Backend Software Engineer Intern (TikTok-Social-Photo and Text) – 2026 Summer (BS/MS)
TikTok · Content Creators, Content Discovery
About this internship
TikTok is hiring a Backend Software Engineer Intern (TikTok-Social-Photo and Text) for Summer 2026 in San Jose, CA, with an on-site work model. This BS/MS internship is for students pursuing an undergraduate, graduate, or master’s degree in Software Development, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field. Pay is listed at $45/hr.
Qualifications
Required
- Pursuing an Undergraduate/Graduate/Master in Software Development, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline
- Proficient in at least one coding language, including but not limited to Go, Java, Python, C++, Javascript, TypeScript
- Ability to understand and debug large and complex codebases
Nice to have
- Comfort reading and navigating unfamiliar backend systems with minimal guidance.
- Experience writing clean, well-documented code in at least one language such as Go, Java, Python, C++, JavaScript, or TypeScript.
- Familiarity with debugging techniques for large, complex codebases (e.g., tracing issues, isolating root causes).
- Habit of testing changes before submitting them and verifying fixes after debugging.
- Ability to communicate technical findings clearly when discussing bugs or code changes.
How to stand out (TUN tip)
Before applying, prepare 1–2 brief examples that show how you debugged an issue in a larger codebase and what steps you took to find the root cause. If you list multiple languages, be ready to discuss one you’re most proficient in and the kinds of backend problems you’ve solved with it. Use the early careers link to confirm current details for the Summer 2026 posting.