Tech Lead Software Engineer, Innovative Growth

Tech Lead Software Engineer, Innovative Growth at TikTok in San Jose, CA.

Responsibilities

We are building the next generation of growth and content optimization systems for TikTok, powered by AIGC technologies and innovative search and discovery strategies. Our mission is to drive user growth and improve user experience through intelligent content optimization, scalable backend systems, and new growth opportunities across evolving digital ecosystems.

Our team operates at the intersection of product, data, engineering, and AI-driven content technologies, turning new ideas and technical advances into scalable, real-world growth solutions used by millions of users. We work closely with product, algorithm, data, and design partners to ensure that advanced technologies translate into measurable business impact and intuitive user experiences across TikTok surfaces such as Web, Lite, and other emerging platforms.

• Lead the design and development of backend systems that power user growth and content optimization across TikTok platforms
• Drive innovative growth initiatives across search, discovery, and other emerging traffic channels
• Develop AIGC-powered solutions and scalable systems for content optimization, experimentation, and automated workflows
• Own the technical direction and architecture evolution of key growth and content systems
• Lead complex projects end-to-end, from technical design to production rollout, with strong ownership of quality and business impact
• Partner closely with product, data, algorithm, and design teams to drive cross-functional technical execution
• Mentor engineers, review technical designs, and raise engineering standards across the team

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or above in Computer Science or a related field
• 5+ years of industry experience in backend engineering or distributed systems
• Strong experience designing and building large-scale backend services or consumer-facing platforms
• Experience working on content, growth, recommendation, experimentation, or search-related systems
• Proficiency in one or more of the following languages: Go, Python, Java, or C++
• Strong system design, architecture, and problem-solving skills
• Experience leading complex cross-functional technical projects from design to production
• Strong communication skills and the ability to drive alignment across teams

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience setting technical direction or leading engineering efforts within a team
• Experience mentoring engineers and improving engineering standards
• Experience with AIGC, LLM applications, agent frameworks, AI coding tools, or workflow automation systems
• Interest in search, discovery, and growth ecosystems, including areas such as SEO, GEO, or emerging AI-driven traffic channels
• Experience building data-driven optimization or experimentation platforms
• Experience delivering user-facing products from concept to production in a fast-paced environment

Job Information

[For Pay Transparency] Compensation Description (annually)

Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate's qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.

Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).

The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.

About the Company

The Global Business Solutions (GBS) team is responsible for the revenue growth of the TikTok business, and our teams include Sales, Marketing, Ops, Account Managers, Agency and partnerships, as well as Marketing Science.

At TikTok, our Global Business Solutions (GBS) team plays a key role in generating revenue by promoting our advertising solutions, onboarding new clients, driving ad campaigns, and more. As the TikTok community grows at an unprecedented speed around the world, our GBS team leads groundbreaking projects that are changing the landscape of the advertising industry in real time.

We're seeking an analytically driven, and detail-oriented Client Solutions Manager (CSM) Intern to join our Ecommerce Team. As a CSM, you will partner closely with Client Partners and Client Solutions Managers to drive revenue by identifying opportunities, leveraging data insights, and delivering consultative solutions for advertisers.

This role centers on client education, relationship growth, data analysis, and campaign success. You will provide strategic recommendations to both clients and internal teams, ensuring campaigns achieve business objectives while optimizing long-term partnerships. Success in this role requires strong data analytics skills, adaptability in a fast-paced environment, and a test-and-learn mindset to uncover the best solutions.

Additional Information

For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:

1. Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
2. Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and
3. Exercising sound judgment.