Data Scientist Intern [TikTok LIVE-Data Science]-2026 Start (PhD)
About this internship
TikTok is hiring a Data Scientist Intern for TikTok LIVE-Data Science, starting in 2026, based on-site in San Jose, CA. In this role, you’ll likely use SQL and Python or R to analyze data and apply statistically correct methods with a strong analytical and causal reasoning mindset. This internship is intended for students pursuing a PhD in math, statistics, data science, machine learning, or a related technical discipline, and lists a pay rate of $70/hr.
Qualifications
Required
- Pursuing a PhD in Math, Statistic, Data Science, Machine Learning, or a related technical discipline.
- Expertise in SQL and programming in Python or R.
- Strong analytical and causal reasoning mindset, and rigidity on statistical correctness.
Nice to have
- Experience designing and interpreting causal analyses while clearly stating assumptions and limitations.
- Comfort writing clean, reproducible analysis code in Python or R and collaborating through code reviews.
- Ability to translate ambiguous questions into well-scoped analyses and measurable success metrics.
- Strong communication skills to explain statistical results and trade-offs to non-specialist partners.
- Attention to data quality, including validating inputs and checking for bias or leakage before modeling.
How to stand out (TUN tip)
Before applying, prepare one concise example from your PhD work that highlights SQL plus Python/R, and explicitly describe how you ensured statistical correctness (e.g., assumptions checked, robustness tests, or causal identification strategy). If you can, include a short write-up or notebook link in your application materials that makes your reasoning easy to follow.