Day 1: what happens after you're accepted

Onboarding · Students & Scholars · Updated

Congratulations on being accepted to a project. Here's everything you need to do to get started.

Offer acceptance checklist

When you receive an offer, you'll need to complete these steps in order:

  • Review the offer details Check the pay rate, expected hours, project description, and start date.
  • Sign the Evaluator Agreement Your main working agreement covering your role, responsibilities, and pay.
  • Sign the CIIAA Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement, protecting project data and IP.
  • Sign the NDA Non-Disclosure Agreement covering all client and project information.
  • Set up Deel If you haven't already, create your Deel account, complete identity verification, and add your bank details.
  • Acknowledge the payout policy Confirm you understand the monthly payment cycle and payout terms.

Onboarding documents

After signing your agreements, you'll receive access to your project's onboarding materials. These typically include:

  • A project overview document explaining the goals, scope, and evaluation criteria.
  • Detailed task guidelines and rubrics for your specific role.
  • Quality standards and examples of strong vs. weak submissions.
  • Communication protocols (who to contact, how to ask questions, escalation paths).

Onboarding documents are located in your project dashboard and may also be pinned in the project's Discord channel.

Tool access checklist

Make sure you can access all the tools you'll need:

  • Sovrano AI platform — Your dashboard should now show the project and any available tasks.
  • Discord — You should receive an invitation to the project's Discord server or channel. This is your primary communication channel.
  • Deel — Your Deel account should be set up and verified for receiving payments.
  • Project-specific tools — Some projects use additional tools (annotation platforms, code editors, etc.). Access details will be in your onboarding docs.

Your first task

Once onboarding is complete, your first task will appear in your project queue. Start with the calibration or training tasks if available — these help you understand expectations before moving to real evaluation work. Don't hesitate to ask questions on Discord.

Project paused state

Sometimes a project may be in a "paused" state when you're accepted. This means the project is temporarily on hold. You'll still complete onboarding, but no tasks will be available until the project resumes. You'll be notified when work begins.

Frequently asked questions

My offer has an expiration date. What happens if it expires?

Offers expire if not accepted within the stated timeframe (typically 5–7 days). If your offer expires, contact hello@sovrano.ai immediately. Depending on project availability, the team may be able to reissue the offer.

Can I negotiate the pay rate?

Pay rates are standardised per project and are generally not negotiable. They are set based on the domain, task complexity, and market rates. If the rate doesn't work for you, you can decline the offer without any negative impact on your profile.

How soon do I need to start working after accepting the offer?

Complete your onboarding steps as soon as possible. Most projects expect you to begin within a few days of acceptance. If you need more time, communicate with your project lead proactively.

I can't access one of the required tools. What should I do?

Check your email (including spam) for invitation links. If you still can't access a tool, post in the project Discord channel or email hello@sovrano.ai with the specific tool and error message. Most access issues are resolved within 24 hours.

I accepted the offer but my Deel account isn't set up yet. Can I still start working?

Yes. You can begin working while setting up Deel. However, payments cannot be processed until your Deel account is fully verified. Set it up as soon as possible to avoid delays on your first payout.

What if I need to decline the offer after initially accepting?

Contact hello@sovrano.ai and your project lead immediately. If you haven't started any work, the team can process your withdrawal. Be aware that your NDA and CIIAA obligations still apply to any information you accessed during onboarding.

The project is in a "paused" state. Will I still get paid for onboarding?

Onboarding time is typically paid if it was explicitly included in your contract scope. Review your contract terms or ask your project lead for confirmation.

I didn't receive a Discord invitation. How do I join the project channel?

Check your email (including spam) for a Discord server invitation. If you can't find it, email hello@sovrano.ai with your project name and preferred email address. The team will resend the invitation.

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