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OpenTrainPhD

Networked Systems Researcher Research Coding Tasks

You will create and review technical coding tasks used to test AI models. Tasks should reflect current research questions and your experience in networked systems.

Field
Software & coding
Where
United States, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Australia +89 more
Asks for
PhD
Posted
yesterday

Pay data for your profession: Software engineer AI trainer jobs · PhD AI trainer jobs

How this pay compares

At $50/hr, this role pays more than 13% of the 220 open software & coding roles with a listed pay range, below the median of $70.

Open software & coding roles that ask for a PhD have a median of $85/hr (13 roles).

Among platforms with 10 or more priced software & coding roles, Mercor has the highest median ($88/hr across 18 roles) and OpenTrain AI the lowest ($65/hr across 107).

OpenTrain AI roles that closed since late October stayed listed a median of 31 days (122 roles). OpenTrain AI posted this one yesterday.

Computed from 2,746 open roles we track across Mercor, micro1, Handshake AI, Alignerr, Appen and OpenTrain AI, refreshed daily. Midpoints of listed ranges; “up to” ceilings are left out of medians.

What you would earn at this rate

Rate

$50/hr

Per week, before tax

$750

Per month, if the work is steady

$3,250

Tax
Contract pay arrives with no tax withheld. A US contractor at this rate and these hours would set aside about $822 a month for self-employment tax plus federal income tax at the 12% bracket (25%, before state tax). Outside the US, your own country's rules apply.

Assumes paid hours only; unpaid assessments, onboarding and gaps between projects lower the real figure. Full take-home calculator · Track what you actually earn

Open software & coding roles on each platform

The same kind of work, priced on every platform we track, with the best-paid open role on each.

PlatformOpenMedianBest-paid open role
Mercor20$88/hrLegacy Codebase Migration Expert$200/hr
micro125$75/hrStrategic Project Lead, Coding/SWE$300k-500k/yr
Alignerr73$70/hrDevOps / IaC Engineer$90-120/hr
OpenTrain AIthis role123$65/hrSoftware Engineer, AI Code Evaluation$200/hr
Handshake AI10up to $90/hrSenior Software Engineer - AI Data (US)Up to $150/hr

“Up to” rows list only ceilings, so their median is a maximum, not comparable with the range midpoints above them.

All 251 open software & coding roles →

The full listing

As posted on OpenTrain AI. See the original

The work

You will create and review technical coding tasks used to test AI models. Tasks should reflect current research questions and your experience in networked systems.

You will also review model outputs, give precise technical feedback, and keep tasks and evaluations at a research-quality standard. The work is independent and follows reproducible research practices.

  • Build self-contained research coding tasks in your area of networked systems expertise.
  • Review AI model outputs and provide technically precise feedback.
  • Create implementation-focused tasks connected to current research questions.
  • Work in areas such as congestion control, datacenter networking, programmable networks, or cluster scheduling.

What it pays and takes

This is remote contract work with an asynchronous schedule. Individual tasks are expected to take about four hours, so you can fit the work around your existing research.

  • $50 per hour.
  • Remote work open to candidates in the countries listed for this role.
  • Professional fluency in English.
  • Published research in networked systems at venues such as NSDI, SIGCOMM, IMC, CoNEXT, or comparable venues.
  • Released research code through GitHub or another research artifact.
  • A completed or in-progress PhD in computer science or a related field.
  • Strong technical depth in at least one relevant area, including congestion control, datacenter networking, programmable networks, or cluster scheduling.
  • Helpful background includes first-author publications, Docker experience, reproducible research environments, and research engineering that combines system design, implementation, and technical evaluation.

How it works

Apply on OpenTrain with your resume, then complete the application on the hiring site.

About AI training work

AI training work is the human work behind systems that learn from examples, including coding tasks and reviews of AI-generated answers. People with research and technical expertise help make those examples accurate and useful.

From applying to your first payment on OpenTrain AI

  1. 1

    Create a profile

    Create a free OpenTrain profile with your domains, languages and hourly rate.

  2. 2

    Apply

    Apply to the listing. Some listings hire through OpenTrain; others send you to the hiring platform.

  3. 3

    Funded milestones

    The client funds each milestone before work starts.

  4. 4

    First payment

    OpenTrain pays out to your connected payout method when the client approves the milestone. It doesn't publish a fixed payout schedule.

Sources: OpenTrain: AI training careers, OpenTrain docs: invoicing and payouts

Full OpenTrain AI profile: watch-outs and the public record →

Pay history

OpenTrain AI has listed this role at $50/hr since Nov 10, 2026 with no change.

Across OpenTrain AI's software & coding roles, the median listed pay was $65/hr on Nov 1, 2026 (72 roles) and is $65/hr as of Nov 11, 2026 (107 roles).

What workers report about OpenTrain AI

Anonymous reports from people who applied or worked there: whether they got work, what they were paid and how fast.

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