About the role#
The Effects Performance Team builds the systems that power filters, AR effects, and visual effects for millions of creators. We focus on making these experiences smooth and power-efficient across a wide range of mobile devices. You will work in the business architecture layer of our rendering engine to help ensure camera effects run well on every phone.
What you'll do#
- Research and develop performance architecture for the TikTok Camera.
- Design and implement new effect capabilities within our custom rendering engine.
- Build automated performance analysis pipelines for tasks like trace capture, bottleneck analysis, and regression detection.
- Use profiling and optimization techniques, such as frame-time analysis and rendering pipeline tuning, to improve the user experience on mobile hardware.
What you'll need#
- Current enrollment in an undergraduate or graduate program for Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Development, Computer Graphics, or a related field.
- Ability to commit to a 12-week internship during the Summer of 2027.
- Strong knowledge of data structures and algorithms.
- Proficiency in at least one coding language, such as C++, Python, or Javascript.
- A grasp of software engineering principles and scalable system design.
- Curiosity regarding real-time rendering, mobile performance, and graphics.
- Experience with graphics APIs like OpenGL ES, Metal, or Vulkan is helpful.
- Familiarity with GPU and rendering performance tools like RenderDoc, Xcode GPU Debugger, Perfetto, or Snapdragon Profiler is a plus.
- Interest in AI Agent development and how LLM tools can improve engineering workflows.
Location & details#
- Location: San Jose, California.
- Term: Summer 2027.
- Type: Full-time internship.
- Compensation: $45 per hour.
About TikTok
TikTok operates as an entertainment provider. The company maintains a global presence with offices in cities including Los Angeles, Singapore, New York, London, and Tokyo. It employs over 92,000 people. The organization is privately held.
How to get in at TikTok
Landing an internship at TikTok requires speed because early applicants often get seen before the pile grows. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published anywhere, so you can apply among the first. This gives you a better chance of your resume being reviewed while the team is still actively filling the position. You should aim to be one of the first people to submit your materials. Reaching out to the right person can also improve your chances of getting a response. Intern Insider surfaces the recruiters behind the company roles so you can contact them directly to ask about the role or a referral. This direct approach often works better than waiting for a response from a general application queue.
