Public Defender — Paid Research Study at Mercor

Public Defender | $100/hr | Remote (US) — Join a paid research study mapping the real-world work of public defenders across the United States. This is a flexible, remote opportunity ideal for current or former public defenders looking to contribute their expertise to meaningful legal research.

About the Study

Through Project Mercator, we are recruiting up to 100 current or former public defenders to help document and map the tasks, responsibilities, and workflows involved in public defense work. We want to understand what you personally did — not a generalized job description.

What You'll Do

• Complete an initial survey describing your primary responsibilities, day-to-day tasks, and task dependencies.
• Describe different versions of the same task where applicable.
• Written instructions and coordinator support are provided throughout.
• No outside research or real case materials are required.

Compensation

• Wave 1: $100 per hour of reviewed survey time, up to 90 minutes (maximum $150).
• If additional time is needed beyond the cap, contact the study coordinator before proceeding.
• Wave 2 (selected participants): A follow-up survey to review a combined task tree and add detail. Scope and compensation will be confirmed separately before you begin.

Who Should Apply

• Current or former public defenders with hands-on experience representing indigent clients in the US.
• Able to describe work you personally performed, including jurisdiction and period of practice.
• Court-appointed or contract public defenders are welcome — please describe your arrangement in your application.
• Prior Mercor project experience is a plus but not required.

Note: Experience solely as a prosecutor, law student, legal-content annotator, or attorney without public-defense experience does not qualify for this study.

How to Apply

Submit your resume along with a brief description of your public-defense experience and availability. Applications are reviewed individually before survey links are issued. Applying does not automatically enroll you or begin the paid survey.

Please use your own professional experience when responding. Do not include client names, case numbers, identifying facts, confidential information, or privileged materials.