# Research Scientist Graduate (TikTok Recommendation-Agentic AI) - 2026 Start (PhD) Source: https://realanalystjobs.com/job/research-scientist-graduate-tiktok-recommendation-agentic-ai-2026-start-phd-tikt-bc1848dd Research Scientist Graduate (TikTok Recommendation-Agentic AI) - 2026 Start (PhD) at TikTok, an on-site role based in San Jose, California, USA. First seen on RealAnalystJobs on 15 November 2026, read from TikTok's own careers page (TikTok), which RealAnalystJobs re-checks daily and removes the role when it closes. TikTok has approved H-1B petitions on USCIS record (employer-wide, not a promise for this role). Updated 15 November 2026. ## Key facts - Company: [TikTok](https://realanalystjobs.com/companies/tiktok) - Location: San Jose, California, USA - Work mode: On-site - First seen: Nov 15, 2026 - Employment type: Full time - Source: TikTok's careers page (TikTok), re-checked daily ## Visa sponsorship The posting does not say. TikTok had H-1B petitions approved for 454 workers in fiscal year 2026 (USCIS). That is history, not a promise for this role. [See the record](https://realanalystjobs.com/companies/tiktok#h1b-record) ## About this role Welcome to TikTok's Agentic Recommendation team, where we're reimagining the future of recommendation systems. Our mission is to build world-class, end-to-end recommender systems that go beyond prediction to reasoning, alignment, and autonomy. We're integrating cutting-edge techniques such as multimodal large language models (MLLMs), reinforcement learning, and agentic alignment to drive next-generation user experiences at scale. If you're passionate about pushing the boundaries of recommender systems, join us to explore, innovate, and help shape the future for billions of users around the world. We are looking for talented individuals to join our team in 2026. As a graduate, you will get unparalleled opportunities for you to kickstart your career, pursue bold ideas and explore limitless growth opportunities. Co-create a future driven by your inspiration with TikTok. Successful candidates must be able to commit to an onboarding date by end of year 2026 We will prioritize candidates who are able to commit to these start dates. Please state your availability and graduation date clearly in your resume. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage you to apply early. Responsibilities: - Design and construct reinforcement learning datasets tailored for recommendation scenarios. - Explore and optimize reinforcement learning algorithms, and develop scalable training and inference frameworks. - Conduct research on agentic recommendation systems and generative recommendation models. - Stay up to date to the latest SoTA advancements in relevant areas, and translate research ideas into real-world applications. Qualifications Minimum Qualifications: - Final-year Ph.D. candidate or recent Ph.D. graduate in Computer Science or a related field. - Strong knowledge and hands-on experience in at least one of the following areas: reinforcement learning, agent development, or LLM post-training. - Passion for exploring cutting-edge research topics and bridging theory with practice. Preferred Qualifications: - Publications in accredited academia conferences such as NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, AAAI, IJCAI, RecSys, KDD, WWW, or WSDM. - Internship or project experience related to reinforcement learning, agent-based systems, or LLM alignment/post-training. Description from TikTok's public careers feed, reproduced so you can read the role here. Apply on the company's own site; Real Analyst Jobs never submits anything for you. ## How to apply Open [this role on Real Analyst Jobs](https://realanalystjobs.com/job/research-scientist-graduate-tiktok-recommendation-agentic-ai-2026-start-phd-tikt-bc1848dd) and use Apply now there to reach the employer's application. The listing is re-checked against TikTok's careers page daily and removed when it closes. ## TikTok 101 open analyst roles on Real Analyst Jobs. [More roles at TikTok](https://realanalystjobs.com/companies/tiktok) ## More like this ### Other open roles at TikTok - [Business Analyst, Business Integrity](https://realanalystjobs.com/job/business-analyst-business-integrity-tiktok-c28aba20), Singapore - [Business Analyst - Global Business Solutions - São Paulo](https://realanalystjobs.com/job/business-analyst-global-business-solutions-sao-paulo-tiktok-14e33f1e), Sao Paulo, Brazil - [Global Quality Operations AI Solutions Specialist](https://realanalystjobs.com/job/global-quality-operations-ai-solutions-specialist-tiktok-b968d27f), Singapore - [Monetization Strategy & Operations Manager - GBS](https://realanalystjobs.com/job/monetization-strategy-and-operations-manager-gbs-tiktok-d9b1af11), Buenos Aires, Argentina - [Risk Analyst](https://realanalystjobs.com/job/risk-analyst-tiktok-900d7b2d), San Jose California, USA (On-site) - [Data analyst jobs in the USA](https://realanalystjobs.com/jobs/data-analyst-jobs-in-usa) - [Analyst job market report](https://realanalystjobs.com/analyst-job-market) - [What analyst roles pay](https://realanalystjobs.com/blog/data-analyst-salaries) ## Sources and links - [This role on Real Analyst Jobs](https://realanalystjobs.com/job/research-scientist-graduate-tiktok-recommendation-agentic-ai-2026-start-phd-tikt-bc1848dd) - [TikTok on Real Analyst Jobs](https://realanalystjobs.com/companies/tiktok) - [All analyst jobs](https://realanalystjobs.com/jobs)