Remote Systems Optimization Engineer (C++, Python, Rust)

Mercor; United States; On-site; USD 96,000 - 152,000; Full time

Job summary

Mercor, a San Francisco–based company connecting elite talent with AI labs, seeks a Performance Engineer with C++, Python, or Rust to optimize systems and runtimes in a research-focused setting.

This contract role offers 40 hours/week, remote work, and an hourly compensation of $70–$110. You will design tasks, provide technical feedback, and help improve model performance across AI workloads.

Apply by completing an AI interview based on your resume and submitting the form.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of professional experience in performance engineering or low-level optimization.
• Deep hands-on expertise in at least one of C++, Python, or Rust.
• Demonstrable track record of measurable performance improvements on production systems.
• Ability to engage reliably for at least 40 hours/week.
• Strong written communication skills and the ability to explain complex technical decisions clearly.

Responsibilities

• Guide research and engineering teams to close knowledge gaps and improve AI model performance in systems-level optimization, compiler engineering, and runtime performance topics.
• Design challenging, domain-relevant tasks across multiple specializations, and write accurate and well-structured solutions to performance engineering problems.
• Evaluate performance engineering tasks and solutions and provide clear, written technical feedback.
• Develop guidelines and detailed rubrics/evaluation frameworks to assess systems design quality across AI workloads.
• Collaborate with other subject matter experts to ensure consistency and accuracy in training data.

Skills

Performance engineering

C++

Python

Rust

Job description

Mercor, a San Francisco–based company connecting elite talent with AI labs, seeks a Performance Engineer with C++, Python, or Rust to optimize systems and runtimes in a research-focused setting.

This contract role offers 40 hours/week, remote work, and an hourly compensation of $70–$110. You will design tasks, provide technical feedback, and help improve model performance across AI workloads.

Apply by completing an AI interview based on your resume and submitting the form.