Backend Software Engineer - Data Retention - TikTok Privacy and Security
Core
Design and build scalable, reliable, high-performance systems that manage the lifecycle of data at TikTok scale, including finding, classifying, applying retention policies, running deletion, and verifying deletion across heterogeneous storage.
Role type
Senior IC backend software engineer (data retention)
Builds
Data lifecycle management platforms, high-throughput deletion pipelines, data discovery/inventory systems, and verification/auditing systems
Domain
Internet platform, data governance, privacy engineering, distributed systems
Required skills
Go, Java, C++, Python, large-scale distributed systems, databases, messaging and streaming systems (Kafka, Flink), caching, storage internals, data lifecycle concepts, high-throughput batch or streaming data pipelines, microservices architecture, containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), cloud platforms (AWS, GCP)
Preferred skills
data retention, data deletion, data inventory and classification, data lineage systems, privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA/CPRA), privacy-enhancing technologies (PII detection, de-identification, pseudonymization, crypto-shredding), big data ecosystems (Hive, Spark, HDFS, Iceberg/Hudi)
Technologies
Kafka, Flink, Docker, Kubernetes, AWS, GCP, Hive, Spark, HDFS, Iceberg, Hudi
Responsibilities
Design and build large-scale data lifecycle management systems that enforce retention policies across heterogeneous storage; Build and run high-throughput deletion pipelines; Build data discovery and inventory capabilities; Build verification, auditing, and reporting systems; Support exception workflows such as legal holds; Work with ML platform teams to extend retention and deletion controls to training datasets; Help shape the technical roadmap for the data retention platform
Seniority
Senior, hands-on IC
