Backend Software Engineer Intern (Platform Engineering) - 2027 Start (BS/MS)

The Platform Engineering Team builds the multimedia infrastructure that powers TikTok and our other products. As part of the Intelligent Video department, we specialize in Video-on-Demand (VoD) technology, developing solutions that process billions of videos every day. Our work focuses on optimizing TikTok's high-performance VoD transcoder, architecting cost-saving VoD strategy platforms that have already reduced expenses by tens of millions, and building distributed task processing platforms that streamline multimedia development across the company. When you join our team, you'll contribute to video technologies that captivate millions of users worldwide while having opportunities to grow your skills and collaborate with industry experts. You'll directly shape the multimedia experiences that define modern social media. If you're energized by technical challenges, excited about cutting-edge technology, and want to make a meaningful impact at scale, we'd love to have you explore the exciting opportunities on our team. We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship in November/December 2026. Internships at our Company aim to offer students industry exposure and hands-on experience. Watch your ambitions become reality as your inspiration brings infinite opportunities at our Company. 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 Our Company and its affiliates' jobs globally. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis - we encourage you to apply early. Successful candidates must be able to commit to the following Internships - From December 2026 - February 2027 (onboard by 7 Dec 2026) Responsibilities - Participate in the design, development, and maintenance of the large-scale multimedia processing system, which processes billions of videos per day for TikTok. - Contribute to the construction of the VoD strategy platform to deliver cost-effective transcoding and storage optimization strategies for saving a tremendous amount of VoD costs. - Work in areas related to large-scale distributed system development, workflow orchestration, task scheduling, just-in-time video transcoding, data analysis, etc. Minimum Qualifications - Individuals who are completing or have recently completed a Bachelor's/Masters' degree in Software Development, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline. - Candidates are expected to work on-site at our Sydney office for a minimum of three days per week during the internship, which runs for at least 3 months and may be extended based on performance and mutual agreement. - Solid basic knowledge of computer software, understanding of Linux operating system, storage, network IO, and other related principles. - Familiarity with one or more programming languages, such as Go, Python, and C++, with knowledge of design patterns and coding principles. - Strong learning and research abilities, good communication skills and teamwork spirit. Preferred Qualifications - Experience in building and developing large-scale infrastructure and distributed systems. - Knowledge of data analysis and data mining, familiar with structural query language, e.g. sql/hsql. - knowledge of machine learning and mathematical modeling. 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.