CPT ML Research Engineer Jobs
ML Research Engineer CPT jobs let F-1 students apply machine learning theory directly in industry labs, university spin-offs, and AI-focused startups. CPT must be authorized by your DSO before your first day and tied to a course in your program of study. Part-time CPT (under 20 hours per week) keeps your full-time OPT eligibility intact after graduation.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Efficient ML Engineer Research Intern, (AI Platform) - 2026 Start (PhD)
LOCATION
Location: San Jose
EMPLOYMENT TYPE
Employment Type: Regular
JOB CODE
Job Code: A199104A
Responsibilities
TEAM INTRODUCTION
The Vision Engineering Team at TikTok is at the forefront of delivering GenAI technologies directly into the TikTok products worldwide. Leveraging our proprietary AI infrastructures, we streamline the creation, integration, testing, and deployment of the GenAI features. This also encompasses large-scale training stability and optimization for acceleration, as well as large model inference and multi-machine multi-card deployment. Our work enhances user experience by powering diverse functionalities, including visual enhancements, video editing tools, and creative camera filters, both within TikTok and other applications.
We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship in 2026. PhD Internships at TikTok aim to provide students with the opportunity to actively contribute to our products and research, and to the organization's future plans and emerging technologies.
Internships at TikTok aim to provide students with hands-on experience in developing fundamental skills and exploring potential career paths. A vibrant blend of social events and enriching development workshops will be available for you to explore. Here, you will utilize your knowledge in real-world scenarios while laying a strong foundation for personal and professional growth. It runs for 12 weeks.
PhD internships at TikTok provide students with the opportunity to actively contribute to our products and research, and to the organization's future plans and emerging technologies. Our dynamic internship experience blends hands-on learning, enriching community-building and development events, and collaboration with industry experts.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis - we encourage you to apply early. Please state your availability clearly in your resume (Start date, End date).
- Develop algorithm acceleration technologies for text-to-image/text-to-video models through knowledge distillation, model architecture redesign (dynamic MoE routing/sparse attention), and parameter-efficient design (low-bit quantization) to achieve order-of-magnitude efficiency gains.
- Lead generative model innovation with focus on diffusion acceleration (sampling step reduction/latent optimization), autoregression model efficiency.
- Collaborate cross-functionally to identify performance bottlenecks, optimize vision models via algorithmic breakthroughs, and enhance ByteDance's product capabilities.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, engineering or quantitative field
- Proficient in C++/Python and high-performance coding.
- Expertise in diffusion models (Stable Diffusion/DiT) with deep understanding of computational bottlenecks and optimization methodologies.
- Proven experience in ≥1 domain: model compression (quantization/knowledge distillation), efficient architectures (MoE/sparse attention), generative alignment (RLHF/DPO).
- Excellent communication and teamwork skills, capable of thriving in a fast-paced work environment.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Kaggle competition achievements, publications at ICML/NeurIPS/CVPR, or open-source contributions (e.g., HuggingFace Diffusers optimization).
- Research experience in GenAI /MLsys areas.
- Familiarity with open source deep learning frameworks such as Pytorch/DeepSpeed/Jax etc.
By submitting an application for this role, you accept and agree to our global applicant privacy policy, which may be accessed here: https://jobs.bytedance.com/en/legal/privacy
COMPENSATION
The hourly rate range for this position in the selected city is $60 - $60.
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:
-
Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
-
Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and
-
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
INTRODUCTION
Efficient ML Engineer Research Intern, (AI Platform) - 2026 Start (PhD)
LOCATION
Location: San Jose
EMPLOYMENT TYPE
Employment Type: Regular
JOB CODE
Job Code: A199104A
Responsibilities
TEAM INTRODUCTION
The Vision Engineering Team at TikTok is at the forefront of delivering GenAI technologies directly into the TikTok products worldwide. Leveraging our proprietary AI infrastructures, we streamline the creation, integration, testing, and deployment of the GenAI features. This also encompasses large-scale training stability and optimization for acceleration, as well as large model inference and multi-machine multi-card deployment. Our work enhances user experience by powering diverse functionalities, including visual enhancements, video editing tools, and creative camera filters, both within TikTok and other applications.
We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship in 2026. PhD Internships at TikTok aim to provide students with the opportunity to actively contribute to our products and research, and to the organization's future plans and emerging technologies.
Internships at TikTok aim to provide students with hands-on experience in developing fundamental skills and exploring potential career paths. A vibrant blend of social events and enriching development workshops will be available for you to explore. Here, you will utilize your knowledge in real-world scenarios while laying a strong foundation for personal and professional growth. It runs for 12 weeks.
PhD internships at TikTok provide students with the opportunity to actively contribute to our products and research, and to the organization's future plans and emerging technologies. Our dynamic internship experience blends hands-on learning, enriching community-building and development events, and collaboration with industry experts.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis - we encourage you to apply early. Please state your availability clearly in your resume (Start date, End date).
- Develop algorithm acceleration technologies for text-to-image/text-to-video models through knowledge distillation, model architecture redesign (dynamic MoE routing/sparse attention), and parameter-efficient design (low-bit quantization) to achieve order-of-magnitude efficiency gains.
- Lead generative model innovation with focus on diffusion acceleration (sampling step reduction/latent optimization), autoregression model efficiency.
- Collaborate cross-functionally to identify performance bottlenecks, optimize vision models via algorithmic breakthroughs, and enhance ByteDance's product capabilities.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, engineering or quantitative field
- Proficient in C++/Python and high-performance coding.
- Expertise in diffusion models (Stable Diffusion/DiT) with deep understanding of computational bottlenecks and optimization methodologies.
- Proven experience in ≥1 domain: model compression (quantization/knowledge distillation), efficient architectures (MoE/sparse attention), generative alignment (RLHF/DPO).
- Excellent communication and teamwork skills, capable of thriving in a fast-paced work environment.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Kaggle competition achievements, publications at ICML/NeurIPS/CVPR, or open-source contributions (e.g., HuggingFace Diffusers optimization).
- Research experience in GenAI /MLsys areas.
- Familiarity with open source deep learning frameworks such as Pytorch/DeepSpeed/Jax etc.
By submitting an application for this role, you accept and agree to our global applicant privacy policy, which may be accessed here: https://jobs.bytedance.com/en/legal/privacy
COMPENSATION
The hourly rate range for this position in the selected city is $60 - $60.
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:
-
Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
-
Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and
-
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
See all 42+ CPT ML Research Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new CPT ML Research Engineer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsML Research Engineer CPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Does CPT for an ML Research Engineer role need to match my exact degree program?
Yes. CPT must be an integral part of your established curriculum, which means the research work has to connect directly to a course or academic requirement in your current program. A computer science PhD student working on deep learning qualifies. An MBA student accepting the same role almost certainly doesn't. Your DSO makes the final call based on your program's course requirements, not the job title alone.
Can I do CPT at a startup or early-stage AI lab, or does it need to be a large company?
Employer size doesn't affect CPT eligibility. What matters is that the company can document a legitimate training experience tied to your field of study. For ML research roles at early-stage labs, confirm the employer can provide a written description of your research scope. Some DSOs ask for this as part of authorization, and a startup with no formal HR process may not have it ready.
How do I find ML Research Engineer jobs where employers already understand F-1 CPT?
Migrate Mate lets you search ML Research Engineer roles filtered by employers with demonstrated history of sponsoring F-1 students and filing Labor Condition Applications with the DOL. That track record is a practical signal that the employer won't be learning CPT authorization from scratch when you bring them the paperwork.
What SOC code does an ML Research Engineer fall under, and why does it matter for CPT?
Most ML Research Engineer roles map to SOC 15-2051 (Data Scientists) or 15-1221 (Computer and Information Research Scientists) under O*NET. The SOC code affects how your employer files a Labor Condition Application if they later sponsor you for H-1B visa or OPT STEM extension. Confirming your job title maps to a recognized specialty occupation code before your CPT start date helps avoid classification disputes later.
Does full-time CPT as an ML Research Engineer affect my OPT or STEM OPT eligibility?
Full-time CPT lasting 12 months or more eliminates your OPT eligibility entirely, including the 24-month STEM extension. Part-time CPT, defined as fewer than 20 hours per week, does not count against OPT regardless of how many semesters you use it. If your ML research placement runs a full year, structuring it as part-time CPT across multiple terms protects your post-graduation work authorization options.