STEM Research Expert (PhD-Level) at Mercor

STEM Research Expert (PhD-Level) | $70–100/hr | Remote (US) | Full-Time, W-2

Join a frontier AI lab's extended research workforce and play a central role in shaping the next generation of large language models. As a PhD-level subject-matter expert, you'll design rigorous scientific tasks, evaluate AI-generated solutions, and help push the boundaries of machine reasoning across STEM disciplines.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify knowledge gaps, edge cases, and frontier problems where current AI models underperform in STEM domains.
• Design challenging, research-grade tasks and write accurate, well-reasoned solutions demonstrating expert-level scientific thinking.
• Evaluate tasks and outputs produced by AI agents and other contributors, providing clear, domain-grounded technical feedback.
• Develop evaluation frameworks and rubrics for assessing scientific reasoning quality.
• Collaborate with fellow subject-matter experts to ensure consistency and accuracy across training datasets.

Core Qualifications

• PhD (completed, enrolled, or equivalent research track) in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Materials Science, or a related STEM field.
• 3+ years of research, academic, or industry experience in your primary STEM domain.
• Demonstrated expertise in at least one area: computational modeling, laboratory methods, data analysis, statistical inference, or scientific programming.
• Availability to commit to 40 hours per week, Monday–Friday.
• Strong written communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly.

Nice to Have

• Prior experience with data annotation, labeling, evaluation, or human feedback collection.
• Familiarity with LLMs, AI systems, or agentic workflows and frameworks.

This is a W-2 position employed through Cincinnatus LLC, an enterprise staffing company placing skilled professionals within leading technology client teams. Benefits, payroll, and compliance are fully managed by Cincinnatus. Cincinnatus LLC is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.