AI-Native Software Engineer - Consultant

XPRIZE Overview 

XPRIZE is an established global leader in designing and executing large-scale competitions to solve humanity’s greatest challenges. As a 501(c)3, our unique model democratizes innovation by incentivizing crowd-sourced, scientifically viable solutions to create a more equitable and abundant future for all.  Since our founding in 1994, we’ve launched $519 million in prize competitions that are driving more than $31 billion in social and economic impact — a 60x return on philanthropic investment. These competitions not only de-risk early-stage breakthrough ideas but also mobilize capital, talent, and momentum to accelerate solutions from concept to real-world scale.

We operate across 5 areas of impact, including: 

• Deep Tech + Exploration
• Energy + Climate + Nature
• Food + Water + Waste
• Health
• Learning + Society

Project Description 

XPRIZE is seeking an experienced AI-Native Software Engineer to support the build of our new Prize Execution Platform — a unified system replacing our current, fragmented set of tools and expanding significantly on what they do today. The platform will manage the full lifecycle of an XPRIZE competition in a single ecosystem connecting four core user groups:

• XPRIZE staff, who design and configure competitions, manage milestones and timelines, oversee submission intake, coordinate judging, and track prize disbursement.
• Competitors, who register teams, submit applications and milestone deliverables, track their progress through the competition lifecycle, and receive AI-assisted matchmaking with relevant mentors.
• Judges, who review and score submissions — supported by AI-assisted scoring and automated submission review tools that surface relevant context and flag issues before human review.
• Alumni, who stay connected to the XPRIZE ecosystem post-competition through community and continued-engagement features.

AI is embedded directly into the product, not just the development process. Core AI-powered capabilities include:

• AI-assisted judging and scoring to support judges with consistent, efficient evaluation.
• Automated submission review to pre-screen and triage incoming applications and deliverables.
• Competitor-mentor matchmaking to connect competing teams with relevant subject-matter mentors.
• An applicant-facing chatbot to answer questions and guide competitors through the application and submission process.

This is a net-new platform, not a like-for-like migration — it will consolidate and significantly extend the capabilities of XPRIZE's current tooling. The engagement will be built using spec-driven and AI-assisted development practices on a .NET, Angular/React, and Python stack.

The ideal consultant can move quickly within a defined scope, work independently with minimal ramp-up, and deliver production-quality results on a set timeline — while also helping XPRIZE's internal engineering team build lasting capability in AI-assisted and spec-driven development practices.

Scope of Work:

• Design, develop, and deliver features and modules across the Prize Execution Platform, including competition management, submission intake, judging/scoring, competitor and mentor matchmaking, and applicant-facing AI tools within the defined project scope, using .NET, Angular/React, and Python as needed. 
• Collaborate with the internal product and engineering team to confirm requirements, milestones, and acceptance criteria for the engagement.
• Deliver clean, maintainable, and tested code that meets the quality, security, and testing criteria defined in the Statement of Work and the technical guidelines provided at kickoff.
• Submit work product for XPRIZE review at agreed milestones, and join technical planning and review sessions as needed to confirm requirements and acceptance criteria.
• Use AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, or similar) as the primary development workflow — for scaffolding, refactoring, test generation, debugging, and documentation.
• Apply AI-first, spec-driven development practices, translating specifications into AI-assisted implementation, and document this workflow so it's reusable by the internal team after the engagement ends.
• Evaluate and refine AI-generated code for correctness, security, and architectural fit.
• Transfer knowledge to XPRIZE's internal engineers — including training on AI-assisted and spec-driven development methods used on this project — as part of project deliverables.
• Deliver clear technical documentation enabling the internal team to maintain and extend the solution post-engagement.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 4 years of hands-on experience developing full stack web applications, including prior consulting/contract engagements.
• Demonstrated ability to ramp up quickly on an existing codebase and deliver independently within a defined scope and timeline.
• Hands-on experience using AI coding tools such as Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, or similar in a professional workflow, with concrete examples of impact on delivery speed and quality.
• Demonstrated experience with AI-first, spec-driven development, with the ability to teach this approach to an internal team as part of a knowledge-transfer deliverable.
• Ability to critically evaluate AI-generated code for security, performance, and architectural consistency.
• Strong proficiency in .NET technologies and Python.
• Proven experience with Angular (v12+) or React w/ TypeScript.
• Solid understanding of HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, and TypeScript.
• Proficiency with SQL Server or other relational database systems.
• Familiarity with Azure, Git, and CI/CD pipelines (e.g., GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, or similar).
• Able to deliver the milestones in the Statement of Work within the engagement timeline.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills; comfortable working independently with minimal day-to-day oversight.

Work Arrangement

This is a fully remote engagement. The consultant may work from any location within the United States, subject to applicable tax and legal requirements. The consultant determines when and where the work is performed. The consultant will attend milestone reviews and collaboration sessions, which are scheduled by mutual agreement and are expected to occur approximately 2-3 times per week. The consultant is expected to be reasonably responsive to XPRIZE team communications during U.S. Pacific business hours. Expected effort is approximately 30-40 hours per week, not to exceed 40 hours without written approval.

Tools and Access

XPRIZE will provide access to the AI-assisted development tools, repositories, cloud environments, and accounts needed for this engagement (including Claude Code, GitHub, Azure etc.). To protect XPRIZE data and systems, the consultant will use XPRIZE-provided tools and environments for all work involving XPRIZE code, data, or confidential information, and will not input XPRIZE confidential information into unapproved AI tools or services. The consultant is responsible for providing their own computer, internet connection, and general office equipment. Access will be revoked at the end of the engagement.

Intellectual Property and Confidentiality

All work product created under this engagement, including code, documentation, specifications, prompts, workflows, and training materials, will be owned by XPRIZE and assigned to XPRIZE under the consulting agreement. The consultant will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement and IP assignment before starting work.

Independent Contractor Status

The consultant will be engaged directly by XPRIZE as an independent contractor and will receive IRS Form 1099. The consultant is not an employee of XPRIZE and is not eligible for employee benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, or paid time off. The consultant is responsible for their own taxes, insurance, and business expenses. The consultant controls the means and methods of their work, within the scope, milestones, and acceptance criteria agreed in the Statement of Work.

Compensation

$75-85/hour based on skills and experience

Please note: Submitting a resume or proposal does not make you a candidate for engagement. You will be considered a candidate only after XPRIZE contacts you directly to begin the engagement process, which may include interviews, a technical assessment, reference checks, and a background check where permitted by law. Final engagement is contingent on execution of a written independent contractor agreement, including confidentiality and IP assignment terms. XPRIZE is an equal opportunity organization and considers all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic.

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