Backend Software Engineer Intern (TikTok-Social-Foundation) - 2027 Summer

About the role

The Social Foundation team at TikTok is at the forefront of innovation in large-scale graph computing. We design and build the core graph infrastructure that powers TikTok's social ecosystem—processing trillions of edges and billions of vertices to deliver real-time relationship insights to billions of users worldwide. Our high-performance engine enables millisecond-level multi-hop queries, dynamic cluster and community detection, and real-time graph mining—directly powering key features such as friend recommendations, live streaming, risk control, and messaging.

This internship program offers students hands-on experience, industry exposure, and opportunities to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges while building a strong foundation for personal and professional growth. Interns will gain practical experience, explore potential career paths, and participate in social events, learning programs, and development workshops alongside industry professionals.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement high-performance data storage and management systems for trillion-scale social graph data, ensuring seamless integration and rapid iteration for mission-critical applications.
• Develop distributed graph database engines capable of handling billions of vertices and trillions of edges, enabling millisecond-level multi-hop queries and real-time graph reasoning.
• Build a real-time graph mining platform to extract social relationships, patterns, clusters, and communities, fueling product strategies and personalized recommendations.
• Lead the integration of the Social Graph with core systems (e.g., recommendation, search, risk control) to support social interactions, live-streaming, and various TikTok business use cases.

Requirements

• Currently pursuing an Undergraduate/Graduate degree in Software Development, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Able to commit to working for 12 weeks during the Summer of 2027.
• Proficient in at least one of the following languages: Go, Java, C++, Python.
• Deep understanding of computer architectures, data structures, and algorithms.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Passion for techniques and solving challenging problems.
• Experience in building backend services for large-scale consumer-facing applications.

Benefits

• Day one access to health insurance, life insurance, and wellbeing benefits.
• 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).
• Eligibility for housing allowance (for interns not working 100% remote).

Pay

The hourly rate for this position is $45.