Remote | Software Engineer (Open Source Contributor) — $50–$100/hour
24-Mag•New York, NY
•Remote
About The Position
This is a remote freelance consulting opportunity for experienced software engineers and open-source contributors. The work applies practical software engineering expertise to advanced AI training and evaluation initiatives. Professionals will create realistic coding challenges, build reproducible reinforcement learning environments, implement deterministic verification systems, and produce high-quality reference solutions. Assignments involve backend development, codebase analysis, feature implementation, debugging, refactoring, performance optimisation, automated testing, code review, and technical documentation. Prior experience with AI training projects is not required.
Requirements
- Significant hands-on software engineering experience, particularly in backend development and complex application systems.
- Demonstrated expertise in at least one of Python 3, Java, Rust, Go, C++, or TypeScript.
- Strong understanding of algorithms, data structures, and foundational computer science principles.
- Proven experience developing scalable backend services, APIs, or production software applications.
- Practical expertise in software debugging, automated testing, code review, and technical problem-solving.
- Experience identifying and resolving complex software defects and performance bottlenecks.
- Ability to implement substantial features within existing applications or large codebases.
- Strong understanding of codebase refactoring, software maintainability, and legacy system improvement.
- Experience developing reproducible tests and validating implementations against technical requirements.
- Ability to design objective verification criteria and explain why a solution satisfies specified constraints.
- Strong analytical reasoning, logical thinking, computational problem-solving, and independent engineering judgement.
- Ability to navigate unfamiliar codebases and understand complex software requirements efficiently.
- Excellent technical documentation and written communication skills, including the ability to explain algorithms, code changes, and implementation decisions.
- Ability to work independently and produce reproducible software deliverables.
- Demonstrable open-source contributions through GitHub or a comparable public development profile, or completion of an alternative technical assessment if the profile is not sufficiently representative.
- Assessment stages must be completed independently, without AI assistants or help from other individuals.
- Work must be completed without using confidential or proprietary information belonging to an employer, client, institution, or other third party.
Nice To Haves
- Experience collaborating on open-source software projects or reviewing external code contributions.
- Familiarity with reinforcement learning environments, AI coding benchmarks, or software engineering evaluation systems.
- Interest in advanced AI technologies and automated software engineering.
Responsibilities
- Develop realistic, technically challenging software engineering problems based on practical development scenarios.
- Create self-contained coding tasks involving feature implementation, bug fixing, refactoring, and performance optimisation.
- Analyse existing codebases and translate technical requirements into clear engineering objectives.
- Build reproducible reinforcement learning environments to evaluate AI coding capabilities.
- Develop deterministic verification systems, golden reference solutions, automated tests, and objective acceptance criteria.
- Develop and evaluate backend services, APIs, and supporting application components.
- Implement robust software features while maintaining scalability, reliability, and code quality.
- Apply data structures, algorithms, and software design principles to engineering problems.
- Debug defects and performance bottlenecks, and refactor existing or legacy code to improve maintainability and reliability.
- Validate engineering improvements through automated testing, reproducible execution, and technical analysis.
- Review code and technical solutions for correctness, clarity, efficiency, and adherence to engineering standards.
- Evaluate peer implementations and provide structured, actionable technical feedback.
- Document programming decisions, debugging approaches, verification methods, and reference solutions.
- Communicate software engineering concepts through clear technical explanations and written evaluations.
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What This Job Offers
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
