TikTok

Role: Machine Learning Engineer (L2.1)

College: Not Specified (had 2 years ML engineering experience before Masters)

Interview Date: October/November 2024 (estimated, based on video upload date)

Interview Type: Full-Time, Experienced Hire

Result: Selected (implied, as he describes his current role at TikTok)

Difficulty: Medium to Hard (LeetCode style coding, helpful interviewer)

Rounds: 4 knock-out rounds

Topics Asked: LeetCode-style Coding, Machine Learning Concepts (ranking/retrieval algorithms), Data Structures, Algorithms, Situational Questions

Experience:

This candidate interviewed for a Machine Learning Engineer (L2.1) position on the TikTok search team, focusing on ranking and retrieval algorithms. The interview process consisted of four "knock-out" rounds, meaning progression to the next round was contingent on passing the current one.

In the first round, a LeetCode-style coding problem was presented. The interviewer was helpful, and the candidate brainstormed the solution with them for about 15 minutes before proceeding.

The second round was similar, but also included questions about concepts outside the candidate's resume and situational scenarios.

The candidate emphasized that coding is an integral part of the ML engineer role, and during their Masters, they spent approximately 80% of their time on coding, Data Structures, and Algorithms (DSA) topics. They also had strong ML projects from their previous two years of experience as an ML engineer in India.