Backend Engineer (Remote)

Contractor: micro1

Location: Remote (Asynchronous work)

micro1 is selecting skilled Backend Engineers to support a customer's innovative project. In this role, you'll apply your server-side development expertise to help train next-generation AI systems. Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input. No prior experience in AI is required — your development skills are what matter.

As an expert, you will be creating Reinforcement Learning Environments which test an AI model's ability to solve backend software problems related to fixing code, building APIs, and improving data handling and performance. You will be tasked with creating a reproducible environment and a golden reference solution for the problem.

Scope of Work

• Contribute clear code samples, debugging approaches, and development insights in Python3, Java, Go, Rust, C++, or TypeScript.
• Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve backend bugs, data handling issues, and performance bottlenecks.
• Build small to medium features, including APIs and database logic, following good coding practices.
• Improve existing backend code and database queries for better clarity, efficiency, and reliability.
• Document your reasoning, approach, and code decisions to support AI training data quality.
• Review peer-contributed code and technical submissions for correctness and clarity.

Preferred Qualifications

• 1+ years of hands-on experience in at least one of the following: Python3, Java, Go, Rust, C++, or TypeScript.
• Solid understanding of API design, databases (SQL or NoSQL), and core data structures.
• Ability to debug backend issues, find root causes, and fix them cleanly.
• Comfortable working across different codebases and picking up unfamiliar systems.
• Good documentation and communication skills to explain your technical decisions clearly.
• Interest in or curiosity about AI and its technical challenges (previous AI experience not required).

Process:

• Apply to the role, filling out the screening questions
• Complete AI interview (aprox. 30 minutes)
• Technical Assessment (Tentative)
• Hiring Manager review

Pay:

$60 - $120/hour, paid bi-monthly