Software Engineer Intern (TikTok-Intelligent Creation - Generative AI and Graphics)- 2026 Summer (BS
New Yesterday
Creative Effects are a big part of the TikTok experience. From Versailles Run to Dancing Dino, effects make content creation easy, fun, and dynamic. Each effect has the potential to reach TikTok’s global community of a billion+ users and inspire new trends, lots of joy, and endless creativity. Our mission is to inspire user creativity with powerful creation tools. We are building Effect House, the official Augmented Reality creation tool for TikTok. If you are passionate about AR technologies and 3D content creation, you came to the right place.
You will be responsible for crafting the technology that enables intuitive effect development and design. From advanced interactions to visual scripting, you’ll build the tools our creators need to experiment and make engaging, immersive, and innovative effects, bringing creativity to (augmented) reality! You will focus on building a unified algorithm system that delivers numerous cutting-edge AR algorithms to various TikTok products. Our AR Effect Platform enables the breakthrough AR interactive experience, consumed by hundreds of millions of TikTok users around the world. We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship in 2026. 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. It runs for 12 weeks. 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 as early as possible. Please state your availability clearly in your resume (Start date, End date). Summer Start Dates:
- May 11th, 2026
- May 18th, 2026
- May 26th, 2026
- June 8th, 2026
- June 22nd, 2026 Online Assessment
Candidates who pass resume screening will be invited to participate in TikTok's technical online assessment. Responsibilities: 1. Participate in the research and development of cutting-edge AR Effect Generation AI system that leads the industry in interactive experience generation.
2. Contribute to the design and implementation of new features for TikTok's AI Effect Generation product to provide better creation experience for users
3. Assist in the design and implementation of evaluation pipelines to assess AI Effect Generation performance at various stages
4. Using inference stage techniques such as RAG, CoT, Prompt Engineering to improve TikTok's AI Effect Generation model output
Minimum Qualifications
1. Currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or master’s program in Software Development, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.
2. Available to work for 12 weeks in Summer 2026
3. Strong foundation in data structures, algorithms, fluent in any one of the following mainstream programming languages: JavaScript, C/C++ or Python
4. Knowledge about Computer Graphics, 3D content creation tools, game engines, real-time rendering, or VFX pipelines.
5. Passion for GenAI and interactive experiences, augmented reality, and creating engaging, user-focused experiences. Preferred Qualifications 1. Graduating December 2026 onwards with the intent to return to degree program after the completion of the internship.
2. Prior internship or academic experience with Machine Learning, Large Language Models and GenAI technologies.
3. Prior internship or school experience with Computer Graphics, Game Engine, Game Development
4. Experience or interest in AR/VR projects, web technologies (React, JavaScript/TypeScript, , cross-platform development (macOS, Windows, iOS, Android), or graphics APIs (OpenGL, WebGL, DirectX, Metal, Vulkan). By submitting an application for this role, you accept and agree to our global applicant privacy policy, which may be accessed here: https:///legal/privacy
- Location:
- San Jose