Backend Developer Internship Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Responsibilities
About the team: The TikTok Eng - Privacy & Security Product team operates at the forefront of our global strategy. Our mission is to ensure TikTok remains a trusted platform where hundreds of millions of users can safely explore, create, and connect. As a specialized sub-team, we deliver end-to-end technical implementations for product privacy, regional compliance, and data security. Our team is responsible for providing robust privacy features directly within the app and protecting user data throughout its entire lifecycle-ensuring full regulatory compliance across every market we operate in. We are looking for talented individuals to join our team. As a graduate, you will get opportunities to pursue bold ideas, tackle complex challenges, and unlock limitless growth. Successful candidates must be able to commit to an onboarding date by the end of the year. Please state your availability and graduation date clearly in your resume. 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 our Company and its affiliates' jobs globally. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis - we encourage you to apply early. Candidates who pass resume screening will be invited to participate in Our Company's technical online assessment. Responsibilities: - Privacy & Security Feature Engineering: Participate in the architectural design and backend development of consumer-facing privacy controls and protection features, delivering seamless, high-performance experiences for hundreds of millions of users. - Data Lifecycle Protection & Compliance: Build scalable mechanisms to safeguard user data across its full lifecycle (collection, storage, transmission, and deletion), enforcing regional compliance mandates and privacy-by-design principles. - Core Development & Performance Tuning: Design technical solutions, author high-quality core backend code, and optimize high-concurrency systems handling massive global traffic and complex data workflows. - Engineering Standards & Quality: Help establish coding standards, testing frameworks, and quality control methodologies to maintain high code reliability and maintainability. - Technical Problem Solving: Collaborate with senior engineers to tackle complex technical challenges, including system decoupling, low-latency performance, and high-volume data architecture. - Forward-Looking R&D: Conduct technical research and explore emerging privacy-enhancing technologies and tools to continuously elevate our platform security.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications - Individuals who are completing or have recently completed a Bachelor's/ Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related discipline. - Programming Mastery: Strong foundational knowledge in software engineering, with fluency in at least one core backend language (Go, Java, C++, Python, or C). - Computer Science Fundamentals: Deep understanding of core CS concepts, including data structures, algorithms, operating systems, networking, and database design. - Analytical & System Abstraction: Demonstrated logical problem-solving ability, with a knack for abstracting, decomposing, and structuring complex business requirements into clear technical designs. Preferred Qualifications - Soft Skills & Growth Mindset: High curiosity, rapid learning agility, strong communication skills, and an "Always Day 1" attitude toward solving non-traditional engineering challenges. - Domain Exposure: Prior internship or project experience involving privacy infrastructure, access controls, data encryption, distributed microservices, or compliance automation is a plus.
Job Information
[For Pay Transparency]Compensation Description (Annually)
The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $128000 - $256000 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.
About TikTok
TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok's global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, and we also have offices in New York City, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.
Why Join Us
Inspiring creativity is at the core of TikTok's mission. Our innovative product is built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect - and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and bring joy - a mission we work towards every day.
We strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and innovate as one team. We're resilient and embrace challenges as they come. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.
Diversity & Inclusion
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 Accommodation
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