What are the responsibilities and job description for the Emergency Response Specialist - USDS position at TikTok?
Responsibilities
Team Intro
The Emergency Response Team (ERT) is part of the Safety Regulatory Compliance Operations team in the larger Trust and Safety organization. ERT is responsible for addressing emergency internal escalations and to Law Enforcement exigent requests on emergencies via EDR (emergency disclosure request) forms.
Our Emergency Response Team performs a critical function that supports our efforts to address objectionable or disturbing content. Content that our Emergency Response Team interacts with includes images, video, and text related to every-day life, but it can also include (but is not limited to) bullying; hate speech; child abuse; sexual assault; torture; bestiality; self-harm; suicide; and murder.
It is possible that this role will be exposed to harmful content on a daily basis.
In order to enhance collaboration and cross-functional partnerships, among other things, at this time, our organization follows a hybrid work schedule that requires employees to work in the office 3 days a week, or as directed by their manager/department. We regularly review our hybrid work model, and the specific requirements may change at any time.
This position will entail a Sunday through Thursday work week.
It also requires participation in a 24/7 on-call schedule, which will include holiday support.
Responsibilities:
- Demonstrate operational excellence in evaluating risk, threats, and user privacy, particularly in time-critical emergency escalations.
- Review and assess high volumes of inbound emergency escalations from law enforcement, government agencies, and internal teams.
- Make fast-paced, independent decisions based on analysis of various complex factors, including imminence of danger, sensitivities, and graphic content, while adhering to applicable laws, terms of service, and internal policies.
- Coordinate and collaborate with internal and external partners, including law enforcement, to ensure user safety.
- Operate in an environment with highly egregious content, graphic violence, self-injury and suicide, and other potentially disturbing material.
- Create and articulate responses to inquiries from law enforcement, government agencies, and internal teams regarding emergency response policy and processes.
- Master various back-end data systems to ensure effective handling of safety issues and continuously improve the quality of response mechanisms.
- Summarize and compile analytical, retrospective, or data-driven investigation reports.
- Lead projects aimed at enhancing back-end systems, processes, and response quality.
- Collaborate with cross-functional global teams to address emerging risks and align on response strategies.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 1 years of relevant experience in investigative or analytical roles, preferably in internet content safety and/or risk management
- Experience analyzing information to assess threat and risk and to make effective decisions independently using sound judgement and rationale
- Experience making complex decisions independently and multi-tasking under pressure, responding quickly to changing situations without compromising quality
- Communication skills and experience adapting communication styles to suit different stakeholders, such as cross-functional teams and law enforcement
- Experience handling emergencies or similar experience
Preferred Qualifications
- Risk assessment experience or similar experience
- Knowledge in legal documents is a plus
- Experience dealing with law enforcement
- Your ability to work in a high tempo environment, adapt, respond to day-to-day challenges of the role.
- Your resilience and commitment to self-care to manage the emotional demands of the role.
Trust & Safety
Content that this role interacts with includes images, video, and text related to every-day life, but it can also include (but is not limited to) bullying; hate speech; child safety; depictions of harm to self and others, and harm to animals. Hence, it is possible that this role will be exposed to harmful content on a daily basis.
TikTok recognises that keeping our platform safe for the TikTok communities is no ordinary job which can be both rewarding and psychologically demanding and emotionally taxing for some. This is why we are sharing the potential hazards, risks and implications in this unique line of work from the start, so our candidates are well informed before joining.
We are committed to the wellbeing of all our employees and promise to provide comprehensive and evidence-based programs, to promote and support physical and mental wellbeing throughout each employee's journey with us. We believe that wellbeing is a relationship and that everyone has a part to play, so we work in collaboration and consultation with our employees and across our functions in order to ensure a truly person-centred, innovative and integrated approach.
About USDS
TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. U.S. Data Security (“USDS”) is a subsidiary of TikTok in the U.S. This new, security-first division was created to bring heightened focus and governance to our data protection policies and content assurance protocols to keep U.S. users safe. Our focus is on providing oversight and protection of the TikTok platform and U.S. user data, so millions of Americans can continue turning to TikTok to learn something new, earn a living, express themselves creatively, or be entertained. The teams within USDS that deliver on this commitment daily span across Trust & Safety, Security & Privacy, Engineering, User & Product Ops, Corporate Functions and more.
Why Join Us
Inspiring creativity is at the core of TikTok's mission. Our innovative product is built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and bring joy - a mission we work towards every day.
We strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and innovate as one team. We're resilient and embrace challenges as they come. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.
Diversity & Inclusion
TikTok is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.
USDS Reasonable Accommodation
USDS is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at https://tinyurl.com/USDS-RA
Job Information
【For Pay Transparency】 Compensation Description (Hourly)
The hourly rate range for this position in the selected city is $34.51- $51.28.
Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.
Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).
The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.
For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates:
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:
1. Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
2. Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and
3. Exercising sound judgment.
Team Intro
The Emergency Response Team (ERT) is part of the Safety Regulatory Compliance Operations team in the larger Trust and Safety organization. ERT is responsible for addressing emergency internal escalations and to Law Enforcement exigent requests on emergencies via EDR (emergency disclosure request) forms.
Our Emergency Response Team performs a critical function that supports our efforts to address objectionable or disturbing content. Content that our Emergency Response Team interacts with includes images, video, and text related to every-day life, but it can also include (but is not limited to) bullying; hate speech; child abuse; sexual assault; torture; bestiality; self-harm; suicide; and murder.
It is possible that this role will be exposed to harmful content on a daily basis.
In order to enhance collaboration and cross-functional partnerships, among other things, at this time, our organization follows a hybrid work schedule that requires employees to work in the office 3 days a week, or as directed by their manager/department. We regularly review our hybrid work model, and the specific requirements may change at any time.
This position will entail a Sunday through Thursday work week.
It also requires participation in a 24/7 on-call schedule, which will include holiday support.
Responsibilities:
- Demonstrate operational excellence in evaluating risk, threats, and user privacy, particularly in time-critical emergency escalations.
- Review and assess high volumes of inbound emergency escalations from law enforcement, government agencies, and internal teams.
- Make fast-paced, independent decisions based on analysis of various complex factors, including imminence of danger, sensitivities, and graphic content, while adhering to applicable laws, terms of service, and internal policies.
- Coordinate and collaborate with internal and external partners, including law enforcement, to ensure user safety.
- Operate in an environment with highly egregious content, graphic violence, self-injury and suicide, and other potentially disturbing material.
- Create and articulate responses to inquiries from law enforcement, government agencies, and internal teams regarding emergency response policy and processes.
- Master various back-end data systems to ensure effective handling of safety issues and continuously improve the quality of response mechanisms.
- Summarize and compile analytical, retrospective, or data-driven investigation reports.
- Lead projects aimed at enhancing back-end systems, processes, and response quality.
- Collaborate with cross-functional global teams to address emerging risks and align on response strategies.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 1 years of relevant experience in investigative or analytical roles, preferably in internet content safety and/or risk management
- Experience analyzing information to assess threat and risk and to make effective decisions independently using sound judgement and rationale
- Experience making complex decisions independently and multi-tasking under pressure, responding quickly to changing situations without compromising quality
- Communication skills and experience adapting communication styles to suit different stakeholders, such as cross-functional teams and law enforcement
- Experience handling emergencies or similar experience
Preferred Qualifications
- Risk assessment experience or similar experience
- Knowledge in legal documents is a plus
- Experience dealing with law enforcement
- Your ability to work in a high tempo environment, adapt, respond to day-to-day challenges of the role.
- Your resilience and commitment to self-care to manage the emotional demands of the role.
Trust & Safety
Content that this role interacts with includes images, video, and text related to every-day life, but it can also include (but is not limited to) bullying; hate speech; child safety; depictions of harm to self and others, and harm to animals. Hence, it is possible that this role will be exposed to harmful content on a daily basis.
TikTok recognises that keeping our platform safe for the TikTok communities is no ordinary job which can be both rewarding and psychologically demanding and emotionally taxing for some. This is why we are sharing the potential hazards, risks and implications in this unique line of work from the start, so our candidates are well informed before joining.
We are committed to the wellbeing of all our employees and promise to provide comprehensive and evidence-based programs, to promote and support physical and mental wellbeing throughout each employee's journey with us. We believe that wellbeing is a relationship and that everyone has a part to play, so we work in collaboration and consultation with our employees and across our functions in order to ensure a truly person-centred, innovative and integrated approach.
About USDS
TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. U.S. Data Security (“USDS”) is a subsidiary of TikTok in the U.S. This new, security-first division was created to bring heightened focus and governance to our data protection policies and content assurance protocols to keep U.S. users safe. Our focus is on providing oversight and protection of the TikTok platform and U.S. user data, so millions of Americans can continue turning to TikTok to learn something new, earn a living, express themselves creatively, or be entertained. The teams within USDS that deliver on this commitment daily span across Trust & Safety, Security & Privacy, Engineering, User & Product Ops, Corporate Functions and more.
Why Join Us
Inspiring creativity is at the core of TikTok's mission. Our innovative product is built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and bring joy - a mission we work towards every day.
We strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and innovate as one team. We're resilient and embrace challenges as they come. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.
Diversity & Inclusion
TikTok is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.
USDS Reasonable Accommodation
USDS is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at https://tinyurl.com/USDS-RA
Job Information
【For Pay Transparency】 Compensation Description (Hourly)
The hourly rate range for this position in the selected city is $34.51- $51.28.
Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.
Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).
The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.
For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates:
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:
1. Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
2. Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and
3. Exercising sound judgment.
Salary : $35 - $51