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OpenTrainPhD

Software Engineering Researcher (Research Coding Tasks)

You will create self-contained coding tasks used to test AI models and review the models’ technical outputs. The work draws on software engineering research and practical research coding methods.

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 self-contained coding tasks used to test AI models and review the models’ technical outputs. The work draws on software engineering research and practical research coding methods.

Assignments may include reproducible environments and Docker-based setups. You will also keep task scope, examples, and expected results clear and technically sound.

  • Build research coding tasks in your area of software engineering.
  • Review AI-generated code and research outputs for technical quality.
  • Give technically grounded feedback on model responses.
  • Work on test generation, program repair, static analysis, or mining software repositories.
  • Use reproducible research methods when appropriate, including Docker-based environments.

What it pays and takes

This is remote, asynchronous contract work. It is open to candidates in the countries specified for the role and requires fluent English.

  • Pay: $50 per hour.
  • Work setting: Remote and asynchronous.
  • Language: Fluent English.
  • Education: A completed or in-progress PhD in computer science or a related field.
  • Research record: Published research in software engineering or a comparable research area.
  • Research output: Released research code through GitHub or another research artifact.
  • Technical background: Practical depth in test generation, program repair, static analysis, or mining software repositories.
  • Communication: Ability to explain technical judgments and evaluate model-generated code or research outputs.
  • Helpful experience: First-author publications at ICSE, FSE, ASE, or ISSTA, plus Docker and reproducible research environments.

How it works

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

About AI training work

AI training is the human work behind systems that learn from examples, including writing coding tasks and reviewing model responses. OpenTrain helps people find these roles, build a profile, and develop experience in AI training and data labeling.

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.

Other software & coding roles

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