Biology Research Scientist at Mercor

Biology Research Scientist | $50–70/hr | Remote (US Only)

Join a cutting-edge AI drug discovery initiative as a contract Biology Research Scientist. Mercor is partnering with a leading AI research organization to verify protein target assignments in large-scale bioactivity databases. Your scientific expertise will directly support AI-driven drug discovery pipelines — meaningful, high-impact work you can do remotely on a flexible schedule.

What You'll Do

• Access and review primary sources (research papers, patents) to verify protein target assignments against UniProt records in databases such as ChEMBL and BindingDB
• Identify and classify target assignment errors using a structured taxonomy
• Propose correct UniProt accessions where assignments are inaccurate
• Write concise, evidence-grounded notes documenting your scientific reasoning

Requirements

• BA/BS with 5+ years, MS with 2+ years, or PhD with relevant industry or drug discovery experience in pharmacology, biochemistry, molecular biology, or chemical biology
• Background at a biotech, pharma, or CRO environment
• Hands-on experience with binding or functional assays (SPR, TR-FRET, radioligand binding, kinase assays, GPCR functional assays, IC50/Ki/KD)
• Currently bench-active in a research, scientist, or associate scientist role
• Working fluency with UniProt or adjacent workflows: SAR support, HTS, target validation, biochemical profiling, or IND-enabling studies

Nice to Have

• Direct experience with ChEMBL, BindingDB, or PubChem
• Selectivity profiling or counterscreening experience
• Familiarity with agonist/antagonist vs. activator/inhibitor distinctions

Role Details

• Hours: 10–20 hrs/week
• Location: Remote (U.S. only)
• Start: Immediate
• Duration: 1–2 month minimum, with likely extension