Software Engineer (Codebase Deep Reasoning & Evaluation)

This description is a summary of our understanding of the job description. Click on 'Apply' button to find out more. Role Description Mercor is seeking software engineers to support one of the world’s leading AI labs in advancing code understanding and reasoning capabilities for next-generation machine learning models. In this role, you’ll engage in real-world engineering work: Analyzing large, production-grade repositories to create and evaluate technically challenging coding questions. Systematically exploring multiple modules and connecting related functions across files. Assessing how advanced AI systems reason about architecture, data flow, and performance. Your ability to reason from evidence: citing specific files, functions, and line numbers will directly influence how these AI models learn to think like expert engineers. Qualifications 4+ years of elite software engineering experience at top-tier startups, quantitative trading firms, hedge funds, or similar high-performance environments. Experience using coding agents or LLMs as part of your engineering workflow (e.g., Copilot, Claude, GPT-4, or Replit Agents). Computer Science degree from a leading university or equivalent practical expertise. Fluent in Python and JavaScript/TypeScript, and can comfortably read Java, Go, or other modern languages (Rust, C++, C#). Demonstrate systematic exploration, examining multiple files and dependencies before forming conclusions. Practice evidence-based reasoning, grounding answers in specific code references rather than assumptions. Excel at cross-file synthesis, connecting distributed logic to explain how systems work end-to-end. Show strong architectural understanding, identifying patterns, abstractions, and design choices in complex codebases. Display intellectual honesty, acknowledging uncertainty when information is incomplete or ambiguous. Write clear, structured technical documentation, and communicate insights precisely and persuasively. Requirements Ability to work across diverse systems, including web APIs, backend services, CLI tools, data processing pipelines, frontend applications, and DevOps tooling. Experience with security, observability, and performance-critical architectures. Engagement Details This project will be a high-impact 24-hour sprint launching in the next 1–2 weeks. Compensation: Task-based pay (top performers previously earned $1,000+ during the sprint). Classification: Hourly contractor through Mercor. Payment: Weekly payouts via Stripe Connect. Company Description Mercor connects elite creative and technical talent with leading AI research labs, headquartered in San Francisco, CA. Our distinguished investors include Benchmark, General Catalyst, Peter Thiel, Adam D’Angelo, Larry Summers, and Jack Dorsey. and redefine digital creativity alongside the teams building the future of intelligent software.