What the work actually involves

You are supplying the scientific judgment that a frontier model is graded against. In practice that takes three shapes. First, authoring problems from your own research: the system or population, the data, the assumptions, and a reference answer defensible enough that another specialist in your subfield would accept it. Second, grading model-written analysis — does the method fit the question, do the statistics support the claim, does the conclusion follow from the evidence presented rather than from evidence the model wishes it had. Third, and hardest, catching output that is internally consistent and confidently written but would not survive review, because the design cannot support the inference, the sample is wrong for the claim, or the instrument simply does not measure the thing being asserted.

What the screen is looking for

Mercor screens for a graduate degree in a life, physical, or social science plus hands-on research experience — you designed the studies and interpreted the data yourself, recently enough to explain the calls you made. Prestige of institution matters less than whether you can talk through a specific analytic decision and why you made it. The AI interview also probes written and verbal clarity, since almost every deliverable is an explanation of reasoning, and tolerance for ambiguity: projects arrive with imperfect rubrics, and flagging an unclear instruction is treated as a contribution, not a complaint.

Fields covered

  • Biology, biotechnology, chemistry, materials science
  • Physics, astronomy, mathematics
  • Earth and environmental science, agriculture
  • Psychology, sociology, anthropology
  • Economics, political science, policy research

Logistics and honest expectations

Fully remote and asynchronous, with hours set per project rather than by a fixed schedule; most engagements are part-time and fit around an academic or industry position. Application is a resume, a location confirmation, and a roughly 20-minute AI interview. This is a standing listing, not an opening — it does not accept or reject anyone, so you will receive no decision on it. When a project needs your field you are invited to a separate listing that names the rate, hours, and client, and the hiring decision happens there. Matching can take a week or several months depending on what clients are running.