Software Engineer - Performance Optimization Task Author

Mercor is seeking talented Software Engineers with deep experience in performance optimization and systems-level development. In this role, you will analyze real GitHub commits and code histories to design and author high-quality optimization tasks grounded in real-world performance improvements.

Each task will reflect a verifiable runtime performance bottleneck, its expert resolution, and measurable benchmarks. These tasks will be structured for use in evaluating and training AI systems that aim to detect and repair software inefficiencies across low-level and performance-critical codebases.

You are a good fit if you:

• Have expertise in systems, optimization, and performance testing in languages such as C, C++, Rust, Java, Python.

• Have familiarity with performance benchmarking methodologies, profiling tools, and CI environments

• Have experience integrating performance tests, automation pipelines, or data collection frameworks

• Have strong debugging and code-review abilities within complex systems contexts

• Are based out of the US, Canada, UK, Australia, NZ

Role Highlights

• Flexible workload: 10–20 hours per week, with potential to increase to 40 hours.

Role Start Date

• This role will begin in mid to late-August with applications reviewed on a rolling basis.

We consider all qualified applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics and provide reasonable accommodations upon request.

Contract and Payment Terms

• You will be engaged as an independent contractor.
• This is a fully remote role that can be completed on your own schedule.
• Projects can be extended, shortened, or concluded early depending on needs and performance.
• Your work at Mercor will not involve access to confidential or proprietary information from any employer, client, or institution.
• Payments are weekly on Stripe or Wise based on services rendered.
• Please note: We are unable to support H1-B or STEM OPT candidates at this time.

About Mercor

Mercor partners with leading AI labs and enterprises to train frontier models using human expertise. You will work on projects that focus on training and enhancing AI systems. You will be paid competitively, collaborate with leading researchers, and help shape the next generation of AI systems in your area of expertise.