На мой взгляд, предложение неоднозначное.
Однако, упражнение на прилагательные, а значит Еленин перевод подходит больше.

См.значение find (verb) experience a feeling
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/ru/%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%8C/%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B3%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9/find

to think or feel a particular way about someone or something:

[ + obj + noun/adj ] Do you find John difficult to talk to?
I don't find him an easy person to get on with.
She doesn't find it easy to talk about her problems.
[ + -ing verb ] I find living in the city very stressful

Если бы было "нашел работу проще, чем ожидал", то было бы
The work he found was easier than he had expected...

не согласен
варианты
1. нашел легче (без труда нашел)
2. работа более легкая

The work he found was easier than he has expected... - это (2), а не
"нашел работу проще, чем ожидал" (1)

хотя, конечно "нашел работу проще, чем ожидал" можно интерпретировать и как (1)

как (2)

Да, интересно, как будет "нашел работу проще (без труда), чем ожидал"... Мне кажется, как-то иначе.
Если без сравнительной степени, то easily found

(1) If this was referring to a job, it would not have an article “he found work easier than he had expected (to)”. (2) FIND in this context, means that in the end, the work in question TURNED OUT to be even easier than he initially thought it would be -or- he thought it was going to be difficult and it was actually easy. I would personally translate this as something like: В итоге, работа оказалась (ему?) легче, чем он ожидал. (??)

В итоге работа оказалась для него легче, чем он ожидал.

there you have it