Human Data Engineer

Pantera Capital; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 144,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceXAI is seeking a hands-on Data & Evaluation Engineer in Palo Alto to drive high-value human data projects that enhance model training and evaluation. You will work at the intersection of engineering and data operations, delivering end-to-end data solutions with a strong emphasis on quality, accuracy, and actionable insights.

Ideal candidates have a STEM degree or 4+ years of relevant experience, strong Python/SQL skills, and a proven ability to partner across engineering, research, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, CS, or related STEM field, or 4+ years of experience
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams
• Demonstrated experience analyzing datasets to identify trends, anomalies, or quality issues

Responsibilities

• Partner with model and engineering teams to understand needs and translate them into data projects
• Own end-to-end delivery of data and eval projects that support rapid model development
• Build tools to measure data yield and eval lift and run evaluations to improve quality
• Maintain rigorous data integrity and validation processes for factual accuracy
• Research, implement, and evaluate techniques for data collection and annotation
• Shape behavior and domain performance through targeted data work
• Design and improve annotation workflows and labeling interfaces for data quality
• Collaborate with Human Data Ops and stakeholders to scale projects and report insights

Skills

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Dataset quality

Engineering mindset

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering, CS, or related STEM field

4+ years of experience in lieu of a degree

Tools

Python

SQL

Job description

SpaceXAI’s mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. Our team is small, highly motivated, and focused on engineering excellence. This organization is for individuals who appreciate challenging themselves and thrive on curiosity. We operate with a flat organizational structure. All employees are expected to be hands-on and to contribute directly to the company’s mission. Leadership is given to those who show initiative and consistently deliver excellence. Work ethic and strong prioritization skills are important. All employees are expected to have strong communication skills. They should be able to concisely and accurately share knowledge with their teammates.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

You will ensure engineering teams get the right data they need-high-quality tasks and evaluations-by crafting and executing high-value Human Data projects. You sit at the intersection of engineering and data operations: partnering with model teams, designing projects that capture meaningful signals, and driving data yield and eval lift. This is a hands-on technical role for engineers who deeply understand training and evaluation and want to influence data strategy.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Partner with model and engineering teams to understand needs and translate them into high-value data projects and evaluation strategies.
• Own end-to-end delivery of critical data and eval projects that capture meaningful training signals and support rapid model development.
• Build tools and systems to measure data effectiveness (data yield, eval lift, usage), and run evaluations yourself to continuously improve quality.
• Maintain rigorous data integrity and truthfulness, including validation processes for factual accuracy; prioritize quality over quantity.
• Research, implement, and evaluate techniques for data collection, annotation, generation, and multi-modal integration.
• Shape Grok’s behavior and domain performance through targeted data work.
• Design and improve annotation workflows, labeling interfaces, and related tools with a focus on data quality and integrity.
• Act as a liaison between engineering, technical staff, and tutoring / Human Data teams to drive alignment and knowledge sharing.
• Collaborate with Human Data Ops and stakeholders to scale projects, share learnings, and contribute to demand forecasting; report status, insights, and blockers for rapid decisions.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, or a related STEM discipline, or 4+ years of experience in lieu of a degree
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams (engineering, research, product, or annotation/operations groups)
• Demonstrated experience analyzing datasets to identify trends, anomalies, quality issues, or integrity problems

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree or higher in a relevant technical field
• Direct experience curating, evaluating, or improving training or evaluation datasets for large language models or other AI/ML systems
• Experience designing, supporting, or optimizing annotation tools, labeling interfaces, or data workflows that prioritize factual accuracy and data integrity
• Familiarity with multimodal data (text + images, code, or other modalities) or domain-specific data (science, mathematics, programming, recent events, etc.)
• Experience conducting model or dataset evaluations focused on quality, truthfulness, or alignment with product goals
• Experience in a scripting language like Python
• Experience in SQL or other data analysis tools

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Weekend work may be required.
• Travel to other SpaceXAI sites may be required.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

$144,000 - $270,000 USD

Base salary is just one part of our total rewards package at SpaceXAI, which also includes equity, comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and various other discounts and perks.

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