STEM Researchers - MSc/PhD (Must own MacBook)

Role Overview:

Mercor is looking for STEM researchers who hold or are currently pursuing an MSc or PhD to support a research project with a leading AI lab. You will work through real research workflows on your own Mac to help benchmark and improve cutting-edge AI models.

Qualifications:

• Required: You must own a MacBook or Mac with an Apple M-series chip or Intel processor, running macOS 15 or higher. Applicants without a Mac cannot be considered.

• Currently pursuing or have completed an MSc or PhD in a STEM field (e.g., physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, computer science, engineering)

• Hands-on research experience with tools such as Python/Jupyter, MATLAB, R, LaTeX, reference managers, or lab/data analysis software

• Strong online research skills and ability to gather and clearly summarize information from diverse sources

• Ability to clearly explain your reasoning while you work

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Job Details:

• Part-time commitment of approximately 10-20 hours per week

• Responsibilities include completing and narrating real research tasks (literature review, data analysis, modeling, technical writing) on your Mac to create high-quality training data for advanced AI models

• Clearly structured responsibilities without the high pressure typically found in internships or full-time consulting roles

• Immediate start preferred

Application and Onboarding Process:

• Submit your resume, followed by a brief (3-minute) conversation with our AI interviewer to assess research and reasoning skills

• Complete a brief paid assessment to further evaluate your fit for the role

• You will receive follow-up communication within a few days regarding your application status and next steps

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.