Effective Date: 21 August 2026 Last Updated: 21 August 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how, operating as Engineer Hut (“Engineer Hut,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), collects, uses, discloses, and protects personal data in connection with the website located at engineerhut.com, related applications, and the services described in the Terms of Service (together, the “Platform”).

This Privacy Policy applies to Clients, Engineers, job applicants, website visitors, and API/developer users. It should be read together with the Terms of Service, the Payment and Refund Terms, and the API Terms of Use, which describe how the Platform itself operates.

Note for internal/legal review: This document uses bracketed placeholders for entity name, jurisdiction, retention periods, and named third-party processors. Before publishing, confirm: (a) which specific payment processor(s), cloud hosting providers, and analytics tools are actually in use; (b) whether Engineer Hut is subject to GDPR (e.g., offering services to individuals in the EU/UK), CCPA/CPRA (California residents), or other regional data protection laws, since the rights and disclosures required differ by regime; and (c) the actual data flows around the escrow-style milestone holding path described in the Payment and Refund Terms, since financial data handled there may carry additional regulatory obligations.

1. Who This Policy Covers

This Privacy Policy applies to:

• Clients who register, request services, or engage Engineers through Managed Engagements or Direct-Hire Engagements;
• Engineers who register, apply, or perform work through the Platform;
• Visitors who browse the Platform without creating an account;
• Developers who access the Platform’s API, including via AI-agent or MCP-based integrations; and
• Job applicants applying to work at Engineer Hut directly, where applicable.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal data, depending on how you use the Platform:

Account and profile data: name, email address, phone number, password/authentication data, company name, job title, profile photo, and, for Engineers, skills, certifications, work history, portfolio samples, and location.

Identity and eligibility data: for Engineers, government-issued identification or equivalent verification information where required to confirm identity or eligibility to work, and tax identification information (e.g., for tax reporting purposes).

Payment and financial data: billing address, payment method details (processed primarily by our payment processor(s) rather than stored directly by us, as described in Section 8), invoice and transaction history, and, where applicable, bank account details for Engineer payouts.

Communications: messages exchanged through the Platform between Clients and Engineers, support tickets, emails, and call or chat records with our support team.

Project and engagement data: project descriptions, scope documents, milestones, deliverables, timesheets, ratings, and reviews.

Technical and usage data: IP address, device and browser type, operating system, log data, pages viewed, referring URLs, and approximate location derived from IP address.

Cookies and similar technologies: as described in Section 9.

API and integration data: where you access the Platform via API, API keys, request logs, and data your integration or agent transmits to or retrieves from the Platform, as described in the API Terms of Use.

3. How We Collect Data

We collect data: (a) directly from you, when you register, complete your profile, message another User, submit a project, or contact support; (b) automatically, through cookies, log files, and similar technologies as you use the Platform; and (c) from third parties, such as identity verification providers, payment processors, and, where you choose to connect them, third-party login or professional-profile services.

4. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data to:

• create and manage accounts and profiles;
• match Clients with Engineers and facilitate Managed and Direct-Hire Engagements;
• process payments, invoices, and payouts, including funds handled under the escrow-style milestone holding path;
• verify identity and eligibility where required;
• provide customer support and respond to inquiries;
• send service communications (e.g., contract updates, payment confirmations, security alerts);
• send marketing communications, where you have opted in or as otherwise permitted by law, and provide a way to opt out;
• maintain the security and integrity of the Platform, including fraud prevention;
• comply with legal, tax, and regulatory obligations;
• analyze and improve the Platform’s functionality and user experience; and
• enforce the Terms of Service and investigate violations.

5. Legal Bases for Processing

Where applicable law requires a legal basis for processing (such as under the GDPR), we rely on one or more of the following: performance of a contract with you (e.g., to provide Platform services you request); our legitimate interests (e.g., improving the Platform, preventing fraud), balanced against your rights; compliance with a legal obligation (e.g., tax reporting); and, where required, your consent (e.g., for certain marketing communications or non-essential cookies), which you may withdraw at any time.

6. How We Share Personal Data

We share personal data in the following circumstances:

• Between Clients and Engineers: to facilitate an engagement, we share relevant profile, project, and communication data between the Client and Engineer(s) involved. For Managed Engagements, Engineer Hut may limit what Client-identifying information is shared directly with the assigned Engineer.
• Service providers: we share data with vendors who perform services on our behalf, such as payment processing, cloud hosting, identity verification, customer support tooling, and analytics, under contractual confidentiality and data protection obligations.
• Payment and escrow processing: payment and payout data is shared with our payment processor(s) and, where applicable, the entity or account structure used to hold funds under the escrow-style milestone holding path described in the Payment and Refund Terms.
• Legal and safety reasons: we may disclose data where required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, or where necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Engineer Hut, our Users, or the public.
• Business transfers: in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets, personal data may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this Privacy Policy or a successor policy.
• With your consent: we may share data for other purposes with your consent.

We do not sell personal data for money. Where applicable law (such as the CCPA/CPRA) defines certain data-sharing arrangements (e.g., for advertising) as a “sale” or “share,” we describe those practices and your related choices in Section 11.

7. International Data Transfers

Engineer Hut and its Engineers, Clients, and service providers may be located in different countries. Where we transfer personal data across borders, including to countries that may not provide the same level of data protection as your home jurisdiction, we use appropriate safeguards required by applicable law, such as standard contractual clauses, where applicable.

8. Payment Data Handling

Payment card and bank account details are generally collected and processed directly by our third-party payment processor(s), not stored in full by Engineer Hut. For engagements using the escrow-style milestone holding path described in the Payment and Refund Terms, transaction records (amounts, timing, and status of held and released funds) are maintained by Engineer Hut and/or the applicable payment processor to support dispute resolution, accounting, and legal compliance.

9. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate the Platform (e.g., keeping you logged in), remember preferences, measure usage, and, where applicable, support advertising. Categories may include:

• Strictly necessary cookies — required for core functionality such as authentication and security.
• Functional cookies — remember preferences and settings.
• Analytics cookies — help us understand how the Platform is used.
• Advertising cookies — where applicable, used to measure and deliver relevant advertising.

You can control cookies through your browser settings and, where offered, a cookie preference tool on the Platform. Disabling certain cookies may affect Platform functionality.

10. Data Retention

We retain personal data for as long as necessary to provide the Platform, comply with legal, tax, and regulatory obligations (including recordkeeping requirements related to payments and escrow-style fund holding), resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Retention periods vary by data type; for example, [transaction and tax records are retained for [7] years, while account data is retained for the duration of your account plus [X] years after closure]. When data is no longer needed, we delete or anonymize it in accordance with our internal retention practices.

11. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction — request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Deletion — request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal and contractual retention requirements (e.g., we may need to retain transaction records for tax purposes).
• Restriction or objection — request that we limit or stop certain processing, including objecting to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
• Portability — request your data in a portable format, where applicable.
• Withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent, withdraw it at any time without affecting prior processing.
• Opt out of sale/sharing (where applicable, e.g., California) — Engineer Hut does not sell personal data for money; where any data sharing could be considered a “share” under applicable law (e.g., for cross-context advertising), you may opt out as described in the cookie/preference tool made available on the Platform.
• Non-discrimination — we will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

To exercise these rights, contact us at [privacy contact email]. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority, where applicable.

12. Security

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction, consistent with the Security provisions of the Terms of Service. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

13. Children’s Privacy

The Platform is not directed to individuals under the age of 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child without appropriate consent, we will take steps to delete that data.

14. Automated Decision-Making and AI Features

Where the Platform uses automated processing to support functions such as matching Engineers to projects, fraud detection, or content moderation, we implement safeguards appropriate to the impact of that processing and provide a way to request human review of significant automated decisions where required by applicable law. Where AI agents or MCP-based integrations act on your behalf through the API, the data they access or transmit is handled consistent with this Privacy Policy and the API Terms of Use; you remain responsible for reviewing and authorizing sensitive actions taken by an agent, as described in the API Terms of Use.

15. Third-Party Links and Services

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party services (e.g., payment processors, identity verification providers, or tools you choose to connect). This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third parties, and we encourage you to review their privacy practices independently.

16. Marketing Communications

Where you have opted in, or as otherwise permitted by applicable law, we may send you marketing communications about Engineer Hut services. You may opt out at any time using the unsubscribe link in the communication or by contacting us at [privacy contact email]. You will continue to receive transactional and service-related communications necessary for your use of the Platform.

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date, and, where required by applicable law, we will provide additional notice (such as email notification) before the change takes effect. Continued use of the Platform after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

18. Regional Disclosures

Where required by applicable law, additional jurisdiction-specific disclosures (for example, for residents of the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, or U.S. states with comprehensive privacy laws) are provided in a regional addendum available at [insert link, if applicable] or on request.

19. Contact Us

Questions regarding these Terms may be directed to contact@engineerhut.com or through the official contact channels listed at https://engineerhut.com/contact/