Software Engineer Project Intern (Video-on-Demand Algorithm) - 2026 Start (BS/MS)

Job Description:

The Video-on-Demand (VoD) Algorithm team is responsible for optimizing the app experience related to performance for TikTok users. This team collaborates with all teams within and beyond the VoD team, to provide algorithmic support for end-to-end optimization solutions, including video shooting, uploading, processing, delivery, and playback, etc. As a project intern, you will have the opportunity to engage in impactful short-term projects that provide you with a glimpse of professional real-world experience. You will gain practical skills through on-the-job learning in a fast-paced work environment and develop a deeper understanding of your career interests. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis - we encourage you to apply early. Responsibilities - Design and implement media streaming-related algorithms to improve TikTok user experience. Examples include video preloading, adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR), network bandwidth estimation, CDN traffic allocation, and transport-layer algorithms, to name a few. - Contribute to end-to-end media ecosystem design to improve the algorithmization of the multimedia system. - Run controlled experiments on millions of streaming sessions to validate improvements

Candidate Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications: - Currently pursuing an Undergraduate/Master in Software Development, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline - Able to commit to working for 12 weeks during Summer 2026 - Industry or academic experience in the multimedia or network domain. - Proven ability to develop new algorithms and identify problems in existing solutions. - Fluent in statistics and data analysis. - Able to commit to working for 12 weeks in 2026. Preferred Qualifications: - Experience with shipping software on behalf of a major brand at scale is a big plus. - Experience with learning-based model development is a big plus. By submitting an application for this role, you accept and agree to our global applicant privacy policy, which may be accessed here: https://careers.tiktok.com/legal/privacy