Research Data Science Expert (Coding) at Mercor

Research Data Science Expert | $70–120/hr | Remote Worldwide

Mercor is seeking experienced Data Science professionals to support high-impact research collaborations with leading AI labs. Apply your engineering expertise to improve AI systems through code validation, prompt refinement, algorithmic evaluation, and model benchmarking.

Key Responsibilities

• Scientific Research Translation: Identify and analyze high-impact Data Science research papers that introduce novel, code-implementable methods
• Complex Problem Decomposition: Break down high-level scientific problems into logical, independently testable subproblems
• Golden Solution Authoring: Develop Gold Standard Python solutions for each subproblem and create corresponding unit tests to verify accuracy
• Quality Control and Review: Review peer prompts, golden solutions, and unit tests for accuracy, comprehensiveness, and difficulty

Ideal Qualifications

• Degree: Bachelor's, Master's or PhD in a Data Science field
• Expert Python Proficiency: Strong experience in scientific computing libraries (NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib, JAX, or domain-specific packages like RDKit or OpenMM)
• Technical Writing: Ability to translate dense academic research into clear, structured problem statements for a technical audience
• Version Control: Proficiency with Git, including branch management and pull request workflows
• Unit Testing Experience: Familiarity with testing frameworks (like pytest) and the ability to write robust validation scripts for mathematical/scientific code

Project Timeline

• Start Date: Immediate
• Duration: 1–2 months
• Commitment: Part-time (15–25 hours/week, with flexibility up to 80 hours/week)

Application & Onboarding Process

• Upload your resume
• AI interview: 2 short, 15-minute conversational sessions to understand your background and experience
• Follow-up communication within a few days with next steps and onboarding details

Contract and Payment Terms

• Independent contractor engagement
• Fully remote role with flexible scheduling
• Weekly payments via Stripe or Wise
• Projects can be extended, shortened, or concluded early depending on needs and performance
• Note: Unable to support H1-B or STEM OPT candidates at this time

About Mercor

Mercor partners with leading AI labs and enterprises to train frontier models using human expertise. Work on projects that focus on training and enhancing AI systems, collaborate with leading researchers, and help shape the next generation of AI systems in your area of expertise.

We consider all qualified applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics and provide reasonable accommodations upon request.