# Rachel Zeng > Software Engineer @Tiktok Search | UC Berkley EECS Meng Student | University of Toronto Computer Science Alumnus Location: San Francisco Bay Area, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/rachelzeng Hi! I am Rachel Zeng, a software developer and researcher. Much of my work experience and projects lean towards the system engineering side, where I worked on an expertise-based distributed database at Huawei Technology Canada for about one and a half years. However, my research interests have taken a different direction, where I served as the undergraduate team lead and the software engineer on multiple fields of computer science, including natural language processing, social computing, and human-computer interaction. A paper I co-authored won a Best Paper Honorable Mention at CHI, the premier conference on human-computer interaction. I am currently pursuing a Master of Engineering degree at UC Berkeley and hold a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Statistics from the University of Toronto. ## Work Experience ### Software Engineer @ TikTok Jan 2025 – Present | San Jose, California, United States ### Software Developer, Lead Researcher @ The Donald O. Pederson Center for Electronic Systems Design Jan 2024 – Present | Berkeley, California, United States Developed an exercise authoring system enabling clinicians to create personalized rehabilitation tasks remotely in augmented reality using Unity, facilitating immersive clinician-patient engagement on Meta Quest 3. Developed a web application adhering to Electronic Medical Record standards using React for the frontend and Next.js and Node.js for backend server-side rendering and routing. Utilized Firebase for secure data storage. Conducted a comprehensive literature review on rehabilitation interventions and asymmetric communication to inform the innovative system design spaces for healthcare technologies. ### Software Developer, Lead Researcher @ Intelligent Adaptive Interventions Lab Jan 2023 – Jan 2024 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada Applied full stack skills to deploy SaaS tools powered by Large Language Models (LLMs) such as GPT-4. Developed iOS, Android, and web applications using React.js, Node.js, NestJS, or Flask to support young adults in story writing and combating procrastination for mental health. Leveraged MongoDB for secure user data storage. Designed and conducted user studies. Co-authored 3 peer-reviewed papers published in conferences and workshops, including CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, contributing to user experience research. ### Machine Learning Engineer @ Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto Jan 2023 – Jan 2024 | Lee Lab Conducted and analyzed over 100 empirical experiments using Python and SLURM optimizing multilingual translation models including mBART, mT5, M2M, XLM-R, and NLLB. Achieved a 20% BLEU score natural language processing improvement for low-resource languages through model building and domain adaptation techniques such as Intermediate Task Transfer Learning. Demonstrated product management expertise by overseeing the full lifecycle of multiple research projects, showcasing flexibility in adapting to evolving requirements and fostering collaboration across cross-functional teams. ### Distributed System Engineer, Distributed Data and Storage Management Lab @ Huawei Technologies Canada Co., Ltd. Jan 2022 – Jan 2023 | Markham, Ontario, Canada Developed backend features for an enterprise-class distributed database system based on PostgresSQL, implementing core functionalities such as buffer pool management, crash recovery mechanisms, concurrency control, fault-tolerant system using C++ and C. Implemented LRU cache, consistent hashing, static B-Trees, and an LSM-tree with Bloom filters to optimize efficiency, achieving a 150% increase in datacenter tpmC throughput, as validated through TPC-C benchmarking. Optimized memory system by minimizing disk I/O, reducing false sharing, and avoiding fragmentation. Led a quality assurance group, designing and executing over 50 tests, including G-tests, mock tests, concurrency tests, and integration tests, to systematically simulate distributed node scenarios and proactively mitigate node- specific anomalies in a multi-node, multi-threaded architecture. Utilized Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) to simulate scalable, isolated environments for testing and optimization, leveraging kernel-level debugging processes and tools to refine performance. Delivered a technical presentation on system architecture to an audience of 40+ engineers, effectively communicating complex DevOps principles and implementation strategies. ### Volunteer Teaching Vice President @ Educating Chinese Children Hope Offered (ECCHO) Jan 2019 – Jan 2022 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada Provided mentorship and educational support to underserved young children in remote rural areas of China with limited access to educational resources. Pioneered online teaching and mental health programs for children in response to the pandemic. Spearheaded volunteer teaching event management, encompassing educational outreach, event coordination, remote supervision, and recruitment and training of volunteers. ### DCS Ambassador @ Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto Jan 2020 – Jan 2021 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada Actively contributed to the development of FAS internship programs through participation in focus groups, ensuring the student perspective was considered. Represented undergraduate students in discussions regarding the expansion of DCS buildings and advocated for their interests within the department. Engaged in mentoring prospective students and actively participated in recruiting and outreach events to promote program awareness. ### Student Assistant @ Harvard Way Education Jan 2019 – Jan 2021 | Oakville, Ontario, Canada Academic Adviser, Student mentor. My students are admitted to the University of Toronto Engineering and Art and Science, in St.George Campus. ### Junior House Representative @ University of Toronto - New College Jan 2019 – Jan 2020 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada Fostered student community and well-being by organizing diverse house events for over 20 residence students, including academic support initiatives, de-stress activities, and holiday-themed events like movie nights and DIY stress ball workshops. ### Dining Committee @ University of Toronto - New College Jan 2019 – Jan 2020 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada Collaborated with the New College Food Court, gathering feedback from residents and offering constructive advice to enhance cafeteria services. ## Education ### Master of Engineering - MEng in Computer Science University of California, Berkeley ### Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Statistic University of Toronto ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/rachel-yuchen-zeng --- Source: https://flows.cv/rachelzeng JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/rachelzeng/resume.json Last updated: 2026-03-29