Bilingual Portuguese STEM Expert (PhD) — AI Safety

About the role

We're hiring PhD-level scientists who are proficient bilingual speakers (English & Portuguese) to help make advanced AI models safer. You'll apply your scientific expertise to evaluate and strengthen how these models handle specialized technical topics in Portuguese. No prior AI/ML experience is required — we'll train you on the workflow.

What you'll do

• Write expert-level prompts in Portuguese across specialized scientific topics.

• Evaluate and annotate model responses for scientific accuracy, helpfulness, and appropriate handling of sensitive content.

• Apply structured guidelines to classify prompts and conversations.

What we're looking for

• A PhD in chemistry, biology, or a closely related field — ongoing or completed — with the depth to write prompts across chemical, biological, or radiological and nuclear subject areas.

• Native or near-native fluency in Portuguese, plus business-level written English.

• Deep familiarity with modern laboratory and computational techniques in your subfield.

• Sound judgment around scientific safety and the responsible handling of dual-use information.

Nice to have

• Based in Portugal or the wider Western Europe region. This is a preference, not a requirement — applicants based elsewhere are welcome.

• Radiological and nuclear coverage from a chemistry background is welcome — radiochemistry, nuclear chemistry, energetic materials, or radiation physics all qualify.

• Demonstrated depth in a specific subfield rather than broad coverage — for example organic or inorganic synthesis, molecular biology, microbiology, virology, or genetics.

• Research or coursework touching on chemical safety and security, biosafety and biosecurity, or hazardous-materials handling.

• Experience reviewing, grading, or red-teaming technical content.

Project Timeline

• Start date: Immediate

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

Contract and Payment Terms

• You will be engaged as an independent contractor.
• This is a fully remote role that can be completed on your own schedule.
• Projects can be extended, shortened, or concluded early depending on needs and performance.
• Your work at Mercor will not involve access to confidential or proprietary information from any employer, client, or institution.
• Payments are weekly on Stripe or Wise based on services rendered.
• Please note: We are 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. You will work on projects that focus on training and enhancing AI systems. You will be paid competitively, collaborate with leading researchers, and help shape the next generation of AI systems in your area of expertise.