(FREELANCE) HACKATHON FACILITATOR & TECHNICAL EVALUATOR

ABOUT AILAYSA

Ailaysa (www.ailaysa.com) is an AI-powered platform built for content workflows and multilingual translation. We help content teams, agencies, and enterprises create, translate, and manage content at scale using cutting-edge AI. We are a fast-moving AI product company that values builders people who think, ship, and improve.

ROLE OVERVIEW

We are running a focused, invite-only hackathon "Frontend Heroes Discovery" to identify top-tier frontend talent. This is not a marketing event. It is a structured talent discovery system designed to surface developers who can work in ambiguity, integrate APIs independently, debug imperfect systems, and ship real products fast.

We are looking for a seasoned freelance Hackathon Facilitator & Technical Evaluator to own the technical delivery of the entire hackathon and lead the subsequent evaluation and interview process.

WHAT YOU WILL OWN

Phase 1 Pre-Hackathon Setup

• Collaborate with our internal team to review, validate, and finalize the imperfect React/Next.js starter repository including intentional bugs across 4 categories (critical blockers, functional gaps, code quality traps, UX issues).
• Review the API layer (POST /upload, POST /translate, GET /status, GET /download) and ensure intentional ambiguities and gaps are well-designed, not just random.
• Review the Figma UI references and ensure they carry the right degree of intentional incompleteness.
• Prepare a technical problem statement explainer and FAQ document for participants.
• Set up and manage the participant for the duration of the hackathon.

Phase 2 During the Hackathon

Host a kickoff session to clearly explain the problem statement, repo structure, API documentation, and rules to all participants.

• Answer clarification questions without guiding solutions; the goal is to clarify intent, not resolve challenges for participants.
• Monitor participant activity and flag any rule violations (AI code generation tools, fresh repo starts, etc.).
• Ensure APIs remain stable and accessible throughout the hackathon window.

Phase 3 Evaluation & Scoring

• Review all submitted GitHub repositories, live deployments, and demo videos.
• Score each submission across 5 dimensions: Completion, API Integration Quality, Debugging Ability, Code Quality, and Product Thinking (10 points each, total 50).
• Identify standout signals beyond the rubric candidates who fixed unrequested issues, improved UX without being asked, or handled edge cases proactively.
• Prepare a ranked shortlist of the top 57 candidates with written technical assessments.

Phase 4 Face-to-Face Technical Interviews

• Conduct 30-minute technical discussions with shortlisted candidates.
• Deep-dive into their submission: ask them to walk through specific fixes, explain architectural decisions, and defend their code.
• Probe depth vs. surface distinguish patch coders from real builders.
• Provide a final hire / trial / reject recommendation for each candidate to our team.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Technical Skills (Must-Have)

• React and Next.js you must have shipped production-grade apps, not just tutorials.
• REST API integration able to read and work with partial or imperfect documentation.
• async JavaScript patterns Promises, async/await, polling, and state management.
• frontend debugging network layer, browser devtools, console tracing, React component issues.
• deployment pipelines Vercel, Netlify, or similar platforms.
• mobile application development is a strong advantage.

AI Fluency (Essential)

• You must be proficient with AI-assisted development workflows we expect our facilitator to model the same AI-savviness we expect from participants.
• Comfort using AI tools for code review, debugging strategy, technical writing, and evaluation not as a crutch, but as a productivity multiplier.

Communication & Facilitation

• Excellent written and verbal communication in English you will be explaining technical concepts to developers of varying skill levels.
• Ability to answer questions without giving away solutions strong facilitation instinct.
• Structured thinking when evaluating code you can articulate clearly why a submission is strong or weak.

Mindset

• You appreciate the difference between a "copy-paste coder" and a real builder this entire hackathon is designed around that distinction.
• Startup-oriented: you are comfortable with fast timelines, imperfect specs, and making judgment calls.
• Reliable and responsive during the hackathon window.

ENGAGEMENT DETAILS

Engagement Type

Freelance (Project-Based)

Timeline

~1 weeks total: prep (hybrid), hackathon (in-office), evaluation & interviews (in-office)

Location

Chennai (in-office)

Hackathon Format

One day

Participants

1530 curated frontend developers

Outcome Goal

Identify 23 high-quality frontend developers for immediate engagement

HOW TO APPLY

Send us the following at your earliest convenience:

• Your GitHub profile or portfolio with links to live projects you have built.
• A brief note (max 200 words) on your experience with React/Next.js and the most complex debugging challenge you have solved.
• Your availability for the one-day hackathon engagement and any constraints.
• Your freelance rate expectation for this engagement.

We will shortlist candidates who demonstrate proof of work not just credentials. If your GitHub is empty or your projects are all forks, this role is not the right fit.