[Seattle] Tech Lead, Senior Machine Learning Engineer - TikTok Search Algorithms (NLP, Ranking, Relevance, Understanding, User Engagement)

About the Team
On the TikTok Search Team, you will have the opportunity to develop and apply cutting edge machine learning technologies in real-time large-scale systems, which serve billions of search requests every day. Via advanced NLP and multi-modal models, our projects impact and improve the search experience for hundreds of millions of users globally. We embrace a culture of self-direction, intellectual curiosity, openness, and problem-solving.

We use cutting-edge machine learning techniques for end-to-end modeling and continuous innovation. The team focuses on building and optimizing distributed systems and machine learning systems, ranging from index compression, retrieving, and ranking algorithms. Our main areas of work include:

1. Exploring state-of-the-art NLP (Natural Language Processing) technologies: From basic tasks like tokenization and Named Entity Recognition (NER) to applications such as query understanding and core relevance, we apply deep learning models across the entire pipeline, each detail filled with challenges.
2. Cross-modal modeling technology: Applying computer vision (CV) and NLP deep learning techniques in search to enhance video retrieval and ranking capabilities.
3. Large-scale streaming machine learning technology: Applying large-scale machine learning to address recommendation issues in search, making search more personalized and understanding user preferences better.
4. Architecture at the scale of hundreds of billions of data: From large-scale offline computation, performance and scheduling optimization in distributed systems, to building highly available, high-throughput, and low-latency online services, we delve deep into research and innovation in all aspects.

We are looking for strong research scientists and engineers at all levels, who are excited about growing their business understanding, building highly scalable and reliable software, and partnering across disciplines with global teams, in pursuit of excellence.

What you'll do
• Optimize the search quality to provide TikTok's users with the best search experience
• Combine your understanding of product objectives and take full advantage of modern machine learning and information retrieval techniques to improve search quality and perception
• Build core systems and algorithms development including query understanding, result ranking, query recommendation, system reliability, etc.
• Provide technical leadership to drive search strategy iterations including query understanding, recall & ranking, query recommendation, reliability, etc.
• Provide guidance, regular feedback, and mentorship to team members.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications:
• Bachelor or advanced degree in computer science or a related technical discipline
• Proficient coding skills and strong algorithm & data structure basis
• Machine learning experience in one or more of the following areas: NLP, Ranking, Ads, search engine, recommender system, and machine learning
• Effective communication and teamwork skills.

Preferred qualifications:
• 5+ years of solid related industry experience in Search, Recommendation, or Ads

TikTok is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.

TikTok is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at https://shorturl.at/cdpT2

Job Information

[For Pay Transparency] Compensation Description (annually)

The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $212800 - $389500 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.

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.