STEM Computational Scientist - PhD

About the job

Mercor connects elite creative and technical talent with leading AI research labs. Headquartered in San Francisco, our investors include Benchmark, General Catalyst, Peter Thiel, Adam D'Angelo, Larry Summers, and Jack Dorsey.

Position: STEM Computational Scientific Software & Evaluation Design
Type: Contract
Compensation: $45–$100/hour
Location: Remote
Commitment: 15–20 hours/week

Role Responsibilities

• Design graduate-level computational problems using domain-specific scientific software libraries.
• Evaluate AI models' ability to solve research-grade problems through strategic reasoning and problem-solving.
• Develop and refine tasks through calibration loops with state-of-the-art AI models.
• Collaborate asynchronously and work independently to meet deadlines and improve AI model performance.
• Utilize Python for problem setups, oracle functions, and solution validators in a Linux/terminal environment.

Qualifications

Must-Have

• Graduate-level training in a relevant STEM domain (MS, PhD, or equivalent research experience).
• Proficiency with at least one scientific software library, evidenced by research publications, open-source contributions, or professional work.
• Strong Python programming skills.
• Ability to work independently and iterate on problem designs based on calibration feedback.
• Comfortable working in a Linux/terminal environment with remote compute sandboxes.

Preferred

• Experience across multiple listed domains or tools.
• Familiarity with benchmark or evaluation design.
• Background in scientific pedagogy or exam/problem-set design.
• Experience with computational reproducibility and containerized environments.

Application Process (Takes 20–30 mins to complete)

• Upload resume
• AI interview based on your resume
• Submit form

Resources & Support

• For details about the interview process and platform information, please check: https://talent.docs.mercor.com/welcome
• For any help or support, reach out to: [email protected]

PS: Our team reviews applications daily. Please complete your AI interview and application steps to be considered for this opportunity.