backend development and the lifecycle of a production-grade service.

Responsibilities

• Core Service Development: Design, build, and deploy production-grade, highly concurrent services that support our multi-functional collaborative tools and platform ecosystems.
• System Scalability & Reliability: Implement best practices for system reliability, performance tuning, and optimizing application efficiency to handle large-scale enterprise traffic while meeting compliance and security requirements.
• Architectural Design: Lead and participate in technical design reviews, identifying and addressing technical debt, and defining future system architecture to support long-term product growth.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with SRE and Infrastructure teams to develop CI/CD pipelines and integrate services with advanced monitoring and logging tools.
• Operational Excellence: Ensure high availability of services by participating in code reviews and contributing to the continuous improvement of our engineering and compliance standards.

Skills

C/C++

Go

Python

Education

BS/MS in CS/CE or related field

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

MySQL

Redis

MongoDB

Job description

Responsibilities

The Tech and Product organization builds and maintains reliability of secure U.S. TikTok technology solutions, operations and the U.S. transaction ecosystem, in adherence with security and compliance requirements. This safeguards and maintains the privacy and trust of our U.S. users on every product and platform we deliver.

The TikTok USDS Team is looking for talented engineers to join us in building and scaling core enterprise services and collaborative technologies. As part of the TikTok USDS JV, you will work at the intersection of high-growth product development, robust infrastructure engineering, and stringent security standards, ensuring our platform remains the gold standard for enterprise productivity and platform reliability.

We are seeking a highly skilled Backend Software Engineer to be a key architect and builder of our backend ecosystem. In this role, you will design, implement, and maintain highly scalable, fault-tolerant, and high-performance server-side systems. You will bridge the gap between complex infrastructure requirements and seamless user experiences, ensuring our platform remains stable and efficient under heavy global demand while adhering to security and compliance protocols.

Responsibilities

• Core Service Development: Design, build, and deploy production-grade, highly concurrent services that support our multi-functional collaborative tools and platform ecosystems.
• System Scalability & Reliability: Implement best practices for system reliability, performance tuning, and optimizing application efficiency to handle large-scale enterprise traffic while meeting compliance and security requirements.
• Architectural Design: Lead and participate in technical design reviews, identifying and addressing technical debt, and defining future system architecture to support long-term product growth.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with SRE and Infrastructure teams to develop CI/CD pipelines and integrate services with advanced monitoring and logging tools.
• Operational Excellence: Ensure high availability of services by participating in code reviews and contributing to the continuous improvement of our engineering and compliance standards.

Qualifications Minimum Qualifications

• BS/MS degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 3 years of professional experience as a Software Engineer, with a proven track record of contributing to team-based projects.
• Proficiency in modern programming languages, specifically C/C , Go, or Python, with a strong grasp of data structures and algorithms.
• Solid understanding of backend development and the lifecycle of a production-grade service.

Preferred Qualifications

• Distributed Systems: Deep knowledge of distributed systems, concurrent programming, and microservices architecture.
• Cloud & Infrastructure: Hands-on experience with container technology (Docker/Kubernetes) and common open-source systems such as MySQL, Redis, or MongoDB.
• Efficiency & Optimization: Experience in performance tuning and identifying bottlenecks in large-scale distributed environments.
• Collaborative Mindset: Strong communication skills and a passion for building secure, high-impact enterprise tools.

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 $136800 – $259200 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:
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:

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.