SME CareersFirst seen PHP Engineer
Up to $60/hr
Remote STEM contract with SME Careers, up to $60/hr, open to people in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil and 14 more countries. First seen Oct 28.
Up to $60/hr
Apply on SME CareersIs this job worth applying to?
- Pay
- About typicalTops out at $60/hr. The typical top rate across 148 priced STEM listings is $70/hr.
- Getting in
- Some screening~30 min: profile + 15-min AI interview. Credentials in your field.
- Steady work
- Work is patchyProjects can end a placement for quality issues.
- Payout record
- Pays on timeSchedule: weekly. Paid via Deel.
- Freshness
- No post dateSME Careers doesn't publish post dates. First seen Oct 28, 2026; still listed Nov 6, 2026.
- Where you live
- Named countries onlyOpen in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil and 14 more.
The job description
As a PHP Engineer, you will work remotely on an hourly paid basis to review AI-generated PHP code, backend designs, and technical explanations, as well as produce high-quality reference implementations and step-by-step reasoning for complex engineering problems. You will assess solutions for correctness, clarity, security, performance, and adherence to the prompt; identify issues in application architecture, data modeling, API design, security, caching, and database usage; fact-check technical information; write strong explanations and model solutions that demonstrate best practices; and rate and compare multiple AI responses based on correctness and reasoning quality. This fully remote, hourly paid contractor role is with SME Careers, a fast-growing AI data services company and subsidiary of SuperAnnotate that provides AI training data to many of the world’s largest AI companies and foundation model labs—where your PHP and backend expertise will directly help improve the world’s premier AI models used by millions of developers worldwide.
Important: There is no immediate project for this role; however, if qualified, you will be among the first experts we reach out to when relevant opportunities arise. This will also provide you with access to future projects available through our expert network.
Responsibilities
- Develop AI Training Content: Create detailed prompts across PHP/backend topics and write high-quality reference answers to guide AI learning.
- Optimize AI Performance: Evaluate, rank, and provide feedback on AI responses to improve correctness, security, readability, and contextual fit.
- Ensure Model Integrity: Test AI outputs for inaccuracies, unsafe practices, and potential biases; validate reliability across real-world use cases.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a closely related technical field (or equivalent professional experience).
- 4+ years of professional experience developing production backend systems in PHP.
- Expert-level proficiency in modern PHP (7.4/8.x+), including OOP, strict typing, namespaces, Composer, and common design patterns.
- Strong backend fundamentals: HTTP, REST, authentication/authorization, sessions, caching, queues, and API design.
- Deep experience with databases (e.g., MySQL/PostgreSQL), including schema design, indexing, query optimization, and transactions.
- Experience with at least one major PHP framework (e.g., Laravel, Symfony) and knowledge of dependency injection, middleware, and ORM tradeoffs.
- Security mindset with hands-on knowledge of secure coding practices (e.g., OWASP Top 10, input validation, SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, secrets handling).
- Comfort with version control, CI/CD workflows, and automated testing (e.g., PHPUnit, integration tests, mocking strategies).
- Prior experience with AI data training, annotation, or evaluating AI-generated technical content is a strong plus.
- Minimum C1 English proficiency (written and spoken), with the ability to write clear technical explanations and follow detailed English-language guidelines.
- Highly detail-oriented and systematic, with a methodical approach to evaluating reasoning quality and identifying subtle bugs in complex PHP/backend systems.
How do you apply to SME Careers?
Apply on SME Careers
The Apply button opens this post on SME Careers's own site. You apply with them, not with Rubric. Budget about 30 min: profile + 15-min AI interview.
Get through screening
What SME Careers asks for after you apply:
- Do the ~15-minute English AI video interview on a desktop (up to 3 attempts)
- Take any written or video qualification exam
- Sign the Deel contract and join Discord
- Wait for a project offer by email
Start work and get paid
Pay schedule: weekly. Paid via Deel. You're paid for the work they hand out, not a fixed salary.
SME Careers also needs
- Credentials in your field
- Desktop with webcam
- Deel account
Red flags
None on record for SME Careers. A real platform never asks you to pay for training, equipment or a "starter kit".
What is SME Careers like to work for?
SuperAnnotate's expert-hiring site, which places credentialed specialists on hourly AI training contracts paid through Deel.
| Advertised pay | $20–130/hr |
|---|---|
| Getting in | Some screening |
| Application takes | ~30 min: profile + 15-min AI interview |
| How you get paid | Weekly, via Deel |
| Payout record | Pays on time |
| Countries | Hires in nearly 90 countries, including India, Nigeria, Kenya, Pakistan and the Philippines; sanctioned countries are excluded and some projects set region or language rules. |
Listings show only an 'up to' rate: about $20/hr for generalists, $60/hr software, $90/hr healthcare and $110/hr legal; your actual rate depends on credentials and location.
