Summary
Zihao Gao is a software engineer with a background in backend systems and real-time communications, currently working on recommendation architecture at TikTok after roles at Shopee and ByteDance. He has practical experience designing microservices, optimizing server-side performance for RTC, and enabling multi-vendor intercommunication for real-time products. Trained in financial engineering at NYU and with early quantitative internship experience, he brings a data-driven mindset to systems design and feature development. Having moved rapidly from backend engineering into senior roles within a few years, he combines low-level performance tuning with product-focused delivery across large-scale consumer platforms. Based in Beijing with international education and cross-company experience, he thrives at the intersection of distributed systems, streaming, and production-grade reliability.
1 year of coding experience
4 years of employment as a software developer
Master's degree Master of Science in Financial Engineering, Master's degree Master of Science in Financial Engineering at New York University
Bachelor of Engineering in Opto-Electronic Science and Engineering Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering in Opto-Electronic Science and Engineering Engineering at Zhejiang University