Biology Expert
Mercor • Remote
Education
Not stated
Type
Hourly
Pay Rate
$70–$105/hr
Listed
17d ago
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Apply Now → ⚡ Boost your chances - Optimize your resume with Rezi.aiAbout this role
From the Mercor listing
The research teams behind the best-known AI models come to Mercor for biology judgment they can't generate on their own. Your standards and expertise become the rubric that frontier AI is graded against.
This is a standing listing for biologists who want AI training and evaluation work, not a specific job opening. It stays open whether or not a matching project is running this week.
New projects start on short notice, so instead of posting and pulling a listing each time, we keep one open per field and draw from it when one begins.
What the work looks like
We match biologists in the network to projects like:
Writing a research problem from your own work, with the system, the data, and the controls, plus the reference answer a model's attempt gets graded against
Grading model-written experimental designs and interpretations: whether the controls rule out what they claim to, whether the statistics suit the design, whether the conclusion follows from the figure
Flagging where a model gives a textbook-correct answer that would not survive at the bench, given the organism, the limits of the assay, or what the reagents can actually show
Past rates have run $70 to $105 an hour, set per project by scope and depth.
What we're looking for
A graduate degree in biology or a related life science, with research experience
Clear written communication, since most of the work involves explaining your reasoning
Comfort with ambiguous tasks, and willingness to flag unclear instructions
Where you trained matters less than whether you designed and ran the experiments yourself, recently enough to explain the calls you made.
How it works
Apply here with your resume and confirm where you work from, then take a short AI interview, about 20 minutes total.
We verify your background and add you to the biology pool.
When a project needs biology expertise, we invite matching people from the pool to that specific listing. It names the rate, the hours, and the client, and any hiring decision is made there.
What to expect
This listing does not accept or reject candidates, so you will not get a decision on it. We reach out when a project matches your background. Depending on what our clients are running, that can be within a week or several months.
Finishing the domain expert interview and joining every network you qualify for both improve your odds of being matched. You only need to sign up once to be eligible across all of them.
How long hiring takes
Across the AI training platforms we refer candidates to, the median gap between referral and hire is about 30 days. It varies by platform and role, so treat it as a rough guide for this one.
Talent Pool members
Apply through this link and we can put you forward to Mercor when your profile is a strong match. Not every applicant is submitted. If you're not in the pool yet, set up your profile first.
Set up your profile →Why this role
This Biology Expert role pays $70–$105/hr for your STEM judgment directly, without requiring case files, client meetings, or firm overhead to get there.
Talent pool
We're light on STEM candidates
We've matched 65 people with a STEM background against 726 STEM listings we've tracked, so most go out without one. Set up a profile and we'll consider you for a role like this one.
Set up your profileSkills and categories
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Common questions
Is Mercor for freelancers or full-time contractors?
Mercor places you with one client for a defined engagement, like 'Python Tutor for 3 months', rather than having you grab small tasks from a shared queue. Most roles function as steady contract work, not one-off gigs.
Does Mercor's application require an on-camera interview?
Yes, every applicant records a video interview with an AI interviewer that asks questions about your resume. Clients review that recording to judge communication skills before matching, so there's no way to apply without going on camera.
Do I need a PhD for academic-niche AI training roles?
For the top pay tiers, a PhD or current enrollment is usually expected. But the domain assessment is what decides it: if you can solve the problems, the degree becomes secondary.
Is academic-niche AI training a continuous job?
Usually not. Work runs in campaigns, like training a model specifically on quantum mechanics, that might last a few weeks. Treat it as a high-paying fellowship or grant rather than a permanent daily job.
What does STEM work look like for a Biology Expert?
Tasks here are scoped to STEM, not generic labeling. As a Biology Expert, expect to draw on real domain judgment (evaluating outputs, correcting errors, or providing expert reasoning specific to STEM) rather than following a one-size-fits-all rubric. If you don't have hands-on STEM background, this is likely not the right listing to start with.
What specific skills does this listing call for?
Expert is named directly in the listing. If you don't have hands-on experience with this, expect the screening process to test for it directly rather than accepting adjacent experience as a substitute.
How much does this specific role pay?
This listing is posted at $70–$105/hr, an hourly rate. The range reflects experience level and negotiated terms, not a placeholder, so where you land in it depends on your background and the assessment. Pay can change between when we last checked the listing and when you apply, so confirm the current number on the platform's own application page before committing time.
What happens when I click Apply on this listing?
You'll be taken to Mercor's external site to complete your application there. This listing links through a referral, but the process is identical to applying directly; the link just routes you correctly. Create an account on their site and follow their onboarding steps.
How soon will I start working after applying to Mercor?
Not immediately. Mercor is a talent marketplace, not a task queue, so applying puts you in a pool of candidates. You start working only once a specific client, like a major AI lab, selects your profile, and that matching process can take weeks.