Role Description

Mercor is partnering with a

leading AI research group

to engage experienced software engineers in a high-impact project focused on training and refining large language models (LLMs). As a

Software Engineering Specialist (Human Data Team)

, you’ll help shape the next generation of AI systems by curating advanced coding datasets, benchmarking model outputs, and enhancing model reasoning about programming practices.

This role involves:

• Collaborating with technical teams to teach AI models how humans write, debug, and optimize code across multiple programming languages.
• Annotating and evaluating AI-generated code for efficiency, scalability, and reliability, ensuring it meets enterprise-level software development standards.
• Contributing data in text, voice, or video formats to help models learn from human expertise.

This is a

full-time role

for experienced engineers passionate about applying their coding and problem-solving skills to advance frontier AI systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Curate code examples, provide detailed solutions, and make precise corrections across programming languages such as
  
  Python, JavaScript (including ReactJS), C/C++, Java, Rust, and Go
  
  .
• Evaluate and refine AI-generated code, ensuring adherence to industry standards for efficiency, scalability, and reliability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance AI-driven coding solutions and benchmark LLM performance.
• Support training initiatives by improving annotation tools, workflows, and data quality.
• Contribute to developing coding tasks and datasets that challenge model reasoning and technical understanding.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional back-end development experience.
• Proficiency in multiple server-side languages such as Python and Node.js.
• Strong experience designing and implementing RESTful APIs and GraphQL endpoints.
• Hands-on experience with both relational databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL) and non-relational databases (MongoDB, Redis).
• Deep understanding of database optimization, indexing, and query performance.
• Strong grasp of web security principles, including authentication, authorization, and data protection.
• Experience with asynchronous processing and background job systems.
• Proficiency with testing frameworks for unit, integration, and end-to-end testing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Adaptable and detail-oriented professional with strong
  
  logical reasoning and problem-solving skills
  
  .
• Experience with
  
  containerization technologies (Docker)
  
  .
• Familiarity with
  
  front-end technologies
  
  such as TypeScript or React to facilitate effective cross-functional collaboration.

More About the Opportunity

• 
  Location:
  
  Remote or in-person (Palo Alto, CA); in-office requires 5 days/week.
• 
  Schedule:
  
  9:00am–5:30pm PST for the first two weeks; then aligned with your local timezone.
• 
  Technical requirements:
  
  Reliable high-speed internet connection, camera, and microphone for virtual collaboration.
• 
  U.S. applicants:
  
  Must reside outside of Wyoming and Illinois.
• 
  Visa sponsorship:
  
  Not available.

Compensation & Contract Terms

• 
  $45–100/hour
  
  for U.S.-based professionals, depending on experience and location.
• International pay rates available upon request.
• Classified as an
  
  independent contractor
  
  position.
• Payments issued regularly for services rendered.
• Hourly pay is part of a broader rewards structure; benefits vary by country.

Application Process

• Submit your
  
  resume and statement of exceptional work
  
  .
• Complete a
  
  15-minute screening interview
  
  .
• If selected, proceed to:
  • A
    
    technical deep-dive
    
    discussing your software engineering and annotation experience.
  • A
    
    take-home coding or annotation challenge
    
    .
  • A
    
    team meet-and-greet
    
    with project collaborators.
• The interview process is designed to be completed within
  
  one week
  
  .