Pricing
Access top
talent
on demand.
on demand.
Senior Data & AI talent embedded in your team, billed by the hour.
Pricing
Access top
talent
on demand.
on demand.
Vetted Data & AI talent embedded in your team, billed by the hour.
Pricing
Access top
talent
on demand.
on demand.
Senior Data & AI talent embedded in your team, billed by the hour.
Transparent hourly rates, billed monthly with zero hiring fees. We handle contracts, payroll, and compliance.
Builders
Remote
Hands-on specialists who ship
For distributed teams and ongoing projects
$
30-55
30-120
/
hour
For when you need execution power in the data stack—engineers, analysts, and ML specialists embedded in your team, working in your tools and processes.
Vetted Data & AI specialists working remotely in your stack, aligned to your time zone and embedded in your team.
Engagement at a glance:
Data & AI specialists: Data Engineers, Analytics Engineers, BI Devs, ML Engineers, MLOps, Data Analysts
Dedicated remote contractor embedded in your team
Data & AI specialists: Data Engineers, Analytics Engineers, BI Devs, ML Engineers, MLOps, Data Analysts
Remote-first, aligned to your core time zone (on-site options available)
Flexible 80–160 hours per month
Remote-first, aligned to your core time zone (on-site options available)
Flexible 120–160 hours per month, with simple monthly billing
Access to calimala.ai platform for profiles & reporting
Flexible 120–160 hours per month, with simple monthly billing
Calimala runs sourcing, vetting, contracts, payroll, and compliance
One monthly invoice – we handle contracts, payroll, and compliance
Calimala runs sourcing, vetting, contracts, payroll, and compliance
Navigators
Remote
Architects, leads & principal engineers
For distributed teams and ongoing projects
$
55-90
30-120
/
hour
For when you need someone to set direction, design the architecture, and unblock tough decisions—without hiring a full-time exec.
Vetted Data & AI specialists working remotely in your stack, aligned to your time zone and embedded in your team.
Engagement at a glance:
Strategic roles: Solution & Data Architects, Principal Engineers, Delivery Leads
Dedicated remote contractor embedded in your team
Strategic roles: Solution & Data Architects, Principal Engineers, Delivery Leads
Remote-first, aligned to your core time zone (on-site options available)
Flexible 80–160 hours per month
Remote-first, aligned to your core time zone (on-site options available)
Flexible 120–160 hours per month, with simple monthly billing
Access to calimala.ai platform for profiles & reporting
Flexible 120–160 hours per month, with simple monthly billing
Calimala runs sourcing, vetting, contracts, payroll, and compliance
One monthly invoice – we handle contracts, payroll, and compliance
Calimala runs sourcing, vetting, contracts, payroll, and compliance
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you a recruitment agency or a staff augmentation provider?
We operate as a staff augmentation partner, not a recruitment agency. You don’t pay retainers or success fees. Instead, you pay a transparent hourly rate per contractor, and we handle sourcing, vetting, contracts, payroll, and compliance in the background.
How does an engagement with Calimala actually work?
A typical engagement looks like this: Scoping call – we align on roles, tech stack, seniority, budget, and timelines. Shortlist – we present pre-vetted candidates that match your brief. Your interviews – you interview and select who you want on your team. Contracting – we sign the commercial paperwork (MSA + SOW), you get a start date and onboarding plan. Embedded delivery – the contractor works in your stack, in your ceremonies, reporting to your leads. Ongoing support – we handle timesheets, payroll, compliance and, if needed, replacements or team scaling. From your side, it feels like you’re adding people to your team—we just run the contract layer behind them.
What contracts do we sign and who employs the talent?
You sign a Master Services Agreement (MSA) with Calimala (and then role-specific Statements of Work as needed). You: have a single contract and a single invoice from Calimala. Calimala: engages the talent either directly or via trusted Employer-of-Record partners, depending on their country. The contractor: is legally engaged by us/our partners, but operationally embedded in your team. This means you don’t need to set up entities, HR, or payroll in multiple countries to access Data & AI talent.
What does pricing look like and what’s included in your rates?
For most specialist (IC) roles: Typical range: $30–55 USD/hour for mid–senior Data & AI specialists (e.g. Data Engineers, Analytics Engineers, ML Engineers, Data Analysts, BI Developers). For more strategic / leadership roles: From ~ $55 USD/hour for architects, leads, and principal engineers (scoped per role, seniority, and location). Your hourly rate includes: The contractor’s compensation Our margin for running sourcing, vetting, contracts, payroll, and compliance What’s not included: Client-specific travel and on-site costs (when applicable) Any tools, licences, or infrastructure you require them to use in your environment Billing is usually monthly in USD (local currency possible), with standard business payment terms agreed in the contract.
Are your contractors remote or can they work on-site?
We are remote-first, with talent time-zone aligned to your team wherever possible. On-site or hybrid work is scoped individually and may include: A location-based uplift on the rate Agreed minimum on-site days per month Travel and accommodation covered by the client (when applicable)
What are the minimum commitments, notice periods, and what if someone isn’t a fit?
Minimum commitment: typically 120 hours per month per contractor, with no minimum initial term. Scaling up/down: we agree notice periods in the SOW (typically 14 days) so you can adjust capacity without surprises. If it’s not a fit: We step in, diagnose the issue with you, and propose a replacement. There is no additional sourcing fee for replacement; the goal is a productive, stable team, not just filling seats.
Who owns the IP and how do you handle confidentiality and data?
All work produced by our contractors under your SOW is your IP and belongs to you/the client. Contractors work under strict confidentiality obligations, both with Calimala and in your contract terms. Access to your code, data, and environments is granted and controlled by you; we expect you to apply your normal security and access controls. Our own AI platform operates with security and privacy by design: we don’t resell your proprietary data or use it to train public models; its role is to support matching, reporting, and governance for your engagement.
Are you a recruitment agency or a staff augmentation provider?
We operate as a staff augmentation partner, not a recruitment agency. You don’t pay retainers or success fees. Instead, you pay a transparent hourly rate per contractor, and we handle sourcing, vetting, contracts, payroll, and compliance in the background.
How does an engagement with Calimala actually work?
A typical engagement looks like this: Scoping call – we align on roles, tech stack, seniority, budget, and timelines. Shortlist – we present pre-vetted candidates that match your brief. Your interviews – you interview and select who you want on your team. Contracting – we sign the commercial paperwork (MSA + SOW), you get a start date and onboarding plan. Embedded delivery – the contractor works in your stack, in your ceremonies, reporting to your leads. Ongoing support – we handle timesheets, payroll, compliance and, if needed, replacements or team scaling. From your side, it feels like you’re adding people to your team—we just run the contract layer behind them.
What contracts do we sign and who employs the talent?
You sign a Master Services Agreement (MSA) with Calimala (and then role-specific Statements of Work as needed). You: have a single contract and a single invoice from Calimala. Calimala: engages the talent either directly or via trusted Employer-of-Record partners, depending on their country. The contractor: is legally engaged by us/our partners, but operationally embedded in your team. This means you don’t need to set up entities, HR, or payroll in multiple countries to access Data & AI talent.
What does pricing look like and what’s included in your rates?
For most specialist (IC) roles: Typical range: $30–55 USD/hour for mid–senior Data & AI specialists (e.g. Data Engineers, Analytics Engineers, ML Engineers, Data Analysts, BI Developers). For more strategic / leadership roles: From ~ $55 USD/hour for architects, leads, and principal engineers (scoped per role, seniority, and location). Your hourly rate includes: The contractor’s compensation Our margin for running sourcing, vetting, contracts, payroll, and compliance What’s not included: Client-specific travel and on-site costs (when applicable) Any tools, licences, or infrastructure you require them to use in your environment Billing is usually monthly in USD (local currency possible), with standard business payment terms agreed in the contract.
Are your contractors remote or can they work on-site?
We are remote-first, with talent time-zone aligned to your team wherever possible. On-site or hybrid work is scoped individually and may include: A location-based uplift on the rate Agreed minimum on-site days per month Travel and accommodation covered by the client (when applicable)
What are the minimum commitments, notice periods, and what if someone isn’t a fit?
Minimum commitment: typically 120 hours per month per contractor, with no minimum initial term. Scaling up/down: we agree notice periods in the SOW (typically 14 days) so you can adjust capacity without surprises. If it’s not a fit: We step in, diagnose the issue with you, and propose a replacement. There is no additional sourcing fee for replacement; the goal is a productive, stable team, not just filling seats.
Who owns the IP and how do you handle confidentiality and data?
All work produced by our contractors under your SOW is your IP and belongs to you/the client. Contractors work under strict confidentiality obligations, both with Calimala and in your contract terms. Access to your code, data, and environments is granted and controlled by you; we expect you to apply your normal security and access controls. Our own AI platform operates with security and privacy by design: we don’t resell your proprietary data or use it to train public models; its role is to support matching, reporting, and governance for your engagement.