Software Engineer (Open Source Contributor)

What you'll do

Each task you produce is a small, self-contained coding challenge for an AI model: a bug to fix, a feature to add, a module to refactor or a slow path to optimise. You package it as a reproducible reinforcement learning environment, write a golden reference solution, and build a deterministic verifier that accepts any reasonable correct answer and rejects everything else. micro1 estimates about 15 hours per run.

You also document your reasoning and design choices, since those write-ups feed the training data too, and review other contributors' submissions for correctness. Work spans Python 3, Java, Rust, Go, C++ and TypeScript.

Who fits

• Strong backend experience in at least one of Java, Node.js, Go, Rust, TypeScript, Python or C++
• A record of building scalable services and APIs
• Comfort with debugging, performance work and automated tests
• Good code review instincts
• Experience refactoring large or legacy codebases
• Visible open source contributions, ideally on GitHub; without them you sit a HackerRank assessment instead

No prior AI experience is required. micro1 asks you to complete the interview and assessment without AI assistants or outside help.

What it pays

micro1 publishes $50–100/hour, but compensation is output-based: you are paid per task that meets the specification, with a weekly minimum number of tasks the ad does not quantify. With roughly 15 hours per run, your effective rate depends on how many runs pass review first time.

How you get hired

Screening questions, an AI interview of about 20 minutes, a technical assessment only if your GitHub does not already show the skills, then a hiring manager review. Doing the role-specific AI interview speeds things up. Roles usually fill within 48 hours, with first tasks 24 to 48 hours after onboarding.

How it compares

micro1's Software Engineer: Open Source Contributions sits on the same $50–100 band but asks for expert level in two languages plus competitive programming. This listing asks for depth in one backend language and lets a HackerRank test stand in for a public profile, so it is the easier entry point. It is closest to Software Engineer (RL Coding Environments) in what you actually build.

Worth knowing

Good:

• Open anywhere in the world
• 100 openings, flagged high demand
• A public open source record can replace the technical test
• Six languages accepted

Less good:

• Per-task pay with an unstated weekly minimum; rejected work is unpaid
• About 15 hours per run is a big unit of work to have rejected
• Verifiers that accept every valid answer and nothing else are hard to get right
• Contractor engagement: no benefits, your own tax to manage

About this listing

Posted by micro1 on its own jobs portal; we read the ad on 18 October 2026. The $50–100/hour band, 100 openings, per-run time estimate and per-task terms are its published text. micro1 posted the same ad text under a second title, Software Engineer (GitHub Contributor); we list it once. The location is "Anywhere in the world, remote", so we have left eligibility open. See micro1.