Software Engineer Intern; TikTok Search Architecture; Summer

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.

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.