Machine Learning Engineer, Search

Enjoy a benefits-forward environment with comprehensive coverage and strong support for work–life balance. This onsite Seattle role centers on building large-scale, multimodal search and recommendation systems with a focus on ranking, personalization, and generative approaches. You will join a collaborative team that values curiosity, rigorous engineering, and sustainable growth.

Benefits

• Day one medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) savings plan with company match
• Paid parental leave
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage
• Life insurance
• Wellbeing benefits
• 10 paid holidays per year
• 10 paid sick days per year
• 17 days of Paid Personal Time with prorated start and tenure-based accruals

Responsibilities

• Improve basic search quality and user experience by optimizing query analysis and text relevance matching
• Understand video content and implement multi-modal matching
• Enhance users' perception of product authority and participate in the design and implementation of core search products
• Comprehensively improve the end-to-end user experience
• Design and implement the end-to-end ranking system (recall, first stage ranking, final stage ranking, and mixed row) using massive behavioral data to model personalized interests
• Advance the ecosystem by solving challenges such as supply and demand matching, cold start, and sustainable business growth
• Analyze and evolve the system for long-term, sustainable GMV growth
• Innovate with Generative Recommendation Systems by integrating generative approaches and leveraging LLMs to generate personalized content recommendations, exploring GenRec frameworks
• Collaborate across functions with product managers, data scientists, infrastructure engineers, and operations to enable search personalization aligned with product goals

Requirements

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, or a related field
• Proficiency with machine learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch) and programming languages (Python, Java, C++); strong data structures and algorithms knowledge
• 2+ years of experience developing large-scale search or recommendation systems (feed, search, ads, etc); familiarity with generative recommendation frameworks is highly desirable
• Prior experience in search, recommendation, or advertisement algorithms
• Publication records in journals or conferences

Technologies

• TensorFlow
• PyTorch
• Python
• Java
• C++
• GenRec
• LLM
• VLM

Salary and Location

The position is based in Seattle, WA and requires onsite work. The base salary range is USD 129,960 - 246,240 per year. Compensation may vary based on qualifications, skills, and experience, and location. Base pay is part of the Total Package which may include discretionary bonuses or incentives and restricted stock units.

USDS and TikTok emphasize safety, privacy, and compliance. Benefits may vary by employment type and location, and the company reserves the right to modify programs at any time. Day one access to benefits is standard, with additional details provided during onboarding.

About UsDS

TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC focuses on safety and security for Americans who create, discover, and connect on the platforms we operate. The venture adheres to a comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity program designed to protect national security and U.S. user data, apps, and the algorithm.

Reasonable Accommodation

USDS provides reasonable accommodations in recruitment for candidates with disabilities or other protected reasons. For assistance, please reach out to us through the provided accommodation channel.