Application Security Engineer (AppSec)

Application Security Engineer (AppSec) Position: Application Security Engineer (AppSec) Type: Contractor (~15 hours/week) Compensation: $30–$100/hour Location: Remote About the Opportunity micro1 is seeking Application Security Engineers (AppSec) to help train next-generation AI systems through high-quality, real-world software engineering and cybersecurity tasks. In this role, you'll use your expertise in backend development, application security, debugging, and software engineering to create realistic and challenging coding tasks for AI systems. You’ll also develop deterministic verifiers that accept reasonable valid solutions while rejecting incorrect implementations. No prior AI experience is required — your technical and cybersecurity expertise is what matters. Key Responsibilities Create realistic and challenging coding tasks involving feature implementation and bug fixes.Develop and implement deterministic verifiers to evaluate AI-generated solutions.Work with backend technologies including Java, Node.js, Go, Rust, TypeScript, Python, and C++ or similar languages.Build and evaluate scalable services and APIs.Perform debugging, performance optimization, and automated testing.Review code and identify issues related to quality, security, maintainability, and performance.Apply secure coding and application security principles to software engineering tasks.Identify and address vulnerabilities, security risks, and system bottlenecks.Refactor codebases and implement complex features across large-scale applications.Provide clear technical reasoning and high-quality solutions that can help improve AI model performance and reliability.Required Qualifications Strong backend development experience with Java, Node.js, Go, Rust, TypeScript, Python, C++, or similar technologies.Experience building scalable services and APIs.Strong debugging and performance optimization skills.Experience with automated testing and software quality practices.Strong code review and software engineering judgment.Solid understanding of algorithms, data structures, and foundational computer science concepts.Strong analytical, problem-solving, and technical communication skills.Preferred Qualifications Professional background in cybersecurity, Application Security (AppSec), or SecOps.Experience with penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, security audits, or security-focused code reviews.Familiarity with OWASP and CWE or similar security frameworks.Proven ability to identify and resolve software bugs and system bottlenecks.Experience with codebase refactoring and implementing complex features in large-scale applications.Experience with secure coding practices and vulnerability remediation.Work Schedule Approximately 15 hours per week.Flexible schedule — choose your preferred working hours and days.Weekend work is permitted if preferred.Designed for experts who can contribute on a flexible, project-based basis.Compensation $30–$100/hour equivalent compensation range.Compensation is output-based, with experts paid per completed task that meets project specifications.The time required to complete each task may vary based on experience and workflow.Minimum submission requirements apply, including a required minimum number of tasks per week.Application & Selection Process Apply to the role and complete the screening questionsComplete a ~30-minute AI InterviewComplete a Technical Assessment, if requiredHiring Manager ReviewOnboarding and Project StartStart Timeline & Availability micro1 typically aims to fill roles within approximately 48 hours.Selected experts should be prepared to begin their first tasks within 24–48 hours after completing onboarding.Candidates should be ready to contribute immediately or on short notice.Important Note The interview and assessment stages are designed to evaluate your independent technical reasoning and problem-solving ability. Candidates are expected to complete these stages without outside assistance. The same principle applies to project work, where the value of each contribution comes from the expert's own technical judgment and expertise.