AI tools, scored for your job
Get paid to train AI
Hiring now · posted 1d ago Science Contract · Remote

Principal Engineer / Professor — Technical Expert

$85–$185/hr

Published pay. The final rate depends on your test, experience and country.

Remote · Worldwide 5 openings Language: English Posted 31 Oct 2026

About this role

Preparing for this role? See the best AI tools for engineers, practise with ready-made prompts for engineers, read AI for Interior Designers: Tools & Tips That Actually Help and take the free 30-day AI challenge.

Role Title: Principal Engineer / Professor — Technical Expert

Role Type: Contractor

Location: Remote

Opportunity Snapshot

Pay: $80- $185/hour

Commitment: Flexible — fits alongside your current role

Location: Fully remote

You’ll need:Master’s or PhD in an engineering or physical science field, plus principal-level industry experience or a faculty appointment

Your tasks: Build challenging technical problems from your own domain and define what makes an answer correct

our partner is engaging principal-level engineers, scientists, and faculty to design the technical problems that measure what AI systems can actually do. Your domain expertise is what matters here — no prior AI experience required.

We’re building this across four areas: aerospace, semiconductors, manufacturing and industrial engineering, and materials science. If your work sits in one of those — or across two of them — this is for you.

The work draws on what you already know: the problems where the textbook answer isn’t enough, where the right approach depends on reading the constraints correctly, where a plausible-looking solution is quietly wrong.

What you’ll do

  • Design difficult technical problems from your own area, with realistic constraints and supporting data.
  • Provide the correct solution and walk through the reasoning that gets there.
  • Define objective criteria for correctness, so another expert reviewing the work would reach the same verdict.
  • Review problems built by other contributors for technical accuracy and soundness of method.
  • Flag problems that turn out to be ambiguous or ungradable rather than submitting them.

What we’re looking for

  • Master’s or PhD in engineering, physics, materials, or a closely related field.
  • Principal, staff, or fellow-level experience at a major engineering organization, a national lab, or a faculty appointment at a leading university.
  • Deep technical depth in at least one area, with hands-on ownership of the work.
  • Able to explain why an answer is correct clearly enough that another expert could verify it.
  • Publications, patents, or a record of technical leadership is a strong plus.

How the selection process works

  • Apply and complete the screening questions
  • Complete the AI interview for this role
  • Profile review
  • Onboarding — our Talent Ops team will get you set up

This is a 100% remote contract role, open to applicants worldwide in the countries the employer accepts.

Technical Depth in a SubdomainEngineering Judgment Under ConstraintsKnowing When an Answer Is Wrongadvanced engineering and materials

How applying works

  1. Click Apply now and enter your email.
  2. You go straight to the application. We email you a copy of this role and your link.
  3. Most platforms ask for a CV and a short skills test or AI interview in your field.
How to get this job

Your plan for “Principal Engineer / Professor — Technical Expert”

Are you ready? Check what you have

Taken from this listing's own requirements.

0 / 5

What to know before you apply

Pay
At the published rate, 10 hours a week would be about $850–$1,850 and 20 hours about $1,700–$3,700 before tax. Hours depend on the project, so treat this as a ceiling, not a promise.
Location
Open worldwide in the countries the employer accepts. Payments usually go out through services like PayPal or Wise, so check one of them works in your country.
Credentials
The listing asks for a PhD. Put it in the first line of your profile: reviewers screen for it before anything else.
Timing
This listing is 1 day old. Projects can close once they have enough people, so it is worth applying while it is open.
Test tips for engineers
  • Check units, loads and code references in every answer.
  • Sketch the system or structure before judging the AI's description of it.
  • Name the standard (Eurocode, ASCE, IEC…) you are applying.
Prepare free with Zekai

3 steps to stand out as one of the best engineers

  1. 01

    Know the AI tools engineers use

    Reviewers judge AI answers in your field. Knowing the tools people in your profession actually use helps you spot what good output looks like.

    All 319 AI tools for engineers →
  2. 02

    Practise with real prompts

    Many tests ask you to write or judge prompts in your field. Practise on these first.

    Passive House Strategy for Climate Zone

    For a residential project in Climate Zone 5 (e.g., Chicago, IL), outline the top 3 most critical passive house design strategies to prioritize. Explain why each is crucial for this specific climate (cold winters, warm summers) an…

    Local Materials Sourcing

    For a project located in [[City, State]], generate a list of common, durable exterior building materials that are typically manufactured or quarried within a 500-mile radius. Include categories for masonry, wood siding, and stone…

    Prompt library for engineers →
  3. 03

    Take the free 30-day AI challenge

    Five minutes a day to get confident with AI in your own work. Day 1 is open now, no card needed.

    Start Day 1 free →

    Guides for engineers

Engineers

More paid AI roles for engineers

Confidential clientAI training · Engineers

Infrastructure / Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)

Top pay
  • Remote · United States
  • Contract · flexible hours

Our partner connects exceptional technical talent with leading organisations working on ambitious technology and AI i…

$200/hr
24d ago
Confidential clientAI training · Engineers

Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Expert

Top pay
  • Remote · Worldwide
  • Contract · flexible hours

You’ll need: Master’s or PhD in manufacturing, industrial, or mechanical engineering, plus principal-level industry e…

$85–$185/hr
1d ago
Confidential clientAI training · Engineers

Semiconductor Engineering Expert

Top pay
  • Remote · Worldwide
  • Contract · flexible hours

You’ll need: Master’s or PhD in electrical engineering, materials, physics, or a closely related field, plus principa…

$85–$185/hr
1d ago
Confidential clientAI training · Engineers

Aerospace Engineering Expert

Top pay
  • Remote · Worldwide
  • Contract · flexible hours

You’ll need: Master’s or PhD in aerospace or a closely related field, plus principal-level industry experience or a f…

$85–$185/hr
1d ago
Confidential clientAI training · Engineers

Engineering Expert

Top pay
  • Remote · United States
  • Contract · flexible hours

The research teams behind the best-known AI models come to our partner for engineering judgment they can't generate o…

$60–$125/hr
46d ago
Confidential clientAI training · Engineers

Mechanical Engineering Expert

Top pay
  • Remote · United States
  • Contract · flexible hours

The research teams behind the best-known AI models come to our partner for mechanical engineering judgment they can't…

$70–$125/hr
46d ago
new in the last 24 hours

New roles in your inbox every morning

Pick your field. One short email a day, only when new roles open. Unsubscribe any time.

Roles come from public listings and change daily. Pay is what the listing shows; offers depend on your test, experience and country. If you join through a Zekai link, the platform may pay Zekai a fee. Your pay stays the same.

$85–$185/hr
Get paid to train AI →

See Zekai first in Google