Federal Certified Materials Specialist / Incident Analyst
Mercor • Remote, United States
Education
Not stated
Type
Hourly
Pay Rate
$65–$75/hr
Listed
18d ago
Apply opens Mercor in a new tab.
Apply Now → ⚡ Boost your chances - Optimize your resume with Rezi.aiAbout this role
From the Mercor listing
About the work
Mercor is assembling a panel of energetic materials and propulsion experts to red-team frontier AI models. The goal is to test whether a model can correctly judge the misuse potential of a technical request — answering legitimate questions fully while refusing genuinely dangerous ones.
You will:
- Write challenging single-turn prompts in your domain, labelled across three levels: benign, dual-use, and adversarial.
- Evaluate the responses that come back against a defined policy standard, and judge whether each was handled correctly.
- Write the reference answer — what a correct response looks like, and the technical reasoning for why.
This domain lives on the dual-use line more than most. The same residue analysis that identifies what was used is a description of what to use; the same diversion indicators that catch a bad licensee tell someone how not to be caught. A model that refuses a routine forensic identification question is failing as badly as one that answers a question it shouldn't. Drawing that line reliably is why we need practitioners rather than generalists.
Background we're looking for
We're looking for people who have worked scenes and casework under a national certification — identifying materials after the fact, and inspecting the licensees who hold them. What matters most is being able to tell a routine professional question from one that's fishing for something else: the same residue signature that closes a case describes a recipe in reverse. You will be writing prompts that sit exactly on that line, then judging whether the model held it.
Examples of relevant backgrounds (ideally with red-teaming experience):
- Federally certified explosives specialist or national equivalent — scene and materials analysis
- Forensic laboratory identification of energetic materials and post-blast residues
- Post-incident analysis and reporting for an agency or laboratory
- Regulatory inspection of licensees and permittees — storage, records and diversion indicators
- Expert testimony or casework on energetic materials
What this role demands beyond technical depth
This is writing-intensive work. Every judgment you make needs a written rationale that a non-specialist can follow. Prior technical writing, published research, or expert witness experience is a strong signal; please include a sample or link. You will also be reading and writing about misuse scenarios in your field for sustained periods. We brief experts on this in advance, and you can pause or step away at any point without penalty.
Before you apply
Your work here will not involve, and must not draw on, classified or export-controlled information, or anything covered by an NDA or prepublication review obligation. If you hold such obligations you may still be a good fit; tell us in your application and we will scope the work accordingly.
Requirements
- Must be eligible to work in one of: Remote, United States
- Fluent proficiency in English (Written & Verbal)
- Reliable high-speed internet connection
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience
- Demonstrated expertise in Generalist
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 →What to Expect
Looking at Mercor Generalist listings we've tracked, contracts in this domain typically run about 6.8 weeks. Actual length varies by project, but this gives you a realistic baseline going in.
Based on 10 extracted Mercor Generalist listings.
Why this role
Being remote means this Federal Certified Materials Specialist / Incident Analyst position pays $65–$75/hr regardless of your zip code, opening up Generalist work that used to require living in one of a handful of cities.
Skills and categories
Explore other opportunities in related specializations:
Related jobs
Browse All Jobs from Mercor
Discover more opportunities on Mercor that match your skills and interests.
View All Mercor Jobs →Verified Reviews
Community Reviews
Share your experience with Mercor
Help other candidates make better decisions by leaving a review.
Sign in to leave a reviewLeave your review
Common questions
Does it cost money to apply to Mercor?
No, applying and joining Mercor is free. Mercor's revenue comes from a fee it charges the client on top of your hourly rate, not from applicants. Treat any request for payment to join as a red flag.
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.
What does task-based AI training work look like?
Practical, hands-on data work: recording short videos, categorizing images, rating text responses, or analyzing data. Tasks are designed to be short and distinct, typically 5 to 60 minutes each.
What does asynchronous AI training work mean in practice?
No set hours, no check-ins, no meetings. You log in when you want, pick up an available task, complete it, and submit; nobody is waiting on you in real time. That's different from remote employment, where you're expected online during business hours. The tradeoff: you're competing with others for available tasks, so an empty queue means there's simply nothing to do until more work is released.
What does Generalist work look like for a Federal Certified Materials Specialist / Incident Analyst?
Tasks here are scoped to Generalist, not generic labeling. As a Federal Certified Materials Specialist / Incident Analyst, expect to draw on real domain judgment (evaluating outputs, correcting errors, or providing expert reasoning specific to Generalist) rather than following a one-size-fits-all rubric. If you don't have hands-on Generalist background, this is likely not the right listing to start with.
What specific skills does this listing call for?
Expert and AI Training are named directly in the listing. If you don't have hands-on experience with these, expect the screening process to test for them directly rather than accepting adjacent experience as a substitute.
How much does this specific role pay?
This listing is posted at $65–$75/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.
Can I apply from outside the United States?
This specific role is open only to people based in the United States. If you are somewhere else, applying is unlikely to lead to an offer even if you pass the assessment, because the restriction is usually about where the work can legally be contracted rather than your skills. Read the full description for any tax-residency or right-to-work caveats before you apply.
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.