Mechanical & CAD Engineers (Must own MacBook)

$50–60/hr

rate as listed

Workload: ~10–20 hrs/week
Engagement: Project-based
Location: Worldwide
Field: Engineering

Complete and narrate mechanical design and CAD workflows that will be used to benchmark and improve AI models. You must have relevant engineering training and own a Mac with an Apple M-series chip or Intel processor running macOS 15 or higher.

The work

You will complete real mechanical design, 3D modeling, drafting and CAD tasks on your own Mac. Alongside producing the design work, you will narrate your reasoning, including how you interpret requirements, choose constraints, evaluate tradeoffs and verify the finished output for use in AI research.

What Mercor screens for

The initial application includes a resume review and a three-minute AI-led conversation focused on research and reasoning. Expect checks on your academic or professional background, command of a Mac-compatible CAD tool such as Fusion 360, Onshape, Shapr3D or FreeCAD, and ability to explain specific engineering decisions under follow-up. Familiarity with GD&T and engineering drawings is a plus. Candidates who advance complete a brief paid assessment.

Eligibility and equipment

You must own a MacBook or Mac with an Apple M-series chip or Intel processor, running macOS 15 or higher. The stated background is a mechanical engineering or related degree plus either current or recently completed master's studies, or 2-3 years of relevant experience with a bachelor's degree from what the listing describes as a prestigious institution.

Logistics

The expected commitment is approximately 10-20 hours per week, with an immediate start preferred. The work is performed on your own Mac, but the listing does not explicitly confirm whether the engagement is remote or fully asynchronous. Pay band: $50–60/hr

What they look for

Access to a Mac with an Apple M-series chip or Intel processor running macOS 15 or higher
Mechanical engineering or related degree
Hands-on 3D modeling and mechanical drafting
Proficiency with Mac-compatible CAD software such as Fusion 360, Onshape, Shapr3D or FreeCAD
Current or recently completed master's studies, or the stated bachelor's degree and professional experience pathway
Clear written and verbal explanation of engineering decisions

Included with this listing

Interview prep — 10 questions

Matched to what this platform's screening actually measures. Answer each out loud in 60–90 seconds: claim → concrete example → implication.

What it tests: This checks whether your dates, degree field and experience align with either the postgraduate pathway or the stated bachelor's plus 2-3 years of relevant experience pathway.
A strong answer: Give degree names, institutions, completion or enrollment dates, and the duration and scope of relevant professional work. Make the qualifying pathway explicit rather than expecting the screener to infer it from unrelated experience.
Where people lose it: Candidates lose points by saying only that they have an engineering background without giving dates, degree level or evidence that their work involved mechanical design and CAD.

Summary, eligibility guidance and screening preparation are prepared by Sidequest from the platform's posting. Check the source listing before applying.