Software Engineer Intern (Agentic AI Engine - Data Management platform) - 2026 Summer (BS/MS)

Responsibilities

We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship in 2026. Internships at TikTok aim to offer students industry exposure and hands-on experience. Turn your ambitions into reality as your inspiration brings infinite opportunities at TikTok. Internships at TikTok aim to provide students with hands-on experience in developing fundamental skills and exploring potential career paths. A vibrant blend of social events and enriching development workshops will be available for you to explore. Here, you will utilize your knowledge in real-world scenarios while laying a strong foundation for personal and professional growth. It runs for 12 weeks. Candidates can apply to a maximum of two positions and will be considered for jobs in the order you apply. The application limit is applicable to TikTok and its affiliates' jobs globally. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage you to apply as early as possible. Please state your availability clearly in your resume (Start date, End date). Summer Start Dates: - May 11th, 2026 - May 18th, 2026 - May 26th, 2026 - June 8th, 2026 - June 22nd, 2026 Team Introduction: Join us in pushing the boundaries of AI technology and creating the next generation of intelligent systems that will transform data platforms. We are seeking a highly skilled and innovative Software Engineer to join our cutting-edge Agentic Engine team. As part of a division of the data platform team which focuses on LLM adoption, you will have the opportunity to work with state-of-the-art AI technologies and design architectures that apply LLMs to real-world industry challenges in data development platform areas. This role puts you at the forefront of AI innovation, shaping the future of intelligent systems. We are looking for talented individuals to join our team in 2026. As a graduate, you will get opportunities to pursue bold ideas, tackle complex challenges, and unlock limitless growth. Launch your career where inspiration is infinite at TikTok. Online Assessment Candidates who pass resume evaluation will be invited to participate in TikTok's technical online assessment in HackerRank. Responsibilities: 1. Design and implement an offline/real-time data architecture for large-scale recommendation systems. 2. Design and implement a flexible, scalable, stable, and high-performance storage system and computation model. 3. Troubleshoot production systems, and design and implement necessary mechanisms and tools to ensure the overall stability of production systems. 4. Build industry-leading distributed systems such as offline and online storage, batch, and stream processing frameworks, providing reliable infrastructure for massive data and large-scale business systems.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:
Currently pursuing an Undergraduate/Master's degree in Software Development, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
Able to commit to working for 12 weeks during Summer 2026 - Proficiency in common big data processing systems like Spark/Flink at the source code level is required, with a preference for experience in customizing or extending these systems; - A deep understanding of the source code of at least one data lake technology, such as Hudi, Iceberg, or DeltaLake, is highly valuable and should be prominently showcased in your resume, especially if you have practical implementation or customisation experience; - Knowledge of HDFS principles is expected, and familiarity with columnar storage formats like Parquet/ORC is an additional advantage; Preferred Qualifications: - Prior experience in data warehousing modeling; Proficiency in programming languages such as Java, C++, and Scala is essential, along with strong coding skills and the ability to troubleshoot effectively; - Experience with other big data systems/frameworks like Hive, HBase, or Kudu is a plus; - A willingness to tackle challenging problems without clear solutions, a strong enthusiasm for learning new technologies, and prior experience in managing large-scale data (in the petabyte range) are all advantageous qualities. - Graduating December 2026 onwards with the intent to return to the degree program after the completion of the internship. By submitting an application for this role, you accept and agree to our global applicant privacy policy, which may be accessed here: ;br>
Job Information

[For Pay Transparency]Compensation Description (Hourly) - Campus Intern

The hourly rate range for this position in the selected city is $45- $45.

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

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

For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates:

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. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:

1. Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;

2. Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and

3. Exercising sound judgment.

About TikTok

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok's global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, and we also have 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 - and 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. 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 as one team. We're resilient and embrace challenges as they come. 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. Join us.

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. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.

TikTok 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