Life, Physical & Social Science Expert
Mercor • Remote
Education
Not stated
Type
Hourly
Pay
$60-120/hr
Your rate depends on your experience and the task.
Last checked
Today
Checked
Only apply if this role fits your skills and interests.
About this role
From the Mercor listing
The research teams behind the best-known AI models come to Mercor for scientific judgment they can't generate on their own. Your standards and expertise become the rubric that frontier AI is graded against.
This is a standing listing for researchers who want AI training and evaluation work, not a specific job opening. It stays open whether or not a matching project is running this week.
New projects start on short notice, so instead of posting and pulling a listing each time, we keep one open per field and draw from it when one begins.
What the work looks like
We match researchers in the network to projects like:
Writing a research problem from your own field, with the system, the data, and the assumptions, plus the reference answer a model's attempt gets graded against
Grading model-written analysis and interpretation: whether the method suits the question, whether the statistics support the claim, whether the conclusion follows from the evidence
Flagging where a model produces a result that is internally consistent and would not survive peer review, given the design, the sample, or what the measurement can actually show
Projects across these fields have posted at $60 to $120 an hour, set per project by scope and depth.
What we're looking for
A graduate degree in a life, physical, or social science, with research experience
Clear written communication, since most of the work involves explaining your reasoning
Comfort with ambiguous tasks, and willingness to flag unclear instructions
What this covers
This pool spans the sciences, including:
Biology, biotechnology, chemistry, and materials science
Physics and astronomy; mathematics
Earth and environmental science; agriculture
Psychology; sociology and anthropology
Economics; political science and policy research
Where you trained matters less than whether you designed the studies and interpreted the data yourself, recently enough to explain the calls you made.
How it works
Apply here with your resume and confirm where you work from, then take a short AI interview, about 20 minutes total.
We verify your background and add you to the science pool.
When a project needs your field, we invite matching people from the pool to that specific listing. It names the rate, the hours, and the client, and any hiring decision is made there.
What to expect
This listing does not accept or reject candidates, so you will not get a decision on it. We reach out when a project matches your background. Depending on what our clients are running, that can be within a week or several months.
Finishing the domain expert interview and joining every network you qualify for both improve your odds of being matched. You only need to sign up once to be eligible across all of them.
How long hiring takes
On the platforms we refer people to, half of hires came within about 25 days of applying. Time from applying to hire:
Talent pool members
When your profile is a strong match, we can put you forward to Mercor. Set up your profile first if you haven't.
Set up your profile →Why this role
This Life, Physical & Social Science Expert role pays $60-120/hr for STEM judgment from someone trained in the field.
Talent pool
We're light on STEM candidates
We've tracked 1,036 STEM listings and have few candidates to put forward for them. Set up a profile and we'll consider you for roles like this one.
Set up your profileSkills and categories
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Common questions
Is Mercor for freelancers or full-time contractors?
Mercor places you with one client for a set contract, such as 'Python Tutor for 3 months'. Most roles are steady contract work rather than one-off tasks.
Does Mercor's application require an on-camera interview?
Yes. You record a video interview with an AI interviewer that asks about your resume, and clients watch it before they hire, so plan to be on camera.
Do I need a PhD for research-level AI training roles?
The best-paid roles usually expect a PhD or current enrollment. The domain assessment decides, though, and if you can solve the problems the degree matters less.
Is research-level AI training steady work?
Usually not. Work comes in projects, such as training a model on quantum mechanics, that can last a few weeks. Plan for it like a short fellowship.
What does STEM work look like for a Life, Physical & Social Science Expert?
You check AI answers to STEM questions, correct their errors and write expert reasoning. As a Life, Physical & Social Science Expert, you're hired for that judgment, so hands-on STEM experience matters.
How much does this specific role pay?
This listing is posted at $60-120/hr, an hourly rate. Where you land in the range depends on your background and the assessment. Pay can change after we check the listing, so confirm the rate on the platform's application page.
What happens when I click Apply on this listing?
Apply opens Mercor's site, where you create an account and follow its sign-up steps.
How soon will I start working after applying to Mercor?
Usually after a few weeks. Applying puts you in Mercor's pool of candidates, and you start once a client, such as an AI lab, picks your profile.