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Algorithm Engineers in China
Average Salary Nationwide, July 2024
Average Salary: ¥37,225 per month
Median Salary: ¥36,369 per month
Job Data Points: 636,108
Algorithm Engineers in China: Salary Overview
The average salary for Algorithm Engineers in China is ¥37,225 per month, based on a sample of 636,108 positions. This data, updated in July 2024, provides insights into the salary landscape for Algorithm Engineers across various experience levels and cities in China.
- Average Monthly Salary: ¥37,225
- Median Monthly Salary: ¥36,369
- Salary Range: ¥2,001 to ¥79,900 (within data set)
- Most Common Salary Bracket: ¥30,000 – ¥38,000 (covering 21% of the jobs in the sample)
Job Responsibilities
Typical responsibilities for Algorithm Engineer positions in China include:
Algorithm Design and Development:
• Design and implement efficient algorithms for various applications
• Optimize existing algorithms for better performance
Machine Learning and AI:
• Develop and improve machine learning models
• Implement deep learning algorithms
Data Analysis:
• Analyze large datasets to extract meaningful insights
• Develop data mining techniques
Performance Optimization:
• Improve algorithm efficiency and scalability
• Optimize code for better runtime performance
Research and Development:
• Stay updated with the latest advancements in the field
• Contribute to research papers or patents
Collaboration:
• Work with cross-functional teams (e.g., product managers, software engineers)
• Communicate complex ideas to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Problem Solving:
• Tackle complex technical challenges
• Propose innovative solutions to business problems
Deployment:
• Work on deploying algorithms in production environments
• Ensure scalability of implemented solutions
These responsibilities cover the core aspects of an algorithm engineer’s role, focusing on the most critical and impactful areas of their work.
They can vary depending on the specific company and role, but they generally cover the key areas of work for algorithm engineers in China’s tech industry.
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Most Requested Qualifications
This list covers the most commonly requested qualifications and skills for Algorithm Engineers in the Chinese job market. Employers typically look for candidates with:
Technical Skills:
- Programming Languages:
- Python
- C++
- Java
- Frameworks and Tools:
- TensorFlow
- PyTorch
- OpenCV
- Hadoop
- Spark
- Areas of Expertise:
- Machine learning
- Deep learning
- Computer vision
- Natural Language Processing (NLP)
- Multi-modal algorithms
- Distributed systems
- Data mining
- Algorithm optimization
Key Requirements:
- Strong background in computer science or related fields
- Proficiency in algorithm design and optimization
- Experience with machine learning and deep learning models
- Familiarity with big data processing tools
- Ability to translate algorithms into efficient code
- Experience with model deployment and scaling
Soft Skills:
- Problem-solving abilities
- Teamwork and communication skills
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
- Continuous learning mindset
Related:
Popular Algorithm Engineer Employers in China
The following Chinese companies are noted for hiring Algorithm Engineers. Here are the average Algorithm Engineer salaries at each, according to the data set:
Alibaba
Average monthly salary: ¥45,651
Salary range: ¥2,640 – ¥78,800
Tencent
Average monthly salary: ¥49,503
Salary range: ¥4,300 – ¥78,800
Baidu
Average monthly salary: ¥40,615
Salary range: ¥3,200 – ¥78,800
NetEase
Average monthly salary: ¥42,772
Salary range: ¥5,300 – ¥78,800
ByteDance
Average monthly salary: ¥51,216
Salary range: ¥4,300 – ¥78,800
JD.com
Average monthly salary: ¥53,139
Salary range: ¥4,000 – ¥78,800
Huawei
Average monthly salary: ¥34,391
Salary range: ¥2,200 – ¥78,800
Didi Chuxing
Average monthly salary: ¥49,714
Salary range: ¥4,000 – ¥78,800
Meituan
Average monthly salary: ¥48,951
Salary range: ¥5,000 – ¥78,800
Xiaomi
Average monthly salary: ¥43,648
Salary range: ¥3,200 – ¥78,800
Kuaishou
Average monthly salary: ¥45,983
Salary range: ¥6,400 – ¥78,800
Little Red Book
Average monthly salary: ¥51,599
Salary range: ¥12,700 – ¥78,800
Pinduoduo
Average monthly salary: ¥54,273
Salary range: ¥5,300 – ¥78,800
NIO
Average monthly salary: ¥52,806
Salary range: ¥7,400 – ¥78,800
Qihoo 360
Average monthly salary: ¥48,425
Salary range: ¥4,000 – ¥78,800
S.F. Express
Average monthly salary: ¥39,782
Salary range: ¥8,500 – ¥78,800
Microsoft China
Average monthly salary: ¥52,398
Salary range: ¥31,600 – ¥78,800
Ele.me
Average monthly salary: ¥48,775
Salary range: ¥17,900 – ¥78,800
These salaries reflect the demand for skilled Algorithm Engineers in the tech industry, with many employees at these top companies earning far above the average salary for their respective roles. This is not unlike the top-heavy salary distribution in, say, the big tech companies in the US.
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Recommendations For Employers Hiring Algorithm Engineers
Prioritize Relevant Skills and Experience
Look for candidates with strong programming skills in languages like Python, Java, and C++.
Seek engineers proficient in machine learning algorithms and frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch.
Prefer candidates with experience in big data technologies like Hadoop or Spark.
Value expertise in areas like computer vision, natural language processing, or recommendation systems.
Offer Competitive Compensation
Provide salaries commensurate with experience, typically ranging from ¥150,000 to over ¥1,000,000 annually.
Consider offering attractive perks and benefits to attract top talent.
Leverage Online Recruitment Tools
Utilize recruitment platforms for initial screening and candidate matching.
Conduct online interviews and assessments to efficiently evaluate candidates.
Tap into Campus Recruitment
Partner with top universities in China to identify and recruit promising algorithm engineering talent.
Participate in career fairs and information sessions to raise brand awareness among students.
Streamline the Hiring Process
Establish a clear and efficient hiring process to avoid losing candidates to competitors.
Provide timely feedback and updates to candidates throughout the recruitment journey.
By prioritizing relevant skills, offering competitive compensation, leveraging technology, tapping into campus recruitment, and streamlining the hiring process, employers in China can effectively attract and hire top algorithm engineering talent.
Related:
Algorithm Engineers: Average Salary by Region
Here are the top 10 paying cities for Algorithm Engineers, according to our data set. Most of these are megacities. The smaller/lesser-known ones usually land on these lists due to smaller sample sizes (Xingtai, Chaoyang). These ‘smaller’ cities are still pretty huge compared to non-China locations.
- Xingtai: ¥37,600/month
- Hong Kong: ¥35,676/month
- Chaoyang: ¥32,500/month
- Shanghai: ¥31,709/month
- Beijing: ¥31,378/month
- Taizhou: ¥29,250/month
- Shenzhen: ¥29,158/month
- Hangzhou: ¥27,742/month
- Suzhou: ¥26,524/month
- Changde: ¥25,333/month
Related:
Algorithm Engineers: Demand by Region
This list ranks the top regions in China by the number of Algorithm Engineer positions available from our data set. The percentages reflect the top 10 cities only:
- Beijing: 43.4%
- Shanghai: 21.4%
- Shenzhen: 13.7%
- Hangzhou: 9.2%
- Guangzhou: 5.3%
- Chengdu: 4.1%
- Nanjing: 3.9%
- Wuhan: 3.4%
- Suzhou: 3.1%
- Xi’an: 2.5%
The demand shows significant variation across major cities. Beijing remains the dominant hub for algorithm engineering positions, accounting for a substantial portion of the total job market in this field.
The strong presence of tech companies and startups in Beijing and tier-1 cities continues to drive demand for skilled professionals in algorithm development and related areas.
Market Concentration: The data suggests that the UX job market is heavily concentrated in eastern China, particularly in well-established tech centers.
Educational Requirements of Job Postings
The distribution of educational requirements among job postings in the data set is as follows:
- Bachelor’s degree: 57.84% of listings
- Master’s degree: 35.01%
- Not specified: 3.28%
- Doctorate: 2.22%
- Associate’s degree: 1.6%
- High School: 0.02%
- Vocational: 0.02%
92.85% of jobs require a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
Related:
Experience Requirements of Job Postings
The distribution of work experience requirements among Algorithm Engineer job postings in the data set is as follows:
- 3-5 years: 39.75% of listings
- 5-10 years: 18.54%
- Not specified: 18.24%
- 1-3 years: 16.59%
- New graduate/current student: 5.09%
- 10+ years: 0.95%
- Less than 1 year: 0.84%
The data on experience requirements for algorithm engineer positions in China reveals that employers are most popularly seeking candidates with 3-5 years of experience, accounting for nearly 40% of job listings.
This suggests that companies are looking for engineers with a solid foundation in algorithm development and machine learning, but are also open to candidates with less experience who have demonstrated strong skills and potential.
The second-highest percentage (18.54%) is for positions requiring 5-10 years of experience, indicating a significant demand for senior-level algorithm engineers.
It’s also worth noting that a solid portion of job listings (18.24%) do not specify experience requirements, potentially allowing for more flexibility in hiring.
Algorithm Engineer Job Examples from Top Chinese Companies
Here are some summaries of recent, public job postings we pulled from Zhaopin:
1. Computer Vision/NLP Multimodal Algorithm Expert
- Salary: 30-60K, 16-month salary
- Experience: 3-5 years
- Education: Master’s Degree
- Company: Gaode Map
- Industry: Internet
- Company Size: 1,000-9,999 employees
- Status: Publicly listed
- Skills: Business-oriented, voice/image recognition, Python, OpenCV, TensorFlow/PyTorch, machine learning algorithm/engineering experience, deep learning experience, multimodal.
2. Algorithm Engineer
- Salary: 20-30K
- Experience: 3-5 years
- Education: Bachelor’s Degree
- Company: Alibaba Group
- Industry: Internet
- Company Size: Over 10,000 employees
- Status: Publicly listed
- Skills: Deep learning algorithms, C++, Java, distributed technology, audio/video encoding/decoding, TensorFlow, Hadoop.
- Benefits: Free shuttle bus, stock options, meal allowance, year-end bonus, five social insurances and one housing fund, supplemental medical insurance, paid annual leave, and employee travel.
3. ISP Algorithm Engineer
- Salary: 15-30K
- Experience: No specific requirement
- Education: Master’s Degree
- Company: Tongzhi Electronic Technology
- Industry: Automotive Parts
- Company Size: 1,000-9,999 employees
- Status: Publicly listed
- Skills: Visual image algorithms, algorithm design, image algorithm optimization, 3A algorithms, ISP algorithms, optics, camera.
- Benefits: Year-end bonus, paid annual leave, free meals, employee travel, overtime allowance, five social insurances, and one housing fund.
4. AI Algorithm Engineer
- Salary: 13-26K
- Experience: Less than 1 year
- Education: Bachelor’s Degree
- Company: Huawei
- Industry: Computer Software
- Company Size: Over 10,000 employees
- Status: Not seeking funding
- Skills: Search algorithms, Shell, deep learning, algorithm engineering experience, large model algorithms, natural language processing algorithms, model acceleration/performance optimization, SQL.
- Benefits: Accident insurance, employee travel, meal allowance, snacks and afternoon tea, severance compensation, supplemental medical insurance, overtime allowance, paid annual leave, communication allowance, transportation subsidy.
5. Perception Fusion Algorithm Engineer
- Salary: 30-55K
- Experience: 3-5 years
- Education: Master’s Degree
- Company: Yuanfeng Technology
- Industry: Automotive Parts
- Company Size: 500-999 employees
- Status: Not seeking funding
- Skills: No specific focus, intelligent driving, voice/image recognition.
- Benefits: Meal allowance, five social insurances and one housing fund, full attendance bonus, holiday benefits, paid annual leave, accommodation provided.
6. Motor Control Algorithm Engineer
- Salary: 30-50K, 15-month salary
- Experience: 3-5 years
- Education: Bachelor’s Degree
- Company: Makeblock
- Industry: Smart Hardware
- Company Size: 1,000-9,999 employees
- Funding Stage: Series C
- Skills: Regulation control algorithms, C/C++, motors, servos.
- Benefits: Birthday benefits, paid annual leave, transportation subsidy, free work attire, holiday benefits, communication allowance, meal allowance, team-building dinners, snacks and afternoon tea, year-end bonus.
7. Autonomous Driving Cloud Business Unit – Visual Algorithm R&D Engineer
- Salary: 15-30K, 16-month salary
- Experience: 1-3 years
- Education: Bachelor’s Degree
- Company: Baidu
- Industry: Internet
- Company Size: Over 10,000 employees
- Status: Publicly listed
- Skills: Deep learning algorithms, visual image algorithms, algorithm design, machine learning algorithms, C++, Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch.
- Benefits: Five social insurances and one housing fund, meal allowance, communication allowance, stock options, supplemental medical insurance, year-end bonus, regular health check-ups, paid annual leave, snacks and afternoon tea, overtime allowance.
8. Inventory Optimization Algorithm Engineer/Expert
- Salary: 30-60K, 14-month salary
- Experience: 3-5 years
- Education: Master’s Degree
- Company: JD Qianshi
- Industry: Internet
- Company Size: Over 10,000 employees
- Status: Publicly listed
- Skills: Deep learning algorithms, algorithm design, machine learning algorithms, Python, Java, distributed technology, data mining, Spark.
- Benefits: Performance bonuses, five social insurances and one housing fund, employee travel, free shuttle bus, overtime allowance, stock options, regular health check-ups, paid annual leave, night shift allowance, supplemental medical insurance.
9. Algorithm Application Engineer
- Salary: 30-60K
- Experience: 3-5 years
- Education: Bachelor’s Degree
- Company: Baidu
- Industry: Internet
- Company Size: Over 10,000 employees
- Status: Publicly listed
- Skills: Python, C/C++, computer-related majors, machine learning algorithm/engineering experience, deep learning experience, model training, recommendations, deep learning frameworks.
- Benefits: Five social insurances and one housing fund, meal allowance, communication allowance, stock options, supplemental medical insurance, year-end bonus, regular health check-ups, paid annual leave, snacks and afternoon tea, overtime allowance.
10. Multimodal Algorithm Researcher – International Short Video
- Salary: 35-65K, 15-month salary
- Experience: 1-3 years
- Education: Doctorate
- Company: ByteDance
- Industry: Internet
- Company Size: Over 10,000 employees
- Funding Stage: Series D and above
- Skills: Large model algorithms, image algorithms, multimodal algorithms, C/C++, Python, algorithm engineering experience, published outstanding algorithm-related papers, excellent open-source project experience.
- Benefits: Flexible work schedule, annual health check-ups, meal and afternoon tea allowances, housing subsidy near work.
Related:
Algorithm Engineers in China - A Summary
So there we have it! In this article, we explored essential insights for companies looking to hire Algorithm Engineers in China.
The job market is primarily concentrated in major cities, with Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen leading the way, accounting for nearly 80% of available positions.
We also examined the educational requirements for positions, revealing that a significant majority of job postings (~93%) prefer candidates with a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree.
Additionally, the largest group of job postings seek candidates with 3-5 years of experience, indicating a strong demand for mid-level professionals.
Furthermore, we highlighted the various skills that employers are looking for, including proficiency in computing languages (Python, Java, C++), a strong grasp of machine learning, and the ability to work with cross-functional teams effectively.
We hope we helped you understand a bit more about these trends and requirements – attract and retain top algorithm engineering talent in China’s vast and talented job market.
We hope this analysis has provided you with valuable insights to help you attract and retain top algorithm engineering talent in China’s vast job market!
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References
The two main sources of data for this series on individual job salaries in China are local HR companies BOSS Zhipin and Zhilian Zhaopin. They are both among China’s biggest job portals and have some of the largest amounts of local, first-hand, public data points. It’s important to note that the data most often reflects recruited salaries – or the publicly listed salary information companies advertise on their platforms.
Data sets used in this article can be found here. More coverage and further sources can be found in our Salary Guides and Resources collections.
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