STEM OPT Backend Software Developer Jobs
Backend Software Developer roles in server-side languages, APIs, and databases qualify for STEM OPT when your degree falls under an eligible CIP code. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and the 24-month STEM OPT extension gives you up to 36 months total to build your U.S. career in software engineering.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Senior Backend Software Engineer - Innovative Growth
LOCATION
Location: San Jose
EMPLOYMENT TYPE
Employment Type: Regular
JOB CODE
Job Code: A159230A
Responsibilities
We are building the next generation of growth and content optimization systems for TikTok, powered by AIGC technologies and innovative search and discovery strategies. Our mission is to drive user growth and improve user experience through intelligent content optimization, scalable backend systems, and new growth opportunities across evolving digital ecosystems.
Our team operates at the intersection of product, data, engineering, and AI-driven content technologies, turning new ideas and technical advances into scalable, real-world growth solutions used by millions of users. We work closely with product, algorithm, data, and design partners to ensure that advanced technologies translate into measurable business impact and intuitive user experiences across TikTok surfaces such as Web, Lite, and other emerging platforms.
- Design and develop backend systems that power user growth and content optimization across TikTok platforms
- Drive innovative growth initiatives across search, discovery, and other emerging traffic channels
- Develop AIGC-powered solutions and scalable systems for content optimization, experimentation, and automated workflows
- Build and improve core growth and content systems with strong ownership of scalability, reliability, and performance
- Lead complex projects end-to-end, from technical design to production rollout, with strong ownership of quality and business impact
- Partner closely with product, data, algorithm, and design teams to deliver cross-functional technical solutions
- Contribute to engineering excellence through strong technical design, code quality, operational best practices, and system reliability
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree or above in Computer Science or a related field
- 3+ years of industry experience in backend engineering or distributed systems
- Strong experience designing and building large-scale backend services or consumer-facing platforms
- Experience working on content, growth, recommendation, experimentation, or search-related systems
- Proficiency in one or more of the following languages: Go, Python, Java, or C++
- Strong system design, problem-solving, and software engineering skills
- Good communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across teams
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience with AIGC, LLM applications, agent frameworks, AI coding tools, or workflow automation systems
- Experience building data-driven optimization or experimentation platforms
- Experience delivering user-facing products from concept to production in a fast-paced environment
- Interest in search, discovery, and growth ecosystems, including areas such as SEO, GEO, or emerging AI-driven traffic channels
- Experience with AI agents or agentic workflows, and interest in applying them to engineering efficiency and product development
COMPENSATION
- Compensation Description (Annually): The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $212800 - $387600 annually.
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
Senior Backend Software Engineer - Innovative Growth
LOCATION
Location: San Jose
EMPLOYMENT TYPE
Employment Type: Regular
JOB CODE
Job Code: A159230A
Responsibilities
We are building the next generation of growth and content optimization systems for TikTok, powered by AIGC technologies and innovative search and discovery strategies. Our mission is to drive user growth and improve user experience through intelligent content optimization, scalable backend systems, and new growth opportunities across evolving digital ecosystems.
Our team operates at the intersection of product, data, engineering, and AI-driven content technologies, turning new ideas and technical advances into scalable, real-world growth solutions used by millions of users. We work closely with product, algorithm, data, and design partners to ensure that advanced technologies translate into measurable business impact and intuitive user experiences across TikTok surfaces such as Web, Lite, and other emerging platforms.
- Design and develop backend systems that power user growth and content optimization across TikTok platforms
- Drive innovative growth initiatives across search, discovery, and other emerging traffic channels
- Develop AIGC-powered solutions and scalable systems for content optimization, experimentation, and automated workflows
- Build and improve core growth and content systems with strong ownership of scalability, reliability, and performance
- Lead complex projects end-to-end, from technical design to production rollout, with strong ownership of quality and business impact
- Partner closely with product, data, algorithm, and design teams to deliver cross-functional technical solutions
- Contribute to engineering excellence through strong technical design, code quality, operational best practices, and system reliability
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree or above in Computer Science or a related field
- 3+ years of industry experience in backend engineering or distributed systems
- Strong experience designing and building large-scale backend services or consumer-facing platforms
- Experience working on content, growth, recommendation, experimentation, or search-related systems
- Proficiency in one or more of the following languages: Go, Python, Java, or C++
- Strong system design, problem-solving, and software engineering skills
- Good communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across teams
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience with AIGC, LLM applications, agent frameworks, AI coding tools, or workflow automation systems
- Experience building data-driven optimization or experimentation platforms
- Experience delivering user-facing products from concept to production in a fast-paced environment
- Interest in search, discovery, and growth ecosystems, including areas such as SEO, GEO, or emerging AI-driven traffic channels
- Experience with AI agents or agentic workflows, and interest in applying them to engineering efficiency and product development
COMPENSATION
- Compensation Description (Annually): The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $212800 - $387600 annually.
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 2,610+ Backend Software Developer jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Backend Software Developer roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Backend Software Developer
Verify your CIP code before applying
Your STEM OPT eligibility depends on your degree's Classification of Instructional Programs code, not just your major title. Cross-check your I-20 CIP code against USCIS's STEM Designated Degree Program List before targeting backend roles requiring specific degree fields.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Ask recruiters for the employer's E-Verify Company ID or check enrollment through the E-Verify employer search tool. An employer who isn't enrolled can't legally hire you on STEM OPT, regardless of how enthusiastic they are about sponsorship.
Target backend teams inside larger engineering organizations
Companies running dedicated platform, infrastructure, or API teams are structurally accustomed to I-983 training plans because they can document distinct learning objectives by system or stack. Smaller shops with generalist engineers often struggle to write compliant training plans.
Use Migrate Mate to filter for STEM OPT employers
Search Migrate Mate for Backend Software Developer roles filtered to E-Verify-enrolled employers with active STEM OPT hiring history. This cuts the time you'd otherwise spend manually vetting employers who've never navigated the I-983 process.
Draft your I-983 training plan around your tech stack
Don't wait for your employer to write the I-983 from scratch. Prepare a draft that maps your role's learning goals to specific backend skills, such as distributed systems design or database optimization, so the employer can review and sign quickly after an offer is extended.
Apply during cap-gap if your H-1B is selected
If you're selected in the H-1B lottery before your STEM OPT expires, cap-gap automatically extends your work authorization through September 30 of the fiscal year. Confirm your DSO updates your I-20 to reflect cap-gap status so backend employers see continuous authorization.
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Find Backend Software Developer JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Which STEM degrees qualify for the STEM OPT extension in backend software development roles?
Degrees in computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, information technology, and applied mathematics commonly qualify because their CIP codes appear on the USCIS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Your eligibility is determined by your degree's CIP code on your I-20, not your job title. If your degree was in a related field like electrical engineering or data science, verify the exact CIP code with your DSO before applying to backend roles.
Does my backend software developer employer need to be enrolled in E-Verify?
Yes, E-Verify enrollment is a federal requirement for any employer hiring a STEM OPT student. Your employer must be enrolled before your STEM OPT extension is approved, not just at the time of your offer. You can confirm enrollment by asking your recruiter for the company's E-Verify Company ID or by searching the E-Verify employer database directly. Working for a non-enrolled employer would violate your STEM OPT terms.
What should the I-983 training plan include for a backend software developer role?
The I-983 must document specific learning objectives tied to your STEM degree, not just a general job description. For a backend role, that means listing concrete training goals such as designing RESTful APIs, optimizing relational database queries, or implementing microservices architecture. It must also include a supervision structure showing how your manager will mentor you, along with a salary confirmation that meets DOL standards. Both you and your employer sign it, and your DSO certifies it.
How does cap-gap work if I receive an H-1B selection while on STEM OPT as a backend developer?
Cap-gap bridges the period between your STEM OPT expiration and October 1, when your H-1B status begins. If your H-1B petition is filed and accepted before your STEM OPT ends, your work authorization extends automatically through September 30. You don't need to file a separate extension, but your DSO must issue an updated I-20 reflecting cap-gap status, and you should share that document with your backend employer's HR team to update your employment records.
Where can I find backend software developer jobs where employers are already set up for STEM OPT?
Migrate Mate filters backend software developer roles by employers enrolled in E-Verify and experienced with STEM OPT hiring. This matters because employers unfamiliar with the I-983 process can create delays even after extending an offer. Targeting companies with existing STEM OPT infrastructure, which you can identify through Migrate Mate, significantly reduces the risk of onboarding complications tied to training plan approval.
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