Senior Machine Learning Engineer - Search Recommendation, E-commerce
TikTok
San Jose, CA · Posted November 13, 2026
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This listing does not state pay. Across 80 open senior machine learning engineer listings that state pay, the middle half runs $197,500 to $229,000 and the median is $201,500.
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TikTok has filed one layoff notice in the last twelve months, covering 250 workers, most recently August 2026. These are public filings with state labor departments, and an open role can sit alongside them. See the filings
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About the job
About the Team: The Search Growth E-commerce team is at the forefront of developing the search recommendation algorithm for TikTok's rapidly expanding global e-commerce enterprise. Utilizing cutting-edge machine learning technology, advanced NLP, CV, recommendation, and multi-modal technology, we're shaping a pioneering engine within the industry. Our objective is to deliver the ultimate e-commerce search experience to over 1 billion active TikTok users worldwide. Our mission: to create a world where "there are no hard-to-sell, overpriced products."
Responsibilities - What You'll Do: - Elevate search recommendation services and models for TikTok E-commerce, driving heightened e-commerce search traffic on both TikTok and TikTok Mall, while enhancing user search and purchasing cognition. - Optimize the recommender system, focusing on hyperscale machine learning models. This involves diverse tasks spanning recall/first-stage ranking to final-stage ranking within the end-to-end workflow. - Push the boundaries of short text and general recommendation technology, with a specific emphasis on the interaction between recommendation and NLP technology. - Provide guidance and mentorship to fellow teammates.
Minimum Qualifications: - 5+ years of work experience in machine learning. Good product sense with a focus on user experience and E-commerce business. - Domain knowledge or working experience in any of these areas: modern Recommendation, Search, Advertisement, E-commerce. - Bachelor or advanced degree in computer science or a related technical discipline. - Excellent coding skills. Solid knowledge of data structure and algorithms. - Excellent in analysis, modeling and problem-solving, and can see the essence of problems from complex data.