J-1 Visa ML Software Engineer Jobs
ML Software Engineer roles in the United States are accessible to international professionals through J-1 visa sponsorship under the Trainee or Research Scholar program category. Designated sponsor organizations issue your DS-2019, while the hiring company serves as your host employer. No lottery, no annual cap.
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(General Hire) Machine Learning Engineer Intern (TikTok-Recommendation) - 2026 Fall (BS/MS)
Location:
San Jose
Employment Type:
Intern
Job Code:
A216692A
Responsibilities
About the Team
Recommendation algorithm team plays a central role in the company, driving critical product decisions and platform growth. The team is made up of machine learning researchers and engineers, who support and innovate on production recommendation models and drive product impact. The team is fast-pacing, collaborative and impact-driven.
We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship in 2026. Internships at our Company aim to offer students industry exposure and hands-on experience. Watch your ambitions become reality as your inspiration brings infinite opportunities at our Company.
Internships at Our Company aims 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.
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. Please state your availability clearly in your resume (Start date, End date).
Fall Start Dates:
August 10th, 2026
August 24th, 2026
September 8th, 2026
September 21st, 2026
- This opening is part of the general hiring process for the TikTok Recommendation organization. Applications will be evaluated by multiple teams within the Recommendation organization to ensure the best alignment based on skills and interests.
In this role, you'll have the opportunity to:
- Drive the development of industry-leading recommendation systems that elevate user experience, strengthen platform safety, and empower a vibrant content ecosystem.
- Deliver impactful, end-to-end machine learning solutions that tackle high-priority product challenges related to content understanding, LLMs, robustness, and fairness.
- Own and optimize the full-stack ML pipeline—from algorithm design to system infrastructure—to continuously push the boundaries of recommendation performance.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to craft innovative product strategies and develop intelligent solutions that fuel TikTok’s growth in key global markets.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Currently pursuing a Master degree with a background in computer science, machine learning, or similar fields;
- Good knowledge of theoretical and empirical research in addressing research problems;
- Solid knowledge and experience with at least one popular deep learning framework (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow) and familiarity with deep neural network architectures.
- Able to commit to working for 12 weeks during Summer 2026
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Research experience in one or more of the following fields: applied machine learning, machine learning infrastructure, large-scale recommendation system, market-facing machine learning product;
- Strong first-author publications record in accredited AI conferences or journals (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, EMNLP, NAACL etc.);
- Proficient in C/C++, Python, and shell programming languages, and have a deep understanding of data structure and algorithm design;
- Internship experience in an AI research organization.
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:
- 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
(General Hire) Machine Learning Engineer Intern (TikTok-Recommendation) - 2026 Fall (BS/MS)
Location:
San Jose
Employment Type:
Intern
Job Code:
A216692A
Responsibilities
About the Team
Recommendation algorithm team plays a central role in the company, driving critical product decisions and platform growth. The team is made up of machine learning researchers and engineers, who support and innovate on production recommendation models and drive product impact. The team is fast-pacing, collaborative and impact-driven.
We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship in 2026. Internships at our Company aim to offer students industry exposure and hands-on experience. Watch your ambitions become reality as your inspiration brings infinite opportunities at our Company.
Internships at Our Company aims 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.
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. Please state your availability clearly in your resume (Start date, End date).
Fall Start Dates:
August 10th, 2026
August 24th, 2026
September 8th, 2026
September 21st, 2026
- This opening is part of the general hiring process for the TikTok Recommendation organization. Applications will be evaluated by multiple teams within the Recommendation organization to ensure the best alignment based on skills and interests.
In this role, you'll have the opportunity to:
- Drive the development of industry-leading recommendation systems that elevate user experience, strengthen platform safety, and empower a vibrant content ecosystem.
- Deliver impactful, end-to-end machine learning solutions that tackle high-priority product challenges related to content understanding, LLMs, robustness, and fairness.
- Own and optimize the full-stack ML pipeline—from algorithm design to system infrastructure—to continuously push the boundaries of recommendation performance.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to craft innovative product strategies and develop intelligent solutions that fuel TikTok’s growth in key global markets.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Currently pursuing a Master degree with a background in computer science, machine learning, or similar fields;
- Good knowledge of theoretical and empirical research in addressing research problems;
- Solid knowledge and experience with at least one popular deep learning framework (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow) and familiarity with deep neural network architectures.
- Able to commit to working for 12 weeks during Summer 2026
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Research experience in one or more of the following fields: applied machine learning, machine learning infrastructure, large-scale recommendation system, market-facing machine learning product;
- Strong first-author publications record in accredited AI conferences or journals (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, EMNLP, NAACL etc.);
- Proficient in C/C++, Python, and shell programming languages, and have a deep understanding of data structure and algorithm design;
- Internship experience in an AI research organization.
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:
- 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 70+ J-1 Visa ML Software Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new J-1 Visa ML Software Engineer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a ML Software Engineer
Align your CV to specialty occupation standards
ML Software Engineer positions require demonstrable expertise in a specific subfield, such as computer vision, NLP, or reinforcement learning. Frame your CV around published work, model benchmarks, or production deployments rather than coursework alone.
Distinguish Trainee from Research Scholar eligibility
If you graduated within the past 12 months, the Trainee category fits your stage. Research Scholar applies to postdoctoral or established researchers affiliated with a university or institute. Applying under the wrong category delays your DS-2019.
Search Migrate Mate to surface J-1 host employers
Host employers for ML roles aren't always obvious from a job posting. Use Migrate Mate to filter companies that have actively hosted J-1 visa exchange visitors in ML and data-adjacent roles, saving you from cold-applying to organizations unfamiliar with the program.
Confirm the host employer will sign your training plan
Before accepting an offer, verify your prospective employer is willing to complete a structured training plan with your designated sponsor. Without a signed plan, the sponsor cannot issue your DS-2019, regardless of how strong the offer is.
Check the two-year home residency requirement early
J-1 exchange visitors in certain government-funded or skills-shortage fields must return home for two years before switching to H-1B visa or permanent residence. Determine your requirement before you begin negotiating the offer, not after accepting it.
Request your DS-2019 start date matches your offer letter
Your DS-2019 program start date must align with your actual employment start date. If the sponsor issues the form with a date earlier than your offer, your J-1 status clock starts before you arrive, shrinking your authorized period.
ML Software Engineer J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits an ML Software Engineer role?
It depends on where you are in your career. Current students or recent graduates typically enter under the Intern or Trainee category, with Trainee applying to those who have graduated within the past 12 months and have relevant work experience. Researchers or postdoctoral engineers affiliated with a university or research institution more often qualify under the Research Scholar category. The designated sponsor makes the final determination based on your background and the host employer's training objectives.
Who actually sponsors the J-1 visa for an ML Software Engineer?
The visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, not the hiring company. Organizations like IIE, Cultural Vistas, and CIEE are designated sponsors that issue the DS-2019 form, monitor compliance, and approve your training plan. The tech company, research lab, or startup where you work is the host employer. Your employment offer comes from the host, but your legal J-1 status comes from the designated sponsor.
How do I find host employers open to hiring J-1 ML engineers?
Use Migrate Mate to identify U.S. employers who have previously hosted J-1 exchange visitors in technical roles. Many ML-focused companies are unfamiliar with J-1 program requirements, so targeting organizations with prior hosting experience reduces the risk of losing an offer because the employer declines to complete the required training plan paperwork.
Does the two-year home residency requirement apply to ML Software Engineers?
It can, but it isn't automatic. The two-year home residency requirement applies when your J-1 funding comes from your home government or the U.S. government, or when your field appears on the Exchange Visitor Skills List for your country. ML engineering is not uniformly listed, but some nationalities face this requirement depending on their funding source. Confirm your status before accepting an offer if you intend to pursue H-1B or permanent residence afterward.
What does the training plan requirement mean for an ML Software Engineer position?
Your designated sponsor requires a formal training plan that outlines your learning objectives, the skills you'll develop, and how the host employer will evaluate your progress. For ML roles, this typically maps to specific technical milestones, such as model development cycles, dataset work, or deployment processes. The host employer's HR or legal team must sign this plan before the sponsor issues your DS-2019, so confirm willingness early in your offer negotiation.