Machine Learning Engineer Graduate (TikTok Vertical Recommendation) - 2027 Start

About the Team

The Recommendation Architecture team powers personalized recommendations for TikTok's vertical businesses. Our team consists of machine learning engineers and system engineers who support and innovate on production recommendation models serving hundreds of millions of users. We work at the intersection of machine learning and large-scale distributed systems, in a fast-paced, collaborative, and impact-driven culture where your work directly shapes what users discover on TikTok every day.

Responsibilities

• Implement, train, and iterate on retrieval and ranking models (candidate generation, coarse/fine ranking, re-ranking) for TikTok vertical-business recommendation scenarios, in close partnership with algorithm teams.
• Deliver end-to-end machine learning engineering solutions: from model implementation and feature engineering on large-scale user behavior data to online deployment.
• Run and analyze A/B experiments; drive launches that improve core business metrics.
• Productionize state-of-the-art techniques such as sequence modeling, multi-task/multi-objective learning, and LLM-enhanced recommendation in large-scale systems.
• Collaborate closely with algorithm teams, backend engineers, data scientists, and product teams.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Individuals who are completing or have recently completed a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related discipline.
• Solid foundation in data structures, algorithms, and machine learning fundamentals.
• Proficiency in at least one general-purpose programming language such as Python, C++, Go, or Java.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills; curiosity about technology and problem-solving.

Preferred Qualifications

• Internship or research experience in recommendation, search, or ads; publications in relevant venues are a plus.
• Hands-on experience with a deep learning framework such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Experience with large-scale data processing (Spark/Flink) or distributed model training.
• Agile and quick learner with self-motivation, a sense of ownership, and creative problem-solving abilities.

Pay

The base salary range for this position is $128,000 - $316,800 annually. Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, 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

• Day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) savings plan with company match.
• Paid parental leave.
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• Life insurance.
• Wellbeing benefits.
• 10 paid holidays per year.
• 10 paid sick days per year.
• 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).

About TikTok

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok's global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, with offices in New York City, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

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. 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, leading 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. 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.

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. We are passionate about celebrating our diverse voices and creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach.

Accommodation

TikTok 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/RA-request.