Aurelius Systems

Data Annotator (Contractor)

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Hiring Remotely in San Francisco, CA, USA

In-Office or Remote

25-56 Hourly

Hardware • Energy • Defense • Automation

The Role

Pose Annotation Contractor — Aurelius Systems

Contract | Remote | ~10-15 hrs/week | Up to $56.25/hr effective

US Citizens and Permanent Residents only — we do not sponsor visas and cannot hire non-citizens or non-PRs.

What is Aurelius Systems?

Aurelius Systems is a directed energy company developing edge-deployed laser systems for counter-UAS (cUAS) applications. We shoot down drones with laser guns.

The US and our allies prepared for a world of increasingly large and sophisticated threats — planes, aircraft carriers, etc. — but that world never came. The future of warfare involves large numbers of small-scale, mass-manufacturable drones, and we aren't prepared to defend against them abroad or domestically. Aurelius Systems is equipping the US and our allies with scalable, cost-effective directed energy systems to fight current and future conflicts.

Role Overview

We need contract annotators to apply pose estimation keypoints to drone imagery for our counter-drone laser targeting systems. This is critical path work — our ML models depend on high-quality pose-labeled data to identify, track, and engage drone threats in real-world conditions.

You'll receive annotation guidelines and batch assignments, then work independently to process image data with precision and speed. Work is assigned on an as-needed basis, typically ~2-3 batch per week, with the possibility of increasing volume over time.

This role is scoped to pose annotation only. Other annotation types (bounding box, segmentation, etc.) would be handled under separate agreements.

Compensation

Base batch fee$ 125 per batch of 1,000 annotations, completed within 5 hours
Early-completion bonus +$100 per batch if completed within 4 hours
Max per batch $225
Effective rate $25/hr (base) — up to $56.25/hr (with bonus)
Frequency ~2-3 batch/week on average, as-needed
Per-annotation pricing Each object annotated with pose keypoints = 1 annotation. Multi-target images (e.g., multiple drones) count each object separately.
No salary, equity, or benefits. This is a 1099 contract position paid per batch.
Direct deposit bi-weekly. NDA required.

Key Duties

Apply keypoint and skeletal pose annotations to drone targets in aerial imagery using the company's designated annotation platform
Place pose keypoints accurately per annotation guidelines and pose schema
Annotate object orientation, articulation, and spatial positioning
Meet batch throughput targets (1,000 annotations in 4–5 hours) while maintaining labeling accuracy
Flag ambiguous cases, edge cases, or data quality issues for review
Track work via the annotation platform; submit invoices with batch completion details

Requirements

US Citizen or Permanent Resident — non-negotiable
Can complete 1,000 pose annotations in 4–5 hours with consistent quality
Detail-oriented with ability to follow written annotation protocols precisely
Works independently after initial training with minimal supervision
Comfortable with repetitive, high-concentration tasks requiring sustained attention
Reliable internet connection and computer setup
Available for ~2-3 batch assignment per week, with flexibility for surge periods

Preferred

Prior data annotation or labeling experience, especially pose estimation / keypoint annotation
Familiarity with annotation tools (Roboflow, Labelbox, CVAT, or similar)
Background in ML, computer vision, or understanding of how training data impacts model performance
Experience in defense, aerospace, or technical fields
Demonstrated ability to maintain annotation quality at high throughput

Why Aurelius?

You'll directly contribute to the ML pipeline powering next-generation directed energy defense systems. The data you label trains the models that guide lasers onto drone threats. This is real, critical-path national security work — not another generic labeling gig.

This position starts on an as-needed basis with the possibility of increasing hours and transitioning to part-time or full-time work as annotation volume scales.

To apply: Send your resume and a brief note on your availability and start date.

Compensation

The base pay range for this role is $25 – $56 per hour.

Aurelius Systems Compensation & Benefits Highlights

The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Aurelius Systems and has not been reviewed or approved by Aurelius Systems.

Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity is included in compensation for multiple roles, with postings noting base pay plus equity or options. This offers an ownership component typical of early-stage packages.
Fair & Transparent Compensation — External job boards show salary ranges for specific engineering roles, giving a rough sense of role banding. This provides some pay visibility even as official bands are not published.
Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Perks include free lunch for in-office staff. This adds everyday convenience despite the demanding on-site schedule described in postings.