Software Developer — O*NET Occupation Study | $64/hr Remote
Overview
Mercor is running a paid research study to refresh the U.S. government's occupational framework for software developers. If you're an experienced developer, your input will directly help shape a more accurate description of the profession. This is a short, remote engagement — you'll complete an online survey or interview that takes up to 30 minutes and get paid $64 per hour for your time. It's a unique opportunity to contribute your on-the-ground knowledge to a national standard.
What You'll Do5
- 1Complete a one-time online survey or interview that covers your daily work as a software developer.
- 2Provide concrete examples of your design, coding, and deployment responsibilities to help improve how the occupation is defined.
- 3Reflect on the types of projects you've worked on, the decisions you own, and how your role differs from adjacent titles like web developer or programmer.
- 4Finish the initial session within the allotted 30 minutes.
- 5If invited, participate in an optional paid follow-up survey, task, or short interview to deepen the data collected.
Requirements5
- 1At least 4 years of professional experience working specifically as a software developer.
- 2Currently employed as a software developer, or have held such a role within the last 12 months.
- 3Hands-on knowledge of software design, coding, and deployment processes from daily practice.
- 4Based in the United States.
- 5Not eligible if your primary role is web development, programming to others' specifications, QA/testing, IT support, systems analysis, or IT management — these are treated as separate occupations.
Who Should Apply
The ideal candidate is a practicing software developer with meaningful experience designing and building software systems end-to-end. You should be comfortable describing not just what you code, but why you make certain architectural decisions and how you manage the full lifecycle — from requirements through deployment. You're someone who enjoys sharing your expertise and can articulate the nuances of your role in your own words. If you've ever felt that job titles don't fully capture what you do, this is your chance to help fix that.
Salary Insight
This engagement pays $64.00 per hour. The one-time survey/interview takes up to 30 minutes, so you'd earn roughly $32 for completing it. Any optional follow-up work is paid separately at the same rate.
Location
Application Tip
Before you apply, review the O*NET details for Software Developers and map your own experience to the listed tasks. The study explicitly excludes web developers and programmers, so be ready to demonstrate that your work involves system-level design and ownership of architectural decisions — not just implementing someone else's specs or building websites.
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