Back-End Engineer Internships
Back-end engineer internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience building real server-side systems, mentorship from working engineers, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated across Technology & Software, with TikTok and DELSYS among the employers posting roles now.
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Showing 5 of 8+ Back-End Engineer Internships
Backend Software Engineer Intern (Creation Platform) - 2027 Summer
Location
:
San Jose
Employment Type
:
Intern
Job Code
:
A00235C
Responsibilities
The Creation Platform team, as the cornerstone of TikTok content creation, is responsible for the core content creation ecosystem of TikTok. As a backend team, we collaborate closely with the product team and other cross-functional teams to explore innovative methods of content creation in TikTok, build a trusted content creation platform that prioritizes privacy and security, and drive the evolution of TikTok content creation infrastructure, ultimately providing the best content creation experience for TikTok creators.
We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship. Our internship program offers students hands-on experience, industry exposure, and opportunities to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges while building a strong foundation for personal and professional growth.
Interns will gain practical experience, explore potential career paths, and participate in social events, learning programs, and development workshops alongside industry professionals.
Candidates may apply to a maximum of two positions across Our Company and its affiliates globally. Applications will be considered in the order they are submitted.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early. Please clearly state your availability in your resume, including your start and end dates.
Responsibilities
- Directly design and develop features touching global users, and bring real-world impact.
- Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to explore innovative product ideas and cutting-edge technologies.
- Work with experts in different technical domains to identify and solve challenging issues in the world-leading multimedia infrastructure.
- Evolve the architecture of global large-scale distributed backend systems to better support TikTok's future.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Currently pursuing an Undergraduate/Master in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or a related technical discipline.
- Proficient in at least one programming language such as Golang, Java, C++, Python.
- Solid understanding of computer architectures, data structures, and algorithms.
- Hands-on experience in commonly-used technical stacks such as databases, caches, message queues.
- Responsible, self-motivated, and have a growth mindset.
- Experience in building large scale distributed backend services for consumer-facing applications.
- Knowledge of multimedia technologies such as video codecs, media containers.
- Good team communication and collaboration skills.
Job Information
【For Pay Transparency】Compensation Description (Hourly) - Campus Intern
The hourly rate range for this position in the selected city is $45- $45.
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
Backend Software Engineer Intern (Creation Platform) - 2027 Summer
Location
:
San Jose
Employment Type
:
Intern
Job Code
:
A00235C
Responsibilities
The Creation Platform team, as the cornerstone of TikTok content creation, is responsible for the core content creation ecosystem of TikTok. As a backend team, we collaborate closely with the product team and other cross-functional teams to explore innovative methods of content creation in TikTok, build a trusted content creation platform that prioritizes privacy and security, and drive the evolution of TikTok content creation infrastructure, ultimately providing the best content creation experience for TikTok creators.
We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship. Our internship program offers students hands-on experience, industry exposure, and opportunities to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges while building a strong foundation for personal and professional growth.
Interns will gain practical experience, explore potential career paths, and participate in social events, learning programs, and development workshops alongside industry professionals.
Candidates may apply to a maximum of two positions across Our Company and its affiliates globally. Applications will be considered in the order they are submitted.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early. Please clearly state your availability in your resume, including your start and end dates.
Responsibilities
- Directly design and develop features touching global users, and bring real-world impact.
- Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to explore innovative product ideas and cutting-edge technologies.
- Work with experts in different technical domains to identify and solve challenging issues in the world-leading multimedia infrastructure.
- Evolve the architecture of global large-scale distributed backend systems to better support TikTok's future.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Currently pursuing an Undergraduate/Master in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or a related technical discipline.
- Proficient in at least one programming language such as Golang, Java, C++, Python.
- Solid understanding of computer architectures, data structures, and algorithms.
- Hands-on experience in commonly-used technical stacks such as databases, caches, message queues.
- Responsible, self-motivated, and have a growth mindset.
- Experience in building large scale distributed backend services for consumer-facing applications.
- Knowledge of multimedia technologies such as video codecs, media containers.
- Good team communication and collaboration skills.
Job Information
【For Pay Transparency】Compensation Description (Hourly) - Campus Intern
The hourly rate range for this position in the selected city is $45- $45.
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
Back-End Engineer Internship Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
Tips for Your Back-End Engineer Internship Search
Start your search earlier than you think
Large employers in technology and finance recruit summer back-end engineer interns the preceding fall, with some cohorts closing before November. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to their start dates. Check listings every few weeks so you catch structured programs during their first-wave deadlines and smaller openings as they appear.
Build a GitHub portfolio before you apply
Back-end engineer intern screens assess what you can actually build. Two or three complete repositories showing working REST APIs, database schemas, or system-design projects, each with a clear README explaining the architecture and tools used, give recruiters something concrete to evaluate when your work history is limited.
Work your campus network alongside direct applications
Campus career fairs surface structured internship programs tied to your university, and recruiters there often move faster than through online applications. Your professors and career center staff frequently know which companies recruit from your school before roles post publicly. Apply directly to smaller companies running their own cohorts at the same time to widen your reach.
Practice your coding screen out loud before interviews
Back-end engineer intern interviews typically include a live coding screen covering data structures, algorithms, and sometimes system design basics. Practice solving problems while narrating your reasoning, not just writing code silently. Interviewers weigh how you break down a problem as much as whether you reach the correct answer.
Target structured internship programs at larger companies
Many large technology and financial services companies run cohort-based back-end engineering internship programs designed to train people new to professional software development. These programs recruit early, fill fast, and often have dedicated mentorship and project tracks. Identify the ones that match your graduation year and apply in the first application window.
Set your work-type filter before you start
On-site roles are 100% of the back-end engineer internships listed here. Decide what you can realistically commit to before you start reviewing listings, then filter by location and work type so you are not spending time on roles you cannot take. Filtering early also makes it easier to spot remote cohorts before they fill.
Back-End Engineer Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a back-end engineer internship?
Lead with coursework and personal projects rather than work history, since hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. A GitHub repository with working, documented code gives recruiters something concrete to assess. Apply directly to companies with open listings and attend campus career fairs, where recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can a back-end engineer 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 project work, whether the team has open headcount, and how early return-offer decisions are made at that company. Position yourself by delivering complete, well-documented work without counting on an offer materializing.
When should I apply for back-end engineer internships?
Earlier than most expect. Large employers, especially in technology and finance, recruit summer interns the preceding fall, with some programs closing applications before the end of October. Smaller companies and co-op programs post closer to start dates, so openings appear year-round. Checking listings regularly means you catch both waves.
Are back-end engineer internships paid?
Most professional back-end engineer internships in the U.S. are paid. Compensation varies by company size, industry, and location, and some positions include housing stipends or relocation assistance on top of hourly or weekly pay. Listings show compensation where the employer discloses it, so you can compare what is available before you apply.
What should a back-end engineer internship resume include?
Lead with projects, not work history. Include two or three complete, documented projects that show the languages, frameworks, and databases you used, with links to your GitHub repositories so reviewers can read the actual code. Add relevant coursework in data structures, algorithms, and systems. Keep the whole document to one page.
Are there remote back-end engineer internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 0% of the back-end engineer internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote cohorts tend to fill quickly because they draw a national applicant pool, so apply early once you find a role that fits. Use the work-type filter to see only remote or hybrid listings.
Can international students get back-end engineer 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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