AI Engineer
First seen by Alion on Aug 26, 2026.
AI Engineer
Job Type: Independent Contractor
Location: Remote
Openings: 100
Expected Commitment: Approximately 15 hours/week
Schedule: Flexible - choose your own hours and days, including weekends
Pay: $60-$120/hour ($46,800-$93,600 annualized, based on 15 hours/week)
About the Opportunity
We are seeking experienced software engineers to contribute to an AI training project focused on evaluating and improving the capabilities of next-generation AI systems.
You will design reinforcement learning environments that test AI models on complex software engineering tasks involving Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools. The work combines practical software engineering with structured evaluation, requiring you to create realistic development scenarios that accurately measure an AI agent's ability to investigate problems, use external tools, reason through codebases, and implement reliable solutions.
No prior AI or machine learning experience is required. The focus is on your software engineering expertise, problem-solving ability, and understanding of production-quality development practices.
What You'll Do
Create reproducible reinforcement learning environments for software engineering tasks.
Design scenarios involving bug fixing, feature implementation, code refactoring, and performance optimization.
Build environments where AI agents must discover and reason over information using real MCP servers and tools.
Develop deterministic verification mechanisms to objectively assess whether an AI-generated solution meets the required specifications.
Create golden reference solutions that establish high-quality benchmarks for model evaluation.
Develop realistic engineering problems that test both MCP tool usage and software development capability.
Ensure environments are reliable, reproducible, and sufficiently robust for consistent evaluation.
Apply your understanding of algorithms, data structures, debugging, and software architecture to create technically meaningful challenges.
Required Qualifications
Strong proficiency in at least one of C++, Python, Java, Go, TypeScript, or Rust.
Deep understanding of algorithms, data structures, and performance optimization.
Demonstrated ability to diagnose and resolve complex software issues.
Strong experience developing production-quality features and maintaining existing codebases.
Experience with codebase refactoring, debugging, and maintainability improvements.
Proven ability to optimize software for performance, scalability, and reliability.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with excellent attention to technical detail.
Ability to work effectively with limited supervision in a remote environment.
Demonstrated experience collaborating with engineering or cross-functional teams.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience working with large-scale or distributed software systems.
Familiarity with AI, machine learning, LLMs, or agentic systems.
Experience participating in rigorous code reviews.
Knowledge of software engineering best practices, testing methodologies, and quality assurance.
Experience designing technical benchmarks, evaluation frameworks, or reproducible development environments.
Selection Process
Submit an application and complete the screening questions.
Complete an approximately 30-minute AI interview.
Complete a technical assessment, if required.
Application and assessment reviewed by the hiring team.
Engagement Details
Engagement: Independent contractor.
Work arrangement: Fully remote.
Time commitment: Approximately 15 hours per week.
Schedule: Flexible; you choose when to work.
Start: Selected contributors are expected to begin promptly after onboarding.
Roles are typically filled within approximately 48 hours.
Compensation Structure
Compensation is output-based. Experts are paid per completed task that meets the project's specifications and quality requirements. Actual earnings may vary depending on task complexity, experience, workflow, and approved output.
Minimum submission requirements apply, including a required minimum number of tasks per week. The hourly figure above represents the stated rate range and annualized equivalent for comparison purposes; it does not guarantee a fixed annual salary or a fixed number of paid hours.