Software Engineer Intern; AI Model Optimization - Summer; BS​/MS

The Speech team’s mission is to empower content interaction and creation using speech and audio related technologies. The team focuses on cutting‑edge R&D in areas such as speech and audio, music processing, and multimodal deep learning. We are looking for top talent to work on these exciting technologies, integrate them into various products, and ultimately bring joy to our global user base.

You will work on improving the performance and efficiency of large‑scale AI models across training, inference, and deployment. This is an opportunity to gain hands‑on experience in high‑performance machine‑learning systems and contribute to enhancing the user experience of all Byte Dance‑related products.

• Support research and engineering efforts to optimize deep‑learning models for speed, memory, and scalability.
• Contribute to benchmarking and profiling tools to identify performance bottlenecks.
• Collaborate with engineers to integrate optimized models into production pipelines.

The internship program runs for 12 weeks beginning in August/September 2026. Successful candidates must be able to commit to one of the following start dates:

• May 11th, 2026
• May 18th, 2026
• May 26th, 2026
• June 8th, 2026
• June 22nd, 2026

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or a related field.
• Must be able to commit to a 12‑week full‑time work period during Fall 2026.
• Strong programming skills in Python and familiarity with deep‑learning frameworks such as PyTorch, Tensor Flow, or JAX.
• Knowledge of fundamental machine‑learning concepts and algorithms.
• Must obtain work authorization in the country of employment at the time of hire, and maintain ongoing work authorization during employment.

• Experience with AI model training, inference, or deployment.
• Familiarity with GPU programming (CUDA, Triton, or similar).
• Strong problem‑solving skills and eagerness to learn.

For Pay Transparency

Hourly rate range for this position in the selected city: $42.75 - $42.75.

Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country of work location. Interns have day‑one access to health insurance, life insurance, wellness benefits, and more. They also receive 10 paid holidays per year and paid sick time (56 hours if hired in the first half of the year, 40 if hired in the second half). Interns who are not 100 % remote may also be eligible for a housing allowance.

The company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.

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. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship on certain job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment:

• Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal or external clients and/or colleagues;
• Appropriately handling and managing confidential information, including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems;
• Exercising sound judgment.

Tik Tok is the leading destination for short‑form mobile video. At Tik Tok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. Tik Tok’s global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, with offices in New York City, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Inspiring creativity is at the core of Tik Tok’s mission. Our innovative product is built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make an impact in a rapidly growing tech company. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and innovate as one team.

Tik Tok 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. We celebrate diverse voices and strive to create an environment that reflects the many communities we reach.

Tik Tok 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