What the work actually is

You are the domain check on a model. The listings we read describe three kinds of task:

  • Writing questions about real designs. The micro1 CAD listings ask you to study multi-part assemblies in native FreeCAD files and write precise questions with exact, verifiable answers about geometry, assembly relations and function.
  • Building and checking engineering tasks. The micro1 Mechanical Engineering Expert listing describes creating, solving, reviewing and validating tasks across structural, thermal, mechanical and multiphysics problems, using Python and simulation.
  • Testing the model on your subject. The Meridial electrical engineering listing asks you to challenge language models on topics such as circuit analysis, PCB design, signal processing, microcontrollers and power electronics.

Some roles are about AI agents working inside CAD software, not only answering questions. For the general picture of how these tasks work, see what an AI trainer does.

What it pays: ranges listed on roles we track

On 26 October 2026, 76 open roles match this guide and 56 of them list an hourly rate in US dollars. The ranges listed on roles we track run from $10 to $150 an hour. Taking the midpoint of each range, half of the roles sit between $55 and $93.12 an hour, with a median of $69.

These are the ranges written in the postings, not what anyone earned. A wide range usually means pay depends on your field, your seniority or the project. Some postings list only a top rate, and some list no hourly rate at all. Software engineering roles are mostly filed under coding and are not in this list; see the coding roles.

What the listings ask for

  • A degree. The micro1 Mechanical Engineering Expert listing asks for an MSc or a PhD in its title. The other listings we read ask for hands-on experience in the discipline.
  • Domain knowledge more than AI knowledge. Several micro1 CAD listings say no prior experience in AI is required and that your domain knowledge is what matters.
  • Code, for some roles. The micro1 CAD Expert listing at the top of the range calls the role very coding heavy and asks for experience using coding agents with Python. Read each posting for the tools it names.
  • A licence. The listings quoted here do not ask for a professional engineering licence. Check the posting you apply to.
  • An AI interview. micro1 runs a recorded interview with an AI interviewer, usually 20 to 40 minutes, tailored to the role. Read the micro1 AI interview guide before you start it.
  • ID verification. After the interview you verify your identity. See what happens after the interview.

How long it takes to get started

The application steps are quick: the interview is under an hour, and ID checks clear in minutes or, for some documents, up to 72 hours. The wait that matters comes after that, because you only get paid work when a project picks you.

No platform publishes a typical wait for engineers. Candidate reports are mixed: some start within days, others wait weeks, and some are never matched. Niche tools such as FreeCAD can mean a long wait between projects.

The honest downsides

  • It is project work and it can end. micro1 says roles continue as long as the client has work. When a project closes, the hours stop.
  • Hours vary. The micro1 listings we read say about 15 hours a week for the Mechanical Engineering Expert and 15 to 20 for the CAD Expert, with a flexible schedule. How many hours you get depends on the project.
  • You are a contractor. The Meridial listings say you supply your own computer and internet and that benefits such as health insurance and paid leave do not apply. You also handle your own taxes. See micro1 payments and taxes.
  • It does not replace an engineering salary. Plan on it as extra income unless you have seen a steady stream of it for months.
  • Check your employer. A contract may have rules on outside work and on intellectual property, and the CAD files you review belong to a customer. That is for you to confirm.

Roles open now that match

This list is built from the daily copy of public job lists on this site, so it changes as roles open and close. Each title opens the role page.

15 of 76 roles shown, best listed rate first. Search all roles for "engineering".

Where to apply

Pick a role above and follow its page to the posting. For micro1 roles you can also start from micro1's full job list (referral link).

Other professions: doctors, lawyers and PhD scientists.

Sources

  • Public job lists of the platforms named above, copy held by this site, 26 October 2026
  • micro1, "Understanding your expert agreement", checked October 2026
  • Listings: micro1 Mechanical Engineering Expert (MSc. or PhD), CAD Expert, FreeCAD Expert and Mechanical CAD Expert; Meridial Electrical Engineering Specialist, as read by this site

Prepare the interview: Engineering and CAD interview questions.

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