Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Senior Machine Learning Engineer (AI Data Trainer)
About The Role
What if your deep expertise in machine learning could directly shape how the next generation of AI systems reason, plan, and make decisions? We're looking for Senior Machine Learning Engineers to author high-fidelity reasoning traces that train large language models to think more reliably in real-world scenarios.
This is a fully remote, flexible contract role built for experienced ML practitioners who understand how models learn — and want to influence that process at its core.
Organization: Alignerr
Type: Hourly Contract
Location: Remote
Commitment: 10–40 hours/week
What You'll Do
Author complex, high-fidelity reasoning traces that capture step-by-step planning, tool use, and decision-making for sophisticated technical tasks
Design and document structured traces that show how an LLM should navigate real-world problem-solving scenarios
Review and mentor the quality of reasoning traces to ensure optimal clarity, logical flow, and technical accuracy
Develop data strategies that help LLMs handle intricate, multi-step challenges with greater reliability
Apply senior-level architectural insight to ensure traces reflect sound model reasoning principles
Work independently and asynchronously — fully on your own schedule
Who You Are
Experienced machine learning practitioner with a strong focus on model reasoning, planning, and decision-making
Proven ability to decompose complex problems into clear, logical, well-documented steps
Deep familiarity with LLM evaluation and training methodologies
Systematic and detail-oriented — you think carefully about how reasoning should be structured and communicated
Strong written communicator who can translate complex technical logic into readable, structured documentation
Self-motivated and reliable when working independently
Nice to Have
Prior experience with data annotation, data quality assurance, or evaluation systems
Top-tier Kaggle competition results (Grandmaster or Master level) — a strong signal of deep understanding of model performance and feature engineering
Background in AI safety, interpretability, or alignment-adjacent research
Experience designing training data pipelines or annotation frameworks
Why Join Us
Work directly with teams building cutting-edge AI at leading research labs
Fully remote and flexible — work when and where it suits you
Freelance autonomy with the structure of meaningful, high-impact technical work
Gain rare, hands-on insight into how frontier LLMs are trained to reason
Contribute to work that meaningfully improves how AI systems make decisions at scale
Potential for ongoing work and contract extension as new projects launch

Work arrangement
Yes