How PhD Interns Innovate at ByteDance!

ByteDance has countless early opportunities, not just for undergrads and masters students, but for those currently pursuing their PhDs. An internship at ByteDance serves as a competitive opportunity to expand your knowledge and extend your research and passion. We spoke to Sandeep and Yang about their internships at ByteDance and what lessons they took back to their graduate studies.

Tell us about yourself! What does a typical day at ByteDance look like for you?

Sandeep: I love to acquire knowledge and I am a very curious person. As part of my graduate studies, I concentrate on the human visual system. I have always been fascinated by the ability to see the world around us and interact with it. As a Mobile Multimedia Research intern, I am surrounded by gadgets such as VR headsets, different kinds of display screens, and more, which I love. I have been able to implement spatial video algorithms that will enable viewers to view videos in 3D using VR headsets and it's a novel experience. I have also worked towards quality assessment of such videos to make the best of the resources available to provide the best viewing experience.

Yang: In my PhD studies, I focus on multimodal large language models. My passion lies in the intersection of AI and human-computer interaction, particularly in developing technology that enhances daily life. I chose an internship at ByteDance because of the company's innovative approach to content creation and AI. My typical day involves handling model training data and developing large language models (LLMs) for content moderation. I prepare and process datasets, train and fine-tune LLMs, and perform ablation studies and validations to improve performance. Debugging and optimizing these models is a key part of my work, ensuring they are ready for deployment.

What do you like the most about working for ByteDance?

Sandeep: The team is filled with highly talented people. They've been very supportive and helped me throughout different stages of the project. We have a willingness to achieve the best, and never settle. The research coming out of ByteDance is incredible and is very promising for a PhD student like me. Mentors understood the work, its requirements, and helped me plan out the smallest details as well. Their deep knowledge and willingness to share helped me grow significantly.

Yang: The strong sense of teamwork and collaboration. Working in this supportive environment, where team members help each other and mentors patiently guide us, has significantly enhanced my skills and knowledge. I've learned to identify and analyze problems effectively. I have developed the ability to create detailed, actionable plans to achieve specific goals while maintaining high rigor throughout the process.

What is the biggest highlight of your internship?

Sandeep: By far the coolest project I have worked on is the spatial video project. Imagine being able to relive memories in 3D. There has always been a craze about watching movies in 3D. Now we can enable that for everyone and people can share and view events from their personal lives in 3D. With such technology, who knows what the future holds? Maybe someday people will be able to interact with their videos as well.

Yang: The most exciting project I have worked on is developing a comment moderation model that significantly reduces the workload for human moderators. This LLM can automatically review and filter user comments, ensuring compliance with community guidelines and maintaining a positive online environment. I'm particularly proud of this project because it leverages advanced AI techniques to solve a real-world problem, enhancing efficiency and accuracy. The model's ability to handle a high volume of comments with precision has improved the moderation process and allowed human moderators to focus on more complex tasks. Seeing the model go live and effectively manage content moderation has been incredibly rewarding and demonstrates the practical impact of my work.

What are some things you wish more people knew about life at ByteDance?

Sandeep: Some people hear that the work culture here is very exhausting, but that is entirely opposite of what I observed. I was never pushed to overwork, and was still able to achieve the required targets. It was a very smooth ride, and everyone was willing to help. I was also provided with multiple avenues to showcase my work, such as the PhD Research Intern Expo and in larger meetings with other teams.

Yang: People sometimes think ByteDance is all about content creation on social media channels. In reality, there are diverse and exciting opportunities across various technical and non-technical fields. The work here involves cutting-edge technology, innovative problem-solving, and many other impactful projects.

Any advice for a PhD candidate interested in interning at ByteDance?

Sandeep: If you find a role suitable for your experience, then you should definitely go for it. ByteDance provides the best opportunities in terms of work culture and also helps bond with the team.

Yang: Embrace learning and be open to new skills and technologies. Ask questions and understand the broader picture to contribute effectively and achieve your goals.

At ByteDance, inspiration is infinite – there are countless ways to turn your passions and ideas into reality. If you 're interested in all the ways a career at ByteDance inspires creativity and enriches life, take the first step today!