micro1 role
Software Engineer (Open Source Contributor) at micro1
Open source contributors create reproducible reinforcement learning environments that check whether AI models can repair code, add features, refactor and improve performance, each paired with a golden reference solution. Applicants whose public profile is thin take a HackerRank assessment. The posting is open to people anywhere, with output-based compensation per qualifying task.
Referral link. If micro1 hires you through this link and you meet its conditions, we may be paid a referral fee.
micro1 uses nearly the same posting for several related roles. The main page for this group is Software Engineer (GitHub Contributor); this page covers the Software Engineer (Open Source Contributor) version.
What you would do
- Build reproducible reinforcement-learning environments with golden reference solutions
- Troubleshoot bugs and speed problems across varied codebases
- Add new features and refactor legacy code for reliability
- Write up technical reasoning and validate peer-contributed code
What the listing asks for
- Open source contributions shown on a profile like GitHub, or a HackerRank assessment instead
- Backend experience with Python, Java, Go, Rust, C++, TypeScript or Node.js
- History of building scalable services and APIs
- At ease with debugging, performance tuning and automated tests
- Preferred: Solid command of algorithms, data structures and engineering principles
Suits professionals who have visible open source work, enjoy debugging hard problems and can spend about 15 hours on each task run.
The listing as micro1 posted it
This is micro1's public listing for the role, read October 29, 2026, with dashes and placeholder links cleaned up. The listing is micro1's text; the summary above and everything below it is ours.
Role Title: Software Engineer (Open Source Contributor)
Role Type: Contractor
Location: Anywhere in the world, remote
Opportunity Snapshot
Pay: $50-100/hour
Time per task: ~15 hours per run
Onboarding: As soon as you’re selected, Talent Ops will send you everything you need to get started
You’ll need: clear open source contributions and a profile to showcase them, such as GitHub (preferably with C++, Python, Java, Go, TypeScript, or Rust). If you don’t, you’ll be assessed through a HackerRank assessment instead.
Your tasks: Build reproducible Reinforcement Learning Environments that test an AI model’s ability to fix code, add features, refactor, and optimize performance - including a golden reference solution for each problem
Bonus: experts who complete the AI interview for this specific role move through the process significantly faster.
We care about your human judgment: our interview and assessment stages are designed to see how you think, so we ask that you complete them on your own, without AI assistants or help from others.
Job Description
In this role, you'll apply your expertise to help train next-generation AI systems. Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input. No prior experience in AI is required - your domain knowledge is what matters.
You'll create realistic, interesting and challenging coding tasks for AI to solve involving feature implementation and bug fixes, and implement deterministic verifiers that accept reasonable valid solutions and reject everything else.
What we're looking for
- Strong backend experience in Java, Node.js, Go, Rust, Typescript, Python, C++ or similar
- A track record building scalable services and APIs
- Comfort with debugging, performance work and automated testing
- Solid code review instincts
Preferred Qualifications
- Proven experience in backend development, with a track record of delivering high-quality and performant projects.
- Demonstrated success in identifying and resolving software bugs and system bottlenecks.
- Experience with codebase refactoring and implementing complex features in large-scale applications.
- Strong understanding of algorithms, data structures, and foundational computer science concepts.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and technical communication skills.
Scope of Work
- Contribute expert-level code samples, debugging strategies, and development insights in Python3, Java, Rust, Go, C++, or TypeScript.
- Analyze, troubleshoot, and resolve complex software defects and performance bottlenecks in diverse codebases.
- Implement robust new features, ensuring scalability, maintainability, and adherence to software best practices.
- Refactor and optimize legacy code to improve clarity, efficiency, and long-term reliability.
- Document technical reasoning, solution approaches, and code decisions to enhance AI training data quality.
- Review and validate peer-contributed code and technical submissions for accuracy and clarity.
Preferred Qualifications
- Significant hands-on expertise in at least one of the following: Python3, Java, Rust, Go, C++, or TypeScript.
- Deep understanding of algorithms, data structures, and software engineering principles.
- Proven ability to debug complex systems, resolve bugs, and deliver effective optimizations.
- Experience with large codebase refactoring and legacy system modernization.
- Track record of delivering high-impact features from conception through delivery within cross-functional projects.
- Strong documentation and communication skills to articulate technical concepts clearly.
- Interest in or curiosity about AI and its technical challenges (previous AI experience not required).
Process
- Apply to the role, filling out the screening questions
- Complete AI interview (aprox. 20 minutes)
- Technical Assessment (if your GitHub profile doesn’t fully showcase the expertise required for this role)
- Hiring Manager review
Compensation Structure
Compensation is output-based; experts are paid per task that meets the project specifications. The time required to complete work may vary depending on the expert’s experience and workflow. Minimum submission requirements apply. Experts must submit a minimum of tasks per week.
Start Timeline & Availability
We typically fill roles within 48 hours and are looking for experts ready to jump in right away. If selected, we expect you to start your first tasks within 24-48 hours of completing onboarding.
Referral link. We may be paid a referral fee.
Pay and terms
The listing states $50 to $100 per hour. That is micro1's listed rate for the project. It is not a promise of earnings, and the listing does not guarantee a number of hours. The same listing also says pay is output-based, paid per task that meets the project specifications, so what you earn per hour depends on how fast you complete accepted tasks.
micro1 engages experts as contractors. Its help library says payments are made in USD twice a month and that contracts and payroll run through Deel. Payments cannot be processed until identity verification there is complete. Read our micro1 review for what workers say about project availability and support.
Before you apply
Engineering listings usually ask for years of professional experience, and some ask for a public code history such as open-source commits. Have your profile or repositories ready to link.
Applying starts with an AI interview, then certification, then matching to projects by recruiters. micro1 says certification does not guarantee a project, so treat this as flexible work and not as a job offer. The how to become an AI trainer guide walks through each step.
Referral link. We may be paid a referral fee.
People also ask
Google shows few related questions for this exact role, so the first questions below come from searches for "remote software engineer jobs".
Can I work as a software engineer remotely?
Yes, at micro1 this role is remote and open to people worldwide. The Software Engineer (Open Source Contributor) listing shows $50 to $100 per hour and about 15 hours per task run, as a contractor. Pay is output-based per qualifying task, so that range is what is listed, not a promise of earnings. Applicants with a thin public profile take a HackerRank assessment instead.
How can I make $100,000 a year working from home?
We cannot show a route to a set yearly income, and micro1 does not promise one. This listing states $50 to $100 per hour and about 15 hours per task run, with output-based compensation per task that meets the project specifications. Because a stated rate is for the project and hours are not guaranteed, no annual figure follows from it.
Are remote software engineers in demand?
Market demand for remote software engineers is outside what this page can measure. It can say that micro1 had this Open Source Contributor role on its public job list when we read it on October 23, 2026, and that listings open and close without notice. Appearing on the list is not a promise of work.
How much does the Software Engineer (Open Source Contributor) role at micro1 pay?
The listing states $50 to $100 per hour. That is micro1's listed rate for the project, not a promise of earnings, and hours are not guaranteed. The listing also says pay is output-based, paid per accepted task, so your hourly earnings depend on how quickly you complete tasks. Check the listing itself for the current figure.
Is the Software Engineer (Open Source Contributor) role remote?
Yes. The listing describes it as remote work. On where you can be based, it says: remote, worldwide. Read the eligibility line on the listing before you apply.
How do I apply for the Software Engineer (Open Source Contributor) role?
Open the listing on micro1's site and apply there. Applying starts with an AI interview, followed by certification and matching to projects by recruiters. micro1 says certification does not guarantee a project. Our how to become an AI trainer guide covers each step.
Is this listing still open?
We read micro1's public listing on October 29, 2026. Roles close without notice, so confirm on the listing itself. If it has closed, the other software engineering roles on this site are linked below.
Related roles at micro1
Same posting, other titles
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All remote software engineer jobs · Every open micro1 role · Also browse careers at micro1, remote data scientist and ML engineer jobs, remote engineering and CAD jobs
Related guides
Sources and method
- micro1 public job listing for this role, read October 29, 2026. The summary, task and requirement lines are our paraphrase of that listing.
- The questions under People also ask: Google's related questions for this kind of role in the United States, as reported by Ahrefs, pulled October 29, 2026. Answers are ours, written from the listing and from our own sourced micro1 pages.
- micro1 help library and expert guide for payment timing and the hiring steps, read 17 October 2026.
Listings change without notice. If this page is out of date, tell us.
Referral link: we may be paid if micro1 hires you.