Backend Software Engineer Intern

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 User and Relation Platform team is responsible for building and maintaining a relationship management platform that supports TikTok's extensive operations. This includes the main TikTok product, TikTok Music, CapCut, and other offerings within our TikTok product ecosystem. We manage a wide range of relationship dynamics such as user followership, block relations, and contacts. Our platform handles the reading and writing of this data, delegated to us by our customers. This data is securely stored across multi-master data centers, ensuring its continuous safety and accessibility. Our team delivers high-traffic data reading and writing capabilities while offering resilience against degradation and disasters, enforcing data privacy safety controls, and maintaining stability, efficiency, security, and convenience for online business usage. A key aspect of our work involves enhancing TikTok's social graph capabilities. The social graph is essential for capturing the complexities of user interactions and relationships on the platform. By leveraging social graph data, we enable dynamic and engaging social interactions, ensuring users can seamlessly connect and interact with their peers. This capability allows TikTok to offer personalized content recommendations, boost user engagement, and foster a vibrant community atmosphere. 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. Responsibilities - Support the development and maintenance of crucial systems and features that drive TikTok's user and relation experiences. This includes tasks such as coding, testing, bug-fixing, and other related assignments under the guidance of senior team members. - Help improve system design and architecture to ensure service reliability and performance. Participate in system review sessions, learn from existing architectures, and suggest potential enhancements. - Actively participate in team meetings and discussions, providing valuable input and sharing knowledge to aid in collective problem-solving and knowledge growth. - Continuously learn new technical skills and knowledge under the mentorship of senior team members to meet the evolving needs of the team and the TikTok platform.Minimum Qualifications - Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's or Master's degree program in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field. - Able to commit to working for at least 12 weeks during Summer 2025. - Proficiency in at least one programming language such as Python, Java, C++, or Go. Basic understanding of algorithms, data structures, and software design principles. - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to approach challenges methodically and creatively. - Effective verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate technical concepts clearly and work collaboratively within a team. - Demonstrated eagerness to learn new technologies and skills and adapt to evolving project requirements and responsibilities. - Have a humble attitude and an eagerness to help colleagues. Enjoy working with a team to achieve shared goals. Preferred Qualifications - Graduating December 2025 onwards with the intent to return to a degree program after the completion of the internship. - Familiarity with database concepts and experience with SQL or NoSQL databases is a plus. - Previous project or internship experience in software development, either through coursework or personal projects, is preferred. - Familiarity with cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud Platform, or Microsoft Azure, including experience with cloud-based services and infrastructure. 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