Engineering & Software Domain Expert
Listing checked August 29, 2026 · pay as published by Mercor
Overview
Frontier AI models improve only when someone with real engineering experience checks their work. This role puts you inside a leading AI lab's GenAI team, where you will review engineering knowledge tasks, write instruction specs and golden solutions, and build benchmarks that measure model progress. You will work in the client's own tools, on-site in the Bay Area several days each week, and your output directly shapes how the model reasons about software and systems. Employment is W-2 through Cincinnatus LLC, with client-issued accounts and equipment.
What You'll Do5
- 1Evaluate engineering knowledge tasks and model responses for hidden flaws: missing behaviors, shallow reasoning, code that passes tests but fails code review, and unhandled edge cases.
- 2Write clear instruction specs and authoritative golden solutions for engineering problems, then define new tasks that mirror real practice.
- 3Design challenging engineering problems and evaluation sets, and co-build engineering-specific skills and tools with the research team.
- 4Align quality standards with client researchers and adjacent specialists, turning tacit engineering judgment into explicit criteria.
- 5Provide precise written feedback on model outputs and task quality.
Requirements9
- 1Bachelor's degree or higher in computer science, software engineering, or a related engineering field. MS or PhD strongly preferred.
- 24+ years building and shipping production software or engineered systems at a reputable company. Internships and coursework do not count.
- 3Deep specialization in at least one area such as distributed systems, security/cryptography, embedded/firmware, ML systems, developer tooling, platform engineering, or test engineering.
- 4Experience at a senior level: Senior, Staff, Principal, Architect, or Engineering Lead, with meaningful ownership of systems and design decisions.
- 5Proven engineering record through shipped systems, patents, open source contributions, or published technical work.
- 6Hands-on use of large language models in professional work, with the ability to distinguish solid reasoning from plausible-sounding errors.
- 7Ability to commit 40 hours per week for an initial 6-month engagement.
- 8Based in the Bay Area, or willing to relocate there at your own cost, and able to work on-site multiple days per week.
- 9Excellent written communication and the ability to give precise, well-structured feedback.
Who Should Apply
This role fits an experienced engineer who has shipped real systems, can defend design decisions, and already uses LLMs in their daily work. Candidates who are comfortable reviewing code for subtle correctness issues and writing precise evaluation criteria will thrive. The role is less suitable for generalists or engineers who have only done coursework and internships, since it demands 4+ years of production experience and a clear specialization. Applications often fail when the candidate cannot show senior-level ownership (titles alone are not enough) or when they are not prepared to relocate to the Bay Area at their own expense. A weak answer to 'how do you tell a well-reasoned model output from a plausible-wrong one' also disqualifies many applicants.
Salary Insight
The pay range is $65-$105 per hour. At the top end, this matches rates for senior engineers with deep niche expertise; at the lower end, it still sits above typical contract engineering rates. You will be W-2, so benefits and payroll are handled by Cincinnatus.
Pay and demand for Software Engineering roles
AggregatedTypical pay
$80/hour
This role
$65–$105/hr
Most Software Engineering roles pay $55–$104 per hour. This role's pay falls inside that range.
Based on 610 similar roles that publish pay · 106 publish only a top rate; those count at the rate they gave
Rates shown per hour. Yearly and monthly pay converted; one-time fees and non-USD pay are not included.
- Live similar roles
- 717
- Listed in last 30 days
- 335
- Remote
- 95%
Hiring most right now: micro1 (271) · Mercor (105) · AfterQuery (89)
Most requested skills · share of roles
- python19%
- technical writing10%
- ai evaluation8%
- llm evaluation7%
Figures from Software Engineering roles live on NearSkill when this page loaded. A role can close before you apply, so check the listing itself.
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Compensation
$65–105/hr
Required Skills
Application Tip
In your application, include one concrete example of an engineering decision you owned that shipped to production, and describe how you used an LLM to evaluate or improve technical work. Show your domain depth with specific systems or tools you have mastered.
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