Machine Learning Software Engineer (Part-Time | $80 –$120/hr)

Call For Referral; San Francisco (CA); Remote; USD 110,208 - 165,312; Part time

Job summary

A leading AI technology firm is hiring a part-time Machine Learning Software Engineer to work remotely. This role involves drafting plans and implementations for machine learning tasks, converting ML problems into tasks for reinforcement learning, and applying solutions to identified issues. Ideal for early-career Machine Learning Engineers or ML-focused graduate students. The role offers flexible hours, approximately 20 hours weekly, with a pay range of $80 to $120 per hour based on skills and experience.

Qualifications

• 0–2 years as a Machine Learning Engineer or equivalent experience.
• Required familiarity with ML libraries such as TensorFlow, XGBoost, and scikit-learn.

Responsibilities

• Draft detailed natural-language plans and code implementations for machine learning tasks.
• Convert novel ML problems into agent-executable tasks for reinforcement learning environments.
• Identify failure modes and apply golden patches to LLM-generated trajectories.

Skills

Familiarity with TensorFlow

Familiarity with XGBoost

Familiarity with scikit-learn

Model training experience

Data preparation experience

Model evaluation experience

Education

Graduate-level experience in Computer Science, ML, or related coursework

Job description

Machine Learning Software Engineer (Part-Time | $80 –$120/hr)

Join to apply for the Machine Learning Software Engineer (Part-Time | $80 –$120/hr) role at Call For Referral.

Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features. This range is provided by Call For Referral. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range: $80.00/hr - $120.00/hr

About the Role

At Mercor, we’re building the talent engine that helps leading labs and research organizations move AI forward. Our newest initiative focuses on benchmarking and improving model performance and training speed across real machine learning workloads.

If you’re an early-career Machine Learning Engineer or an ML-focused graduate student/PhD who values innovation, rigor, and meaningful impact, we’d love to meet you.

This is a remote, asynchronous, part-time opportunity ideal for individuals who thrive on clear structure and measurable outcomes.

What to Expect

• Schedule: Remote and asynchronous — set your own working hours
• Commitment: ~20 hours per week
• Duration: Through December 22nd, with potential extension into 2026

What You’ll Do

• Draft detailed natural-language plans and code implementations for machine learning tasks
• Convert novel ML problems into agent-executable tasks for reinforcement learning environments
• Identify failure modes and apply golden patches to LLM-generated trajectories for ML tasks

What You’ll Bring

• Experience: 0–2 years as a Machine Learning Engineer or graduate-level experience in Computer Science, ML, or related coursework
• Required Skills: Familiarity with ML libraries: TensorFlow, XGBoost, scikit-learn, etc.; experience with model training, data preparation, and evaluation
• Bonus: Contributions to ML benchmarks or open-source ML tooling

Compensation & Terms

• Rate: $80–$120 per hour (based on experience and region)
• Payments: Weekly via Stripe Connect

How to Apply

• Complete the System Design Session (< 30 minutes)
• Fill out the Machine Learning Engineer Screen (< 5 minutes)

⚡ PS: Mercor reviews applications daily. Please complete your interview and onboarding steps to be considered for this opportunity. ⚡