Excel AI Training and Evaluation Expert

OpenTrain AI is looking for an Excel AI Training and Evaluation Expert to help improve how generative AI systems understand, create and evaluate complex spreadsheet work.

This role combines advanced Microsoft Excel expertise with AI training and model evaluation. Rather than building spreadsheets for a single organization, you'll create realistic Excel problems, develop accurate solutions and assess training data used to improve AI performance across practical business scenarios.

The position is fully remote within the United States and pays $70–$100 per hour.

What You’ll Be Doing

Your spreadsheet knowledge will be used to create and evaluate examples that help AI systems become more capable at solving real-world Excel problems.

Your work will include:

• Designing realistic Excel tasks based on professional scenarios
• Creating accurate and clearly structured spreadsheet solutions
• Evaluating tasks and proposed solutions for accuracy and consistency
• Assessing whether spreadsheet outputs are useful in realistic business contexts
• Reviewing AI training data and identifying quality issues
• Writing clear feedback explaining your evaluations
• Explaining spreadsheet decisions and problem-solving approaches
• Working with research teams and other subject-matter experts
• Applying project guidelines consistently across evaluations

The role requires both technical spreadsheet ability and the communication skills to explain why a particular solution is correct or needs improvement.

Advanced Excel Skills Are Essential

Although OpenTrain lists the opportunity at entry level, this isn't an entry-level Excel position.

Candidates should have substantial practical experience with advanced spreadsheet functionality, including:

• Advanced Excel formulas
• PivotTables
• Data modeling
• Dashboards
• Power Query
• Power Pivot
• Macros or VBA

OpenTrain is particularly interested in people who have applied Excel across different industries, teams or business functions.

You'll also need strong analytical skills, attention to detail and the ability to solve complex spreadsheet problems independently.

What Makes a Strong Candidate?

Beyond Excel expertise, this role requires good professional judgment.

You should be comfortable reviewing someone else's spreadsheet work, identifying problems and communicating exactly what needs to change.

OpenTrain is looking for candidates with:

• Advanced professional Excel experience
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Clear written communication
• Strong verbal communication
• Experience working independently
• The ability to follow detailed project instructions
• Evidence of professional growth and increasing responsibility

Broad exposure to different business problems and spreadsheet use cases can be particularly useful because the training tasks may cover a variety of professional scenarios.

AI Experience Isn't Required

Previous experience working directly with artificial intelligence can help, but it isn't a core requirement.

Relevant additional backgrounds include:

• AI training
• Human data annotation
• Model evaluation
• Teaching
• Professional training
• Academic research
• PhD or other advanced academic experience

Teaching or training experience can be valuable because much of the work involves turning expert knowledge into clear examples and explaining why particular answers are correct.

What Is AI Training Work?

Generative AI systems improve partly through examples and feedback created by people.

Subject-matter experts can help researchers evaluate whether an AI system has produced an accurate answer, create examples of high-quality responses and identify where a model's reasoning or output needs improvement.

In this project, Excel is the specialist domain.

Your work will help AI systems become better at handling spreadsheets and solving the kinds of Excel problems people encounter in professional environments.

Schedule and Compensation

OpenTrain states a compensation range of:

$70–$100 per hour

The initial schedule is 40 hours per week on weekdays through the end of September, followed by approximately 20 hours per week thereafter.

Candidates should expect to maintain availability of at least 20 hours per week.

This is a remote U.S.-based W-2 position, and applicants must be located in the United States.