$55–65/hr · Mercor · Hourly, 40 hours a week
A Python developer documents their real development work in PyCharm on macOS through high-resolution screenshots showing IDE usage and problem-solving workflows.
What you would do
- Execute actual Python development tasks within PyCharm and capture detailed, high-resolution screenshots of your IDE interactions
- Demonstrate debugging workflows by setting breakpoints, inspecting variables and stepping through code to diagnose issues
- Show how you navigate codebases, locate definitions and understand dependencies using PyCharm's built-in tools
- Document virtual environment setup, Python interpreter configuration and package management
- Illustrate code refactoring, architectural decisions and how you improve project organization
Who they want
- Active Python developer with hands-on experience using PyCharm as your primary IDE
- Mac user with PyCharm already installed and ready to use immediately
- Access to a high-resolution monitor (2560x1440, 1080p dual-monitors or equivalent minimum)
- Familiarity with Python debugging, virtual environments and common development workflows
- Backend engineer, data practitioner or ML engineer comfortable working on realistic projects
Main skills
What the interview asks about
1.Debugging workflow and breakpoint strategy
How you set breakpoints, choose what to inspect and navigate through execution reveals your problem-solving approach and whether you understand how to isolate issues efficiently.
For example: “You encounter a bug where a list of dictionaries returns incorrect results after filtering. Walk through how you would set breakpoints, inspect intermediate values and use PyCharm's debugger to trace where the logic fails.”
2.Code navigation in large projects
Working with unfamiliar code requires using IDE navigation efficiently; your approach reveals whether you understand project structure and can find relevant code quickly.
For example: “You join a project with 50 Python files. Show how you would use 'Go to Definition', 'Find Usages' and the project structure pane to understand how a specific function is called and what dependencies it has.”
3.Virtual environment configuration
Managing Python versions and packages through the IDE reveals practical understanding of environment isolation and dependency resolution.
For example: “Demonstrate configuring a PyCharm project with a virtual environment, selecting a specific Python version and installing a package from requirements.txt, then showing how you verify the environment is active.”
4.Refactoring for code clarity
Refactoring decisions show your judgment about code organization and whether you can use IDE tools to make changes safely at scale.
For example: “You have a Python file with a 40-line function that does multiple things. Show how you would extract helper functions using PyCharm's refactoring tools and demonstrate that tests still pass afterward.”
5.Working with realistic Python projects
Development on actual backend services or data pipelines demonstrates practical understanding beyond toy examples and reveals what real workflows look like.
For example: “Show your work on an actual project you maintain or contribute to, including navigating its architecture, running tests in the IDE and making a code change from start to verification.”
A task you may get
Open a Python project in PyCharm on your Mac, reproduce a bug or incomplete feature by capturing screenshots through your entire workflow from initial investigation through debugging to final solution.
How to prepare
- Verify your display setup meets resolution requirements: run a test screenshot at your intended resolution and confirm it captures at least 2.5 megapixels
- Set up or open a real Python project you work on regularly so you can demonstrate authentic development scenarios, not toy examples
- Practice navigating your project structure using PyCharm's Go to Definition, Find Usages and Project Structure pane to demonstrate efficiency
- Prepare examples of debugging a real issue in your project: set breakpoints, inspect variables and show how you traced the problem to its source
The facts
- Pay
- $55–65/hr
- Hours
- Hourly, 40 hours a week
- Where
- Remote
- Field
- Software Engineering
- Posted
- 9/13/2026
- Places left
- 10
We wrote this page from the public Mercor listing. It may be out of date, so read the full posting before you apply.