Bilingual Russian Generalist Expert — AI Safety

$38–42/hrrate as listed

Write and classify Russian-language prompts that probe how AI models handle sensitive and dual-use topics, documenting the reasoning behind each judgment. Roughly 7 hours a week, remote and asynchronous, with training provided — no prior AI/ML background needed.

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

What the work involves

You write prompts in Russian that test how a model behaves at the edges: adversarial phrasings, indirect requests, culturally specific framings that an English-first safety policy may not anticipate. You then apply a written taxonomy to classify prompts and conversations — harm category, severity, whether the model's response crossed a line — and write a short justification in English for each call. The justification matters as much as the label; downstream policy work depends on being able to reconstruct why a borderline item landed where it did.

Expect the guidelines to change under you. Taxonomies get revised mid-project, edge cases you flagged in week two become their own category in week four, and reviewers will push back on specific labels. Comfort with re-reading a spec and adjusting rather than defending your first instinct is a real part of the job.

What the screening looks for

Mercor's screen is AI-led and largely conversational. It will test Russian fluency directly — including register, regional variation, and whether you can produce natural adversarial phrasing rather than translated English. It probes judgment on dual-use material: can you distinguish a legitimate question from one engineered to extract harmful specifics, and can you articulate the difference without hedging into uselessness? It also verifies the plain facts: degree status, written English, weekly availability.

Logistics

Remote, asynchronous, no fixed hours; work is claimed from a queue
Roughly 7 hours per week, part-time, immediate start
$38–42/hr observed on this listing — bands on Mercor vary by project and are not guaranteed
Eastern Europe or other Russian-speaking regions preferred but explicitly not required

What they look for

Native or near-native Russian fluency, written and idiomatic
Business-level written English for justifications and documentation
Bachelor's degree completed or in progress
Applying written classification guidelines consistently across ambiguous cases
Judgment around sensitive and dual-use information
Trust and safety, content moderation, or red-teaming experience (preferred)

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: Whether your Russian is production-grade in writing, not just conversational, and whether you can name concrete contexts rather than claiming 'native' and stopping.
A strong answer: A specific acquisition history plus current written use — professional correspondence, published work, translation, academic writing — and honest notes on register or regional variety you're strongest in.
Where people lose it: Answering 'I'm a native speaker' as a complete answer. Heritage speakers who read fluently but rarely write formal Russian get exposed on the first written task; saying so upfront reads better than being caught.