Backend Security Engineer
Position: Backend Security Engineer
Type: Contractor (~15 Hours/Week)
Compensation: $30–$100/hour
Location: Remote
About the Opportunity
micro1 is engaging experienced Backend Security Engineers to contribute to a customer project focused on training and improving next-generation AI systems. In this role, you will use your software engineering and cybersecurity expertise to create realistic, challenging coding tasks that help AI models improve their ability to solve backend engineering and security-related problems.
You will design tasks involving feature implementation, bug fixing, secure coding, and software troubleshooting, while developing deterministic verifiers that can reliably distinguish correct solutions from invalid ones. No prior AI experience is required — your backend engineering and cybersecurity expertise is the primary qualification.
Responsibilities
- Create realistic, challenging coding tasks involving backend development, feature implementation, debugging, and security-focused problem solving.
- Design tasks that reflect real-world software engineering and cybersecurity scenarios.
- Implement deterministic verifiers that accept reasonable valid solutions and reject incorrect or incomplete solutions.
- Develop and evaluate backend services, APIs, and software components using languages such as Java, Node.js, Go, Rust, TypeScript, Python, and C++.
- Identify and troubleshoot software bugs, performance bottlenecks, and system-level issues.
- Apply secure coding principles and cybersecurity practices to relevant engineering tasks.
- Review code for correctness, security, maintainability, and performance.
- Refactor existing codebases and implement complex features in large-scale applications.
- Develop automated tests and validation mechanisms to ensure reliable task evaluation.
- Document technical decisions, expected solutions, debugging approaches, and relevant security considerations.
- Collaborate remotely with technical teams while maintaining high standards of accuracy and quality.
Required Qualifications
- Strong backend software engineering experience in Java, Node.js, Go, Rust, TypeScript, Python, C++, or similar languages.
- Experience building scalable backend services and APIs.
- Strong debugging and performance optimization skills.
- Experience with automated testing and software validation.
- Strong code review and software quality judgment.
- Solid understanding of algorithms, data structures, and foundational computer science concepts.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly in a remote working environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Proven experience delivering high-quality, performant backend applications.
- Professional background in cybersecurity or SecOps.
- Experience with penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, application security, or security-focused code reviews.
- Familiarity with secure coding principles, OWASP, CWE, and common software vulnerabilities.
- Demonstrated success identifying and resolving software bugs and system bottlenecks.
- Experience refactoring large or legacy codebases.
- Experience implementing complex features in large-scale applications.
- Strong technical documentation and communication skills.
- Ability to independently analyze complex engineering problems and develop reliable solutions.
Key Areas of Expertise
- Backend Software Engineering
- Java
- Node.js
- Go
- Rust
- TypeScript
- Python
- C++
- Algorithms & Data Structures
- API Development
- Scalable Services
- Bug Fixing & Debugging
- Performance Optimization
- Automated Testing
- Code Review
- Codebase Refactoring
- Feature Implementation
- Secure Coding
- Application Security
- Penetration Testing
- Vulnerability Assessment
- OWASP & CWE
- Security Code Reviews
- SecOps
- AI Task Design & Evaluation
- Deterministic Verification
Compensation & Engagement
- Compensation is output-based, with experts paid per task that meets the project's specifications.
- The time required to complete individual tasks may vary depending on experience and workflow.
- Minimum submission requirements apply.
- Experts are expected to meet the project's minimum weekly task submission requirements.
- The engagement is structured as a flexible contractor opportunity of approximately 15 hours per week.
Application Process
- Apply to the role and complete the screening questions.
- Complete an AI Interview of approximately 30 minutes.
- Complete a Technical Assessment, if required.
- Participate in Hiring Manager Review.