Associate Research Scientist Internships
Associate research scientist internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience, mentorship from working research scientists, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated across Technology & Software, Social Media, and Manufacturing, with Meta, TikTok, and ByteDance among the employers posting roles now.
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Showing 5 of 176+ Associate Research Scientist Internships
Research Scientist Intern (TikTok - Content Ecology - Local Services) - 2027 Start (PhD)
Location :
San Jose
Employment Type :
Intern
Job Code :
A125558
Responsibilities
The Content Ecology Algorithm Team drives TikTok's AI innovations in LLMs/MLLMs, NLP, Computer Vision, Multimodal learning, Agentic AI, and recommendation algorithms. We develop cutting-edge AI capabilities that power multiple business lines. You will tackle unique algorithm challenges in building products for a global audience. Our platform's diverse content and worldwide user base create a wealth of opportunities for AI applications. With rapidly growing businesses such as TikTok Local Services, you'll have the chance to bring cutting-edge AI innovations into real-world production. We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship. PhD internships at Our Company provide students with the opportunity to actively contribute to our products and research, as well as to the organization's future plans and emerging technologies. Our dynamic internship experience blends hands-on learning, enriching community-building and professional development events, and collaboration with industry experts. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early. Please clearly state your availability in your resume (Start date, End date). Responsibilities: - Conduct research and drive end-to-end deployment of innovative solutions that apply LLMs/MLLMs and agentic systems to global multimodal content understanding and representation. - Explore conversion prediction and RL methods for creator and user behavior modeling, and ship innovations to production. - Investigate agentic self-iteration paradigms for autonomous model evolution. - Track cutting-edge AI progress, rapidly validate hypotheses, and translate state-of-the-art insights into production-grade systems.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications: - Currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning or a related technical discipline. - Solid foundational understanding of modern machine learning theory and applications, with hands-on experience working with LLMs/MLLMs or agentic systems. - Strong analytical thinking to formulate research hypotheses, design experiments and evaluate model behaviors. - Proficiency in common ML frameworks and strong coding skills (Python/C++ preferred). Preferred Qualifications: - Experience in LLM post-training, agentic AI, reinforcement learning, reward modeling, combinatorial optimization or CTR/CVR/Uplift modeling. - Top tier publication, preprint, or open-source project experience in LLMs/MLLMs, NLP, CV, search, recommendation, or ads. - Proficiency in Python/C++ preferred. By submitting an application for this role, you accept and agree to our global applicant privacy policy, which may be accessed here: https://careers.tiktok.com/legal/privacy
Job Information
【For Pay Transparency】Compensation Description (Hourly) - Campus Intern
The hourly rate range for this position in the selected city is $60- $60.
Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Interns have day one access to health insurance, life insurance, wellbeing benefits and more. Interns also receive 10 paid holidays per year and paid sick time (56 hours if hired in first half of year, 40 if hired in second half of year). Interns who are not working 100% remote may also be eligible for housing allowance.
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 https://tinyurl.com/RA-request
Research Scientist Intern (TikTok - Content Ecology - Local Services) - 2027 Start (PhD)
Location :
San Jose
Employment Type :
Intern
Job Code :
A125558
Responsibilities
The Content Ecology Algorithm Team drives TikTok's AI innovations in LLMs/MLLMs, NLP, Computer Vision, Multimodal learning, Agentic AI, and recommendation algorithms. We develop cutting-edge AI capabilities that power multiple business lines. You will tackle unique algorithm challenges in building products for a global audience. Our platform's diverse content and worldwide user base create a wealth of opportunities for AI applications. With rapidly growing businesses such as TikTok Local Services, you'll have the chance to bring cutting-edge AI innovations into real-world production. We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship. PhD internships at Our Company provide students with the opportunity to actively contribute to our products and research, as well as to the organization's future plans and emerging technologies. Our dynamic internship experience blends hands-on learning, enriching community-building and professional development events, and collaboration with industry experts. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early. Please clearly state your availability in your resume (Start date, End date). Responsibilities: - Conduct research and drive end-to-end deployment of innovative solutions that apply LLMs/MLLMs and agentic systems to global multimodal content understanding and representation. - Explore conversion prediction and RL methods for creator and user behavior modeling, and ship innovations to production. - Investigate agentic self-iteration paradigms for autonomous model evolution. - Track cutting-edge AI progress, rapidly validate hypotheses, and translate state-of-the-art insights into production-grade systems.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications: - Currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning or a related technical discipline. - Solid foundational understanding of modern machine learning theory and applications, with hands-on experience working with LLMs/MLLMs or agentic systems. - Strong analytical thinking to formulate research hypotheses, design experiments and evaluate model behaviors. - Proficiency in common ML frameworks and strong coding skills (Python/C++ preferred). Preferred Qualifications: - Experience in LLM post-training, agentic AI, reinforcement learning, reward modeling, combinatorial optimization or CTR/CVR/Uplift modeling. - Top tier publication, preprint, or open-source project experience in LLMs/MLLMs, NLP, CV, search, recommendation, or ads. - Proficiency in Python/C++ preferred. By submitting an application for this role, you accept and agree to our global applicant privacy policy, which may be accessed here: https://careers.tiktok.com/legal/privacy
Job Information
【For Pay Transparency】Compensation Description (Hourly) - Campus Intern
The hourly rate range for this position in the selected city is $60- $60.
Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Interns have day one access to health insurance, life insurance, wellbeing benefits and more. Interns also receive 10 paid holidays per year and paid sick time (56 hours if hired in first half of year, 40 if hired in second half of year). Interns who are not working 100% remote may also be eligible for housing allowance.
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 https://tinyurl.com/RA-request
Associate Research Scientist Internship Market
Who's Hiring
- Meta123
- TikTok23
- ByteDance11
- KLA2
- General Mills2
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software18
- Social Media1
- Manufacturing1
- Media & Entertainment1
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals1
Tips for Your Associate Research Scientist Internship Search
Apply earlier than you think necessary
Large biotech, pharmaceutical, and technology employers open summer associate research scientist intern recruiting the previous fall, often filling cohorts before January. Smaller organizations and co-op programs post closer to start dates, so openings appear throughout the year. Check listings consistently starting in September to catch the early waves.
Build a documented research portfolio now
Hiring teams for associate research scientist interns look for evidence of real research output, not just coursework descriptions. Document two or three projects with the tools used, the question you investigated, and a link to the results, whether a GitHub repository, a research poster, or a published analysis. That portfolio gives recruiters something concrete to evaluate.
Work your campus network alongside direct applications
Campus career fairs surface structured intern programs tied directly to your university, and professors or career center staff often know which employers recruit from your school before roles post publicly. Apply directly to companies running smaller research cohorts at the same time so you're not limited to employers that come to campus.
Practice your technical screen out loud before applying
Associate research scientist intern screens typically include a data analysis or quantitative reasoning component, sometimes a short take-home problem or a live walkthrough of a past project. Practice explaining your reasoning out loud, not just getting to the right answer, because interviewers for research roles weight your thinking process as heavily as your conclusion.
Target structured research intern pipelines early
Many large employers in life sciences, tech, and consumer goods run formal summer research associate programs designed for students new to professional research environments. These cohorts recruit in fall and fill fast. Identify the programs that match your discipline, track their open dates, and apply in the first wave rather than waiting for a second posting.
Set your work-type filter before you start searching
On-site roles are 86% of the associate research scientist internships listed here. Decide what you can realistically commit to before you start sorting through listings, then filter by location and work type so your time goes toward roles you can actually accept.
Associate Research Scientist Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an associate research scientist internship?
Lead with coursework and personal research projects rather than work history, since hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. A documented project portfolio, linking to published analyses, lab write-ups, or reproducible code repositories, gives recruiters something concrete to assess. Combine direct applications with campus career fairs, where research recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can an associate research scientist internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What actually drives it is consistent performance on real research deliverables, available headcount on the team, and understanding when return-offer decisions are made so you can ask the right questions early. Position for a return offer by treating every project seriously, without counting on it.
When should I apply for associate research scientist internships?
Earlier than most candidates expect. Large pharmaceutical, biotech, and technology employers open summer intern recruiting the preceding fall, sometimes as early as September. Smaller companies and academic-adjacent organizations post closer to start dates, so openings appear year-round. Checking listings regularly means you won't miss early-closing cohorts at the larger employers.
Are associate research scientist internships paid?
Most professional associate research scientist internships in the United States are paid. Compensation varies by company size, industry, and location, and listings show it where the employer discloses it. Unpaid arrangements are more common at nonprofits and some academic settings, so read each listing carefully to understand the structure before applying.
What should an associate research scientist internship resume include?
Lead with two or three fully documented research or analytical projects, naming the specific tools and methods used and linking to the work where possible, such as a GitHub repository, published report, or research poster. Add relevant coursework in statistics, biology, chemistry, or your discipline, and keep the whole document to one page. Work history matters less than demonstrated research output at the intern stage.
Are there remote associate research scientist internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 14% of the associate research scientist internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote research cohorts fill quickly because they attract applicants nationally, so apply early once you've decided what works for your situation, and filter by work type to see those roles right away.
Can international students get associate research scientist internships?
Yes. F-1 students can intern through CPT while enrolled or through OPT work authorization after finishing a degree, and the employer does not have to file anything for either, so many companies are open to international interns. Confirm your eligibility and timing with your university's international student office before accepting an offer.
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