Industrial & Manufacturing Engineers (Must own MacBook)
Listing checked October 19, 2026 · pay as published by Mercor
Overview
Mercor needs industrial and manufacturing engineers to aid a research effort run by a major AI lab. You will work through real process, operations, and production engineering tasks on your own Mac, then explain your choices so the team can turn that work into AI training data. The project runs part-time at about 10 to 20 hours per week and asks for either 2 to 3 years of professional experience or current postgrad study in a relevant engineering field. A MacBook or Mac with an Apple M-series or Intel chip and macOS 15 or newer is mandatory.
What You'll Do6
- 1Complete real industrial and manufacturing engineering tasks on your own Mac, covering process design, production planning, quality control, or supply chain work.
- 2Narrate your engineering decisions as you work so reviewers can follow the reasoning behind each step.
- 3Apply lean, Six Sigma, CAD, process-mapping, spreadsheet, or statistical methods to the tasks you handle.
- 4Produce structured records that help an AI lab benchmark and improve model performance.
- 5Keep each task organized and explain tradeoffs when a process or production choice needs context.
- 6Meet a part-time schedule of about 10 to 20 hours per week and start soon when the project begins.
Requirements8
- 1Own a MacBook or Mac with an Apple M-series chip or Intel processor and run macOS 15 or higher. Applications without this hardware cannot move forward.
- 2Hold a degree in industrial, manufacturing, systems engineering, or a related field.
- 3Show 2 to 3 years of relevant work, or current or recent masters study, with a bachelors from a prestigious institution when using the experience path.
- 4Bring hands-on work with process design, lean or Six Sigma, production planning, quality control, or supply chain analysis.
- 5Use spreadsheets, CAD, process-mapping tools, or statistical tools in that work.
- 6Explain engineering choices in plain language while you complete a task.
- 7Communicate well in written and spoken English.
- 8Commit about 10 to 20 hours per week and start soon.
Who Should Apply
An industrial, manufacturing, or systems engineering graduate with 2 to 3 years in process, production, quality, or supply chain work fits this project, and so does a current or recent masters student in the field. You need your own Mac at macOS 15 or higher, the ability to explain engineering choices as you work, and 10 to 20 hours per week.
Salary Insight
The role pays $50 to $60 per hour for part-time work of about 10 to 20 hours per week. That range matches part-time engineering research and AI training work that calls for 2 to 3 years of industrial or manufacturing experience or advanced study.
Pay and demand for Machine Learning & AI roles
AggregatedTypical pay
$80/hour
This role
$50–$60/hr
Most Machine Learning & AI roles pay $55–$105 per hour. This role's pay falls inside that range.
Based on 581 similar roles that publish pay · 100 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
- 674
- Listed in last 30 days
- 317
- Remote
- 96%
Hiring most right now: micro1 (264) · Mercor (97) · AfterQuery (82)
Most requested skills · share of roles
- python20%
- technical writing11%
- ai evaluation8%
- llm evaluation7%
Figures from Machine Learning & AI roles live on NearSkill when this page loaded. A role can close before you apply, so check the listing itself.
Compare your resume against these rolesLocation
Compensation
$50–60/hr
Required Skills
Application Tip
Put your Mac model and macOS version at the top of your resume, then back it with one project that names the lean, Six Sigma, production planning, or supply chain method you used and the result you reached.
How NearSkill helps you apply
1. Check your job match
We compare your resume with the job requirements to help you understand how well your experience fits.
2. Continue to the employer’s website
We’ll direct you to the employer’s application portal, where you can complete the application.
3. Get updates by email
If NearSkill is handling follow-up for this role, we’ll email you when there’s an update on your screening.
Want to check your fit first?
See how your resume matches this role before applying.
Check my job matchSimilar open positions
Explore active roles that match your skills and interests.
Mercor
VerifiedMechanical & CAD Engineers (Must own MacBook)
Mercor runs this research project alongside a leading AI lab, and the work sits inside real mechanical design practice. You open Fusion 360, Onshape, Shapr3D, or FreeCAD on your own Mac, model and draft the way you normally would, and narrate the reasoning behind each move. Those recorded sessions turn into training data that helps benchmark and sharpen advanced AI models. Plan on about 10 to 20 hours a week, with an immediate start on the table. Postgrad engineering students and engineers with 2 to 3 years of practice both fit the brief.
Mercor
VerifiedCivil Engineers & Architects (Must own MacBook)
Mercor is staffing a research project for a leading AI lab, and the lab needs people who actually do civil and architectural design work. You will run building, structural, and site tasks on your own Mac, then walk researchers through each choice as you make it. Expect about 10 to 20 hours a week with an immediate start. The software is whatever you already draft in: AutoCAD for Mac, ArchiCAD, Vectorworks, SketchUp, or Rhino.
Mercor
VerifiedSoftware Developers (Must own MacBook)
Mercor seeks software developers for a research project with a leading AI lab. You will work inside normal development workflows on your own Mac, building, debugging, refactoring, and reviewing code while explaining your reasoning out loud. The project uses those sessions to benchmark and improve AI models and to create training data. Expect a part-time load of about 10 to 20 hours each week, with an immediate start preferred.
Mercor
VerifiedComputer Power Users & Automation Builders (Must own MacBook)
Mercor needs people who treat a Mac like a workshop, not just a browser. You will run real multi-app productivity and automation tasks on your own machine and narrate what you are doing, so a leading AI lab can benchmark and train its models on genuine workflows. The work leans on macOS, Shortcuts, AppleScript, and keyboard-first tools you already use every day. Expect a part-time load of roughly 10 to 20 hours a week, an hourly rate, and a structure far calmer than a consulting sprint or a packed internship. An immediate start is preferred.
Mercor
VerifiedSTEM Researchers - MSc/PhD (Must own MacBook)
Mercor connects MSc and PhD researchers in STEM fields with a leading AI lab that needs help benchmarking and improving its models. You will run genuine research workflows on your own Mac, from literature review to data analysis to modeling, and narrate your reasoning as you go. That narration becomes training data for advanced AI systems. Expect roughly 10-20 hours per week with a structured task list rather than the pressure of an internship or consulting gig. Python, MATLAB, and LaTeX show up often, so comfort with a research toolkit matters more than any single language.
Mercor
Verified3D Artists & Video Editors (Must own MacBook)
Mercor needs 3D artists and video editors to support a research project with a leading AI lab. You will run real production work on your own Mac, from modeling and texturing to editing and color grading, and the output becomes training data that helps benchmark and improve advanced AI models. The tools stay familiar: Blender, Cinema 4D, Maya, After Effects, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or Final Cut Pro. Expect roughly 10 to 20 hours a week with structured tasks and no consulting-style crunch. An immediate start is preferred.