J-1 Visa ML Research Engineer Jobs
ML Research Engineer roles in the U.S. typically qualify for J-1 sponsorship under the Research Scholar or Specialist category, issued through a State Department-designated sponsor organization. Your host employer pairs with a sponsor to issue the DS-2019. No lottery, no annual cap, but some positions carry a two-year home residency requirement.
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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 46+ ML Research Engineer jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new ML Research Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a ML Research Engineer
Verify your DS-2019 category before applying
Research Scholar suits postdoctoral or faculty-level ML research appointments; Specialist fits industry roles requiring unique expertise. Applying under the wrong category delays your DS-2019 issuance and can require restarting the sponsor vetting process entirely.
Check whether your role triggers the two-year rule
ML Research Engineer positions funded by a U.S. government agency or your home country's government often carry the two-year home residency requirement. Confirm funding sources with your host employer before accepting an offer, since this affects future H-1B or green card eligibility.
Document your research output for the training plan
Designated sponsors require a detailed training plan outlining your ML research objectives, methodologies, and measurable outcomes. Prepare a written summary of your publications, model architectures worked on, and datasets used so your host can complete the DS-7002 accurately.
Target host employers with existing sponsor relationships
Universities, national labs like Argonne or Oak Ridge, and research-intensive companies already affiliated with a designated sponsor can issue your DS-2019 faster. Use Migrate Mate to identify U.S. ML Research Engineer roles at organizations that routinely host J-1 exchange visitors.
Align your visa timeline with research grant cycles
Many ML research positions are grant-funded on annual or biennial cycles. Confirm your host employer's funding runway before the DS-2019 is issued, because J-1 Research Scholar status is tied to the program end date on the form and extensions require sponsor approval.
Clarify who files your SEVIS record before accepting an offer
Your host employer does not file SEVIS directly. The designated sponsor organization holds the SEVIS batch-filing account and submits your record. Confirm which sponsor your host works with and whether that sponsor is already approved for Research Scholar or Specialist category programs.
ML Research Engineer jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find ML Research Engineer JobsML Research Engineer J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits an ML Research Engineer role?
Most ML Research Engineer positions fall under the Research Scholar category, which covers individuals conducting research at universities, research institutes, or affiliated industry labs. If your role is more specialized and project-bound rather than open-ended academic research, the Specialist category may apply. Current students on a degree program who are completing a structured placement may qualify as Interns instead.
Who actually sponsors a J-1 visa for an ML Research Engineer, the employer or a separate organization?
A U.S. Department of State-designated sponsor organization issues your DS-2019 and holds legal responsibility for your exchange program, not your host employer. Organizations like IIE or Cultural Vistas commonly serve this role for research and specialist programs. Your host employer provides the research position and funds your work, but the designated sponsor manages SEVIS compliance and program monitoring throughout your stay.
Does an ML Research Engineer position trigger the two-year home residency requirement?
It depends on your funding source and home country. If your position is funded by a U.S. government agency or by your home country's government, or if your country is on the State Department's skills list, the two-year home residency requirement applies. This bars you from switching to H-1B or most immigrant visa categories without first returning home or obtaining a waiver through USCIS.
How do I find U.S. employers that regularly host J-1 ML Research Engineers?
Use Migrate Mate to search for ML Research Engineer roles at U.S. employers with a track record of hosting J-1 exchange visitors. National laboratories, R1 research universities, and large technology companies with academic research divisions are common host environments. Targeting employers already affiliated with a designated sponsor shortens the DS-2019 issuance timeline considerably.
Can I work on proprietary ML models as a J-1 Research Scholar, or does the role need to be purely academic?
J-1 Research Scholars can conduct research in industry settings as long as the primary purpose is research or knowledge exchange rather than production engineering. If your day-to-day work shifts toward product development, deployment pipelines, or revenue-generating model delivery, your designated sponsor may determine the role no longer meets Research Scholar program requirements and could terminate your DS-2019.
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