STEM OCR & LaTeX QA Specialist at Mercor

STEM OCR & LaTeX QA Specialist | $25–40/hr | Remote | Part-Time Contract

Mercor is partnering with a leading frontier AI research lab to build high-quality math and STEM training data from public-domain textbooks. We're seeking detail-oriented STEM experts to validate, repair, and format extracted problem–solution content. This is a precision-focused role ideal for those who love meticulous technical work.

Key Responsibilities

• Validate math and STEM question–answer pairs extracted from textbook PDFs, identifying OCR and extraction errors.
• Compare extracted text against source PDFs and correct transcription issues including symbols, subscripts, superscripts, and missing terms.
• Fix and standardize LaTeX formatting to ensure all expressions render correctly and match the source material.
• Extract and label relevant context such as problem statements, definitions, hints, solution steps, and short answers — recording accurate PDF page numbers.
• Revise raw textbook content into clean QA format when original content is demonstrative or references missing figures/equations.
• Assess solution quality for correctness, completeness, and logical consistency; flag gaps, incorrect steps, or answer mismatches.
• Maintain consistently high standards for precision, structure, and technical accuracy.

Required Qualifications

• Strong proficiency with LaTeX math formatting (required).
• Background in Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, or a related STEM field (BA/BS, Masters, PhD, or equivalent rigor).
• Comfort reading and verifying multi-step mathematical reasoning, including proofs and textbook solutions.
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to follow structured workflows precisely.
• Strong written communication skills for clear, concise technical notes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proof-based coursework such as real analysis, abstract algebra, or proof-based linear algebra.
• Experience as a TA, grader, tutor, contest solution writer, or math editor.
• Familiarity with common OCR failure modes in STEM text (misread symbols, broken equations, malformed fractions).
• Ability to handle advanced undergraduate or graduate-level material.

Project Details

• Commitment: 15–40 hours per week
• Project Length: Approximately 2–3 weeks
• Focus: Correctness over speed — quality is the top priority

If you have a strong STEM background and a passion for precise, structured technical work, we'd love to hear from you.