Machine Learning Engineer, Recommendations - USDS

Responsibilities

• Participate in building large‑scale (10 million to 100 million) recommendation algorithms and systems, including commodity recommendations, live‑stream recommendations, short‑video recommendations, etc. in TikTok.
• Build long‑ and short‑term user interest models, analyze and extract relevant information from large amounts of diverse data, and design algorithms to explore users’ latent interests efficiently.
• Design, develop, evaluate, and iterate on predictive models for candidate generation and ranking (e.g., Click‑Through Rate and Conversion Rate prediction), including building real‑time data pipelines, feature engineering, model optimization, and innovation.
• Design and build supporting/debugging tools as needed.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science or a related field.
• Strong programming and problem‑solving ability.
• Experience in applied machine learning; familiarity with algorithms such as Collaborative Filtering, Matrix Factorization, Factorization Machines, Word2vec, Logistic Regression, Gradient Boosting Trees, Deep Neural Networks, Wide & Deep, etc.
• Experience with deep‑learning frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch.
• Proficiency in at least one programming language such as C++ or Python.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in recommendation systems, online advertising, information retrieval, natural language processing, large‑scale data mining, or related fields.
• Publications at conferences such as KDD, NeurIPS, WWW, SIGIR, WSDM, ICML, IJCAI, AAAI, RecSys, or participation in data‑mining/machine‑learning competitions (e.g., Kaggle, KDD‑Cup).

About USDS

TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC is dedicated to the safety and security of millions of Americans who create, discover, and connect on the apps we operate. Established in compliance with the Executive Order signed on September 25, 2025, the joint venture runs a comprehensive data‑privacy and cybersecurity program to protect national security and secure U.S. user data, apps, and algorithms. The company safeguards the U.S. content ecosystem, holds decision‑making authority for trust and safety policies and moderation, and supports creators, communities, and businesses at scale. The organization is transitioning from a hybrid work model to a fully in‑person schedule (up to five days a week) to enhance speed, alignment, and agility.

Why Join Us

Inspiring creativity is at the core of TikTok’s mission. Our innovative products help people authentically express themselves, discover, and connect. We foster a global, diverse team that creates value for communities, inspires creativity, and brings joy. 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 together, embracing an “Always Day 1” mindset that drives meaningful breakthroughs for our users and the business.

Diversity & Inclusion

TikTok is committed to an inclusive workplace where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. We celebrate diverse voices and strive to reflect the many communities we serve. The company also provides reasonable accommodations in recruitment for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs, or other protected reasons. Requests for assistance can be made via the accommodation link provided in the posting.

Pay

The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $129,960 – $246,240 annually. Compensation may vary based on qualifications, skills, experience, and location. The total package may include discretionary bonuses, incentives, and restricted stock units. Employees receive day‑one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with company match, paid parental leave, short‑ and long‑term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, 10 paid holidays, 10 paid sick days, and 17 days of paid personal time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).

Schedule

The role requires on‑site presence, with the company moving to a fully in‑person schedule of up to five days per week.