Senior Excel Specialist (India, C1 English)

About OpenTrain

OpenTrain is the #1 platform for finding and building careers in AI training and data labeling. We connect people with projects that teach AI systems how to think, write, and reason by contributing real-world examples and evaluations.

Creating an OpenTrain account is free. Contributors use the platform to discover projects, build a profile that highlights their domain skills, and apply in minutes to roles that fit their schedule and expertise.

• Work remotely on flexible, part-time projects that directly shape AI behavior.
• Projects range from basic annotation to specialist roles that reward domain expertise.

About AI Training Work

AI training (data labeling/annotation) is the human side of building modern models: people create example inputs and outputs, rate model responses, and correct errors so models learn to behave reliably. This is a fast-growing way to work in tech with flexible, remote opportunities.

Specialist roles—like this one—use deep domain knowledge (here: advanced Excel) to create high-quality training data and evaluation criteria that improve model accuracy and usefulness.

• Contributors directly influence state-of-the-art AI systems.
• Many projects require no prior experience; specialist projects pay more for expertise.

The Role

We are seeking a Senior Excel Specialist (Subject Matter Expert) based in India with C1-level English to develop Excel-based prompts and responses and to evaluate and refine AI-generated outputs. This contractor, part-time role focuses on creating training data and rankings so models reflect deep knowledge of advanced Excel workflows.

Pay is $23 USD per hour. The role expects a regular commitment of 20+ hours per week (candidates must state an exact weekly hours commitment during the interview). Employment types: Contractor, Part-time.

• Location requirement: located in India (remote work otherwise permitted).
• Work involves both text generation (writing prompts/responses) and evaluation/rating of model outputs.

What You'll Do

You will author detailed, example-rich prompts and reference responses that teach AI models how to perform and explain advanced Excel tasks. You will also review AI outputs, rank them, and provide corrective guidance to improve accuracy and reduce bias.

Documentation and clear process descriptions are crucial: you will produce reproducible examples, explain logic behind solutions, and identify edge cases where models fail.

• Create Excel prompts and model answers covering formulas, VBA, Power Query, PivotTables, and large-dataset strategies.
• Evaluate and rank AI-generated answers for correctness, efficiency, and clarity.
• Refine prompts and scoring rubrics to improve model performance and reduce inconsistencies.
• Document complex workflows and automation examples for training use.

Requirements

Candidates must meet the following essential qualifications and skills. Preserve examples and real-world evidence in your application—expect to be asked for concrete projects you built or automated.

Note: RESTful API design/implementation is a plus but not required.

• 7+ years of advanced Microsoft Excel experience, including complex formulas, VBA scripting, Power Query, and PivotTables.
• Practical experience integrating Excel with Power BI, SQL, or automation platforms; ability to handle and optimize large datasets.
• C1-level English proficiency and strong written communication to document processes and write prompts.
• Located in India and able to work remotely as a contractor.
• Strong analytical skills, meticulous attention to detail, and ability to produce high-quality work independently.
• Familiarity with RESTful APIs is a plus.
• Availability: expected 20+ hours/week; candidate must state exact weekly hours commitment during interview.

Interview, Testing, and Screening

At the start of the interview candidates will be required to undergo a coding/skill test and a live interview. Dishonesty during the interview or testing process will result in a permanent ban from the OpenTrain AI platform.

Interviewers must collect and include the following answers clearly in the AI interview summary: highest level of education; number of years of experience with advanced Excel functionalities; and an exact number of hours per week the candidate can commit if hired (e.g., "20-25 hours per week" is acceptable, but vague answers like "20+ hours" are not).

• Technical questions to ask during the interview (do not show hidden scoring guidance to applicants):
• QUESTION 1: "Imagine you're working with a dataset containing 100,000 rows, and you need to identify and highlight duplicate entries across multiple columns while ensuring minimal performance lag. How would you approach this problem?"
• QUESTION 2: "You need to automate a monthly report that consolidates data from multiple worksheets into one summary sheet, applies specific formatting, and sends the file via email. Walk me through how you would achieve this using VBA."
• QUESTION 3: "How would you pull data from a SQL database into Excel, ensure it's dynamically updated, and build a dashboard with key insights using PivotTables and Power Query?"
• Reminder: the scoring guidance for these questions (what to look for) must not be shown to applicants; it will be used by interviewers when evaluating responses.

How To Apply and Next Steps

When you apply, include a CV/resume and at least one real-world example of an advanced Excel workflow you built or automated (a short description and, if possible, a sanitized workbook or screenshots). Be prepared to demonstrate your skills in the live test and to provide exact weekly availability.

After initial screening, qualified applicants will be invited to the timed skill test and live interview where interviewers will collect the required summary answers and score technical responses according to internal rubrics.

• Rate: $23 USD per hour (PAY_PER_HOUR).
• Employment types: Contractor, Part-time.
• Labeling work includes text generation (writing prompts/responses) and evaluation/rating of AI outputs.