Propulsion & Effects Engineer at Mercor

Propulsion & Effects Engineer | $65–75/hr | Worldwide Remote

Mercor is building a panel of energetic materials and propulsion experts to red-team frontier AI models — evaluating whether these systems can correctly distinguish legitimate technical inquiries from genuinely dangerous ones. This is specialized, writing-intensive contract work for seasoned practitioners in propulsion, munitions, or terminal effects engineering.

What You'll Do

• Author challenging single-turn prompts across three risk tiers: benign, dual-use, and adversarial
• Evaluate AI-generated responses against defined policy standards, assessing whether each was handled appropriately
• Write reference answers — including the correct technical response and a clear rationale for the judgment made

Relevant Backgrounds

• Munitions, warhead design, and terminal effects engineering
• Solid, liquid, or hybrid propulsion system design, test, and qualification
• Terminal effects modelling — blast, fragmentation, and penetration analysis
• Fuzing, safe-and-arm, and initiation system engineering
• Test range engineering and instrumentation for propulsion or ordnance programs

What This Role Requires

Beyond deep technical expertise, this role demands strong written communication. Every judgment you render must be supported by a clear, written rationale accessible to non-specialists. Prior technical writing, published research, or expert witness experience is highly valued — please include a writing sample or link in your application.

You will regularly read and write about misuse scenarios within your field. Mercor briefs all experts on this in advance, and you may pause or step away at any time without penalty.

Important Note on Sensitive Information

This work must not draw on classified, export-controlled, or NDA-protected information. If you hold such obligations, you may still be eligible — please disclose this in your application so the scope can be adjusted accordingly.