Business Development Internship – Merchant Acquisition

Job Description

Category Manager Intern (TikTok Shop – Operations) – 2026 Summer (MBA) | TikTok

The Tone:
This is an internship at TikTok, located in Los Angeles, CA. TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video, aiming to inspire creativity and bring joy globally. This role contributes to the TikTok Shop US operation team, which is building a new e-commerce experience and scaling the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt phenomenon. The intern will help pioneer content and creator commerce in the US, making TikTok the leading commerce platform for brands, creators, and shoppers.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Type: Temporary
• Location: In-person, Los Angeles, CA
• Pay: $38 hourly
• Team: TikTok Shop US Operations Team, responsible for building TikTok Ecommerce partnerships for the US e-commerce business.
• Mission: Acquire and incubate merchants to support category growth and build an innovative e-commerce ecosystem.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Merchant Acquisition: Acquire and incubate merchants to support category growth within TikTok Shop.
• Collaboration Strategy: Discover innovative collaborative models that align with merchants’ short-term and long-term development plans.
• Resource Investment: Invest platform resources effectively and efficiently to drive business growth.
• Problem Solving: Solve key challenges in business growth by strong collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Client Solutions: Employ a consultative approach by offering strategic content, creator/affiliate/agency partner, merchandising, and logistical solutions to all clients.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Currently pursuing an MBA Degree; Student.
• Experience: Able to commit to working for 12 weeks during Summer 2026.
• Skills: Quick learner, proactive and resilient, with the ability to thrive in ambiguity and adjust fast to change; structured thinking, good data sense, and very strong analytical skills; excellent communication and cross-team collaboration, skilled at moving things forward; passion for business and aiming for higher goals.
• Bonus: Internship or full-time experience in an e-commerce marketplace business or retail category management; familiarity with TikTok content ecosystem, shoppable content, and brand-creator partnerships.