Materials Science Domain Expert at Mercor

Materials Science Domain Expert | $70–110/hr | Hybrid – Bay Area, CA

Join a leading AI lab's GenAI team as a senior Materials Science Domain Expert, where your deep technical knowledge directly shapes the reasoning capabilities of frontier AI models. This is a full-time, hybrid W-2 role (via Cincinnatus LLC) embedded within a world-class AI research team.

What You'll Do

• Data QA & Review: Evaluate the quality of materials science knowledge tasks and model outputs, identifying thin reasoning, unsupported structure-to-property claims, and technically flawed answers that appear plausible on the surface.
• Instruction Specs & Golden Datasets: Author high-quality instruction specifications, produce authoritative golden solutions to materials problems, and define new task types grounded in real-world practice.
• Benchmarks & Evaluation: Design rigorous materials science evaluation sets and help build domain-specific skills and tools alongside the research team.
• Calibration: Collaborate with researchers and adjacent-field specialists to maintain consistent standards, translating tacit expert judgment into explicit, teachable criteria.

Who You Are

• Education: PhD in materials science, materials engineering, chemistry, chemical engineering, applied physics, or metallurgy. A master's degree with exceptional industrial depth may be considered.
• Experience: 4+ years of substantive research or industrial R&D at a university, national laboratory, or industrial research organization.
• Domain Depth: Genuine specialization in at least one area — e.g., energy storage/batteries, semiconductors, polymers, structural alloys, characterization/microscopy, or computational materials.
• Seniority: Demonstrated progression to a senior-level role (Senior Scientist, Staff Scientist, Principal Investigator, or equivalent) with real ownership of research direction.
• Research Record: Peer-reviewed publications, granted patents, or shipped materials programs strongly preferred.
• AI Fluency: Hands-on experience using large language models professionally, with the judgment to distinguish well-reasoned answers from convincing but incorrect ones.
• Communication: Excellent written communication skills with the ability to deliver precise, well-structured technical feedback.

Location & Availability

This is a hybrid role based in the Bay Area, California. Candidates must reside in the Bay Area and be available to work on-site multiple days per week. Relocation assistance is not provided. Candidates must be able to commit to 40 hours per week for an initial 6-month engagement.

About the Employer

This role is employed through Cincinnatus LLC, an enterprise staffing company that partners with leading technology firms to place highly skilled professionals within client teams. Cincinnatus serves as the employer of record, providing W-2 employment, payroll, benefits, and compliance. Cincinnatus is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer committed to an inclusive workplace.