Video Algorithm Engineer Intern (TikTok Multimedia) - 2025 Summer (PhD)

Responsibilities

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 its offices include New York, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Why Join Us
Creation is the core of TikTok's purpose. Our platform is built to help imaginations thrive. This is doubly true of the teams that make TikTok possible.
Together, we inspire creativity and bring joy - a mission we all believe in and aim towards achieving every day.
To us, every challenge, no matter how difficult, is an opportunity; to learn, to innovate, and to grow as one team. Status quo? Never. Courage? Always.
At TikTok, we create together and grow together. That's how we drive impact - for ourselves, our company, and the communities we serve.
Join us.

The Multimedia Arch team is responsible for user experience optimization and cost optimization for the whole video on demand and live streaming system. We are building intelligence and personalized end-to-end multimedia systems to power the whole Tiktok ecosystem.
We are currently seeking a passionate video algorithm engineer intern to join our team. In this role, you will collaborate with product and engineering teams to identify opportunities and improve overall system performance and efficiency by integrating video algorithms across the entire multimedia system. Your responsibilities will be implementing video streaming, network algorithms at large scales to optimize and improve user watching experience in the system.

We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship in 2025. 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. This Internship Program runs for 12 weeks beginning in May/June 2025. Successful candidates must be able to commit to one of the following summer internship start dates below:
Monday, May 12
Monday, May 19
Tuesday May 27 (Memorial Day May 26)
Monday, June 9
Monday, June 23

We will prioritize candidates who are able to commit to these start dates. Please state your availability clearly in your resume (Start date, End date).

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 early.

Online Assessment (Only for RD)
Candidates who pass resume evaluation will be invited to participate in TikTok's technical online assessment in HackerRank.

Responsibilities
- Design and implement video streaming algorithms to improve the playback experience.
- Work cross-functionally with product managers, data scientists, and product engineers to understand insights, formulate problems, design and refine machine learning algorithms, and further drive the exciting growth of global TikTok users.
- Run controlled experiments on millions of streaming sessions to validate improvements.
- Work in areas related to video bitrate adaption algorithms(ABR), video preload algorithms, network bandwidth estimation, CDN traffic allocation algorithm, transmission protocol optimization etc.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:
- Currently pursuing an PhD in Software Development, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Able to commit to working for 12 weeks during Summer 2025;
- Proficient in at least one programming language, such as Python and C++.
- Must obtain work authorization in country of employment at the time of hire, and maintain ongoing work authorization during employment.

Preferred Qualifications:
- Graduating December 2025 onwards with the intent to return to degree program after the completion of the internship.
- Experience in video, cdn, network related domain. The top publication record is a big pus.
- Have a passion for learning and an eagerness to experiment with new techniques and good communication and a cooperative spirit.

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 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://shorturl.at/cdpT2