# Competitive Programming Problem Author & Test Engineer - Freelance AI Trainer

> Mindrift · United States (Remote) · Part-time · Posted 2026-08-13

**Workplace:** remote

**Department:** Competitive Programming

## Description

_Please submit your CV in English and indicate your level of English proficiency._ 

Mindrift connects specialists with project-based AI opportunities for leading tech companies, focused on testing, evaluating, and improving AI systems. **Participation is project-based, not permanent employment.**

**What this opportunity involves**

We're building competitive-programming problems and their automatic graders (test cases + checkers) used to train advanced AI coding models. You'll create problems, write both correct and deliberately-wrong solutions, and design the tough test cases that catch subtly-broken code. Your work is what makes the training signal trustworthy.

To apply, share: your competitive-programming handle(s) + current/peak rating, any problem-setting experience, and IOI/ICPC/olympiad history.

**What you'll do**

-   Write original algorithmic problems — clear statement, sound constraints, an intended solution;
-   Write correct solutions in C++ and Python;
-   Write realistic wrong solutions (common mistakes) to test against;
-   Build and harden test cases: generators, edge cases, stress and "hacking" tests;
-   Write checkers/interactors (testlib) for problems with more than one valid answer;
-   Confirm the quality bar: correct solutions pass, wrong ones fail, within time limits.

**What we look for**

-   Strong competitive programming background, shown by a public profile — a Codeforces rating (see levels below), OR an IOI / ICPC / national-olympiad record;
-   Fluent contest C++ (STL, complexity); comfortable writing Python;
-   Can explain why a solution is wrong and build an input that breaks it;
-   Strong written English (C1+).

Levels (by Codeforces rating, or equivalent olympiad achievement):

-   _Associate_ — 1700–2100 (Expert / Candidate Master): easier problems;
-   _Expert_ — 2200–2600 (Master / Grandmaster): harder problems
-   _Senior / Reviewer_ — 2600+ (Int'l Grandmaster) or IOI/ICPC medalist: hardest problems + quality review.

**Nice to have**

-   IOI / ICPC alumni and top competitive programmers especially encouraged to apply;
-   Experience setting or testing problems for real contests (Codeforces rounds, ICPC, national olympiads, online judges);
-   Testlib experience (checkers, validators, generators);
-   Experience creating data for LLM code benchmarks or similar RL / evaluation datasets.

**How it works** 

Apply → Pass qualification(s) → Join a project → Complete tasks → Get paid

**Project time expectations** 

For this project, tasks are estimated to require around 10-20 hours per week during active phases, based on project requirements. This is an estimate, not a guaranteed workload, and applies only while the project is active. Tasks must be submitted by the deadline and meet the listed acceptance criteria to be accepted. 

**Compensation**

Paid per accepted task. Your rate depends on the qualification tier you reach and how efficiently you complete tasks. Because payment is per task, a faster pace raises your effective hourly rate.

## Apply

[Apply at Mindrift](https://apply.workable.com/toloka-ai/j/65EA907C7C/apply)

---
Powered by [Workable](https://www.workable.com)