E-commerce Business Development Intern – Merchant Acquisition

Job Description

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

The Tone:
This is a temporary internship at TikTok, primarily focused on the US operation, with pay details for Los Angeles County (unincorporated). TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video, aiming to inspire creativity and bring joy through its platform. This role is crucial for scaling the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt phenomenon, pioneering Content & Creator commerce in the US, and building an innovative, secure, and intuitive e-commerce ecosystem.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Type: Temporary
• Location: In-person, Los Angeles County
• Pay: $38 hourly
• Team: TikTok Shop US operation team
• Mission: To bring discovery, inspiration, and joy back to shopping by making TikTok the commerce channel of choice for merchants, creators, and affiliates.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Merchant Acquisition: Acquire and incubate merchants to support category growth within TikTok Shop.
• Collaboration Model Development: Discover innovative collaborative models that align with merchants’ development plans and invest platform resources effectively.
• Business Challenge Resolution: Solve key challenges in business growth through strong collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Client Consultation: Employ a consultative approach by offering strategic content, creator/affiliate/agency partner, merchandising, and logistical solutions to all clients.
• Product and Promotion Updates: Update clients on TikTok Shop product developments and new promotional opportunities.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Currently pursuing an MBA Degree.
• Experience: Able to commit to working for 12 weeks during Summer 2026.
• Skills: Quick learner, proactive, resilient, structured thinking, strong analytical skills, excellent communication, and cross-team collaboration.
• Bonus: Internship or full-time experience in an e-commerce marketplace business or retail category management, and familiarity with the TikTok content ecosystem, shoppable content, and brand-creator partnerships.