Data Engineer - AI Trainer

AfterQuery Experts; Missoula (MT); Remote; USD 83,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible time commitment

Startup exposure

Portfolio building

Professional growth

Exceptional pay

Job summary

AfterQuery Experts is seeking a software engineer for a remote contract role based in Missoula, MT. The engagement spans 2–3 weeks with a commitment of 10–20 hours per week, offering USD 60–80 per hour.

You will design, implement, and review code across multiple stacks, debug and optimize existing systems, and participate in asynchronous technical discussions while delivering well-documented solutions.

Qualifications

• 1–3 years of professional software engineering experience in a full-time or equivalent role.
• Strong proficiency in at least one modern programming language and its ecosystem.
• Proven ability to scope, implement, and deliver software features or fixes independently.
• Solid understanding of software engineering fundamentals, including data structures, algorithms, and system design.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience).

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and deliver clean, well-tested code across multiple projects and technology stacks.
• Debug, refactor, and optimize existing codebases to improve performance, maintainability, and scalability.
• Contribute to code reviews by giving and applying constructive technical feedback.
• Collaborate asynchronously on technical specifications, architecture decisions, and implementation plans.
• Document code, APIs, and technical approaches in a clear, reproducible way.

Skills

Software engineering

Algorithms

System design

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Git

GitHub Actions

AWS

GCP

Azure

Job description

This remote, project-based contract role supports AfterQuery’s research work with design, implementation, debugging, code review, and documentation across varied technology stacks. The expected time commitment is 10–20 hours per week over 2–3 weeks.

Location and Engagement

Missoula, MT (remote)

Job type: Contract

Estimated hours: 10–20 hours per week for 2–3 weeks

Compensation: USD 60–80 per hour

What You’ll Do

• Design, implement, and deliver clean, well-tested code across multiple projects and technology stacks
• Debug, refactor, and optimize existing codebases to improve performance, maintainability, and scalability
• Contribute to code reviews by giving and applying constructive technical feedback
• Collaborate asynchronously on technical specifications, architecture decisions, and implementation plans
• Document code, APIs, and technical approaches in a clear, reproducible way

Requirements

• 1–3 years of professional software engineering experience in a full-time or equivalent role
• Strong proficiency in at least one modern programming language and its ecosystem
• Proven ability to scope, implement, and deliver software features or fixes independently
• Solid understanding of software engineering fundamentals, including data structures, algorithms, and system design
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience)

Technologies

• Git
• GitHub Actions
• AWS
• GCP
• Azure

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working across multiple layers of the stack, including frontend, backend, APIs, or infrastructure
• Familiarity with version control workflows, CI/CD pipelines, and collaborative development practices (for example, Git and GitHub Actions)
• Exposure to cloud platforms and deployment environments such as AWS, GCP, or Azure
• Experience contributing to open source projects or building personal software projects independently

Benefits

• Exceptional pay
• Exposure to real-world engineering problems
• Strong addition to a professional portfolio
• Flexible time commitment: Work on your schedule while taking on meaningful engineering challenges
• Startup exposure: Work with an early-stage Y Combinator-backed company
• Portfolio building: Solve complex, real-world software engineering problems across diverse codebases
• Professional growth: Work on varied, challenging development tasks spanning multiple domains and technologies

About AfterQuery

AfterQuery is a research lab investigating the boundaries of artificial intelligence through novel datasets and experimentation. The organization is backed by top investors, including Y Combinator and Box Group, and supports leading AI labs.