Performance Engineer (C++, Python, Rust)

This role is for one of our clients

Compensation: $70-$110 per hour

Join a cutting-edge AI research initiative and help advance the next generation of Large Language Models by contributing your expertise in systems optimization and performance engineering. We are seeking experienced Performance Engineers with deep knowledge of C++, Python, Rust, and low-level systems optimization to support the development of high-quality AI training and evaluation data.

In this role, you'll work alongside AI researchers and engineering teams to design, evaluate, and refine challenging performance engineering tasks that improve the reasoning capabilities of frontier AI models. Your expertise in optimizing production systems, runtime performance, compiler behavior, and systems architecture will directly contribute to building more capable AI systems.

This is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week remote engagement requiring full weekday availability.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with research and engineering teams to improve AI capabilities in systems programming, compiler optimization, runtime performance, and low-level engineering concepts.
• Design challenging, real-world performance engineering tasks that reflect production-scale optimization scenarios.
• Develop accurate, well-documented solutions to complex systems programming and performance optimization problems.
• Review and evaluate AI-generated solutions, providing detailed technical feedback on correctness, efficiency, and engineering quality.
• Create comprehensive evaluation frameworks and scoring rubrics for topics including:
• Systems architecture
• Runtime optimization
• Compiler engineering
• Memory management
• CPU and GPU performance
• Concurrency and parallel processing
• Collaborate with fellow subject matter experts to ensure consistency, technical accuracy, and quality across AI training datasets.
• Contribute domain expertise to enhance the reasoning capabilities of advanced AI models.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of professional experience in Performance Engineering, Systems Programming, or Low-Level Software Optimization.
• Strong hands-on expertise in at least one of the following programming languages:
• C++
• Python
• Rust
• Working familiarity with the remaining languages is highly desirable.
• Proven experience delivering measurable improvements in production systems, including:
• Latency reduction
• Throughput optimization
• Memory footprint reduction
• Runtime performance improvements
• Strong understanding of systems architecture, compiler behavior, and performance profiling techniques.
• Demonstrated career progression with increasing technical responsibility.
• Availability to work 40 hours per week during standard weekday business hours.
• Excellent written communication skills with the ability to clearly explain complex engineering concepts and optimization decisions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience optimizing large-scale distributed systems or high-performance computing workloads.
• Knowledge of compiler internals, runtime systems, or operating system fundamentals.
• Experience with profiling, benchmarking, and performance analysis tools.
• Familiarity with AI infrastructure or machine learning system optimization.
• Experience collaborating with research teams on advanced engineering projects.
• Passion for building highly efficient, scalable software systems.

Why Join

• Help shape the future of frontier AI by contributing expert-level systems engineering knowledge.
• Collaborate with leading AI researchers and experienced software engineers on impactful technical initiatives.
• Work on challenging, real-world performance engineering problems that influence next-generation AI capabilities.
• Enjoy a fully remote engagement with meaningful technical work and flexible execution.

Equal Opportunity

We welcome applications from qualified professionals regardless of legally protected characteristics and are committed to providing reasonable accommodations throughout the application and engagement process upon request.

Contract & Payment Terms

• Engagement is offered on an independent contractor basis.
• This is a fully remote opportunity that can be completed according to your own schedule.
• Project duration may be extended, shortened, or concluded based on project requirements and individual performance.
• The engagement does not require access to confidential or proprietary information belonging to any current employer, client, or institution.
• Payments are processed weekly through Stripe or Wise based on approved work completed.
• Please note: Applicants requiring H-1B sponsorship or participating in the STEM OPT program are not eligible for this opportunity.