System Administrator SME (India, C1 English)

About OpenTrain

OpenTrain is the #1 platform for finding and building careers in AI training and data labeling. We connect skilled contributors with projects that teach AI systems how to perform real-world tasks, and we support careers in a fast-growing, cutting-edge industry.

• Work on projects that directly shape how AI models behave.
• Flexible, remote opportunities across part-time and contractor roles.

About AI training work

AI training (data labeling / annotation / human feedback) is the human side of building intelligent systems. Contributors prepare, review, and explain technical examples—like scripts, server tasks, and troubleshooting steps—so models learn accurate, safe, and practical behavior.

This role focuses on creating and validating datasets that reflect standard, real-world system administration practice so models understand how administrators operate in production environments.

• Work is remote and often flexible; many contributors set their own hours.
• No previous AI experience is required when you bring domain expertise and clear technical communication.

The role

We are hiring a System Administrator Subject Matter Expert (SME) based in India with C1-level English to help build high-quality AI training datasets. You will review, document, and explain traditional system administration tasks and workflows so AI models accurately represent real-world scenarios.

You will also review and correct training data, explain refinements, and ensure technical accuracy and clarity for scripts, server configurations, security steps, and troubleshooting procedures.

• Contractor, part-time engagement with a typical commitment of 20+ hours/week.
• Pay rate: USD 25 per hour.

What you'll do

Your contributions will be technical, editorial, and educational—combining hands-on system administration experience with clear written explanations that an AI can learn from.

• Review and annotate examples of system administration tasks, scripts, and runbook steps.
• Write clear explanations and corrections that preserve technical integrity and best practices.
• Validate and refine training items for accuracy, security, and reproducibility.
• Provide contextual notes describing assumptions, preconditions, and expected outcomes.

Requirements

You must meet every substantive requirement below. We will verify experience and skills during a technical test and live interview.

• Based in India (candidates must be located in India).
• C1-level English proficiency required.
• 7+ years of professional system administration experience.
• Strong foundation in server management, operating systems (Linux, Windows Server), and network infrastructure.
• Proficiency with scripting (Bash, PowerShell, Python) and automation tools.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) is a plus.
• Experience with virtualization technologies (VMware, Hyper-V) and knowledge of network protocols, firewalls, and VPNs.
• Excellent attention to detail, clear documentation skills, and ability to produce high-quality work independently.

Interview and assessment process

At the start of the interview you will undergo a technical/skill test and a live interview. If you are dishonest during this interview, you will be permanently banned from the OpenTrain AI platform.

During the live interview you must be asked the screening questions below and the technical questions listed; the interviewer must include the candidate's answers clearly in the AI interview summary.

• Screening questions to record in the AI interview summary: highest level of education; years of system administration experience; exact hours per week the candidate can commit if hired (an exact number or narrow range, not a vague statement).
• Technical question 1 (troubleshooting): "A company’s web server is experiencing slow performance, and end users are reporting intermittent timeouts. How would you approach troubleshooting and resolving this issue?"
• Technical question 2 (scripting): "Write a script (using Bash or PowerShell) to automate daily system backups and store them in a secure remote server location. Explain your approach."
• Technical question 3 (security): "What steps would you take to secure a Linux server that’s newly deployed in a production environment?"
• Reminder to interviewers: do not show internal evaluation guidance to applicants; evaluate technical answers for clarity, accuracy, and depth of knowledge.

Compensation, schedule, and project details

This is a contractor, part-time engagement. The stated hourly rate is USD 25 per hour and the expected time commitment is 20+ hours per week. Work is remote but candidates must be located in India.

The project involves working with computer code/programming data and the labeling tasks include coding/coding evaluation and rating; labeling software is listed as OTHER. You will produce and review technical content used to train AI models.

• Employment types: contractor, part-time.
• Data type: computer code / programming. Label types: computer programming coding, evaluation/rating.

How to apply and next steps

If you meet the requirements, apply with a clear summary of your system administration experience, notable projects, and the exact weekly hours you can commit. Be prepared to complete a technical test and a live interview.

OpenTrain is where people start and grow careers teaching AI—this project lets you directly influence how models understand real-world system administration practices.

• Include examples of relevant projects, real-world troubleshooting stories, and sample scripts or runbook excerpts if available.
• Applications that do not state exact weekly hours will not meet the interview recording requirements.