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LLM Research Scientist (Pre-training & Post-Training)
Mercor • Remote
Education
Not stated
Type
Hourly
Pay Rate
$100–$120/hr
Listed
86d ago
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From the Mercor listing
We're looking for experienced machine learning researchers with hands-on experience training and improving language models end-to-end. You'll work on well-scoped empirical open-ended LLM research problems.
Responsibilities
Train transformer-based language models from scratch and fine-tune open-weight models.
Get the most out of limited data and compute.
Construct training corpora from raw web-scale sources.
Build post-training pipelines.
Diagnose and resolve training issues.
Requirements
We are looking for candidates with strong expertise in one or more of the following areas:
Foundation Model Pre-training
Experience with:
Training transformer-based language models from scratch, end-to-end.
Data- and compute-constrained regimes: allocating a fixed budget across model size, tokens, and epochs.
Diagnosing optimisation failures, convergence issues, and training instabilities.
Pre-training Data
Experience with:
Corpus construction from raw web crawls and other large unfiltered sources.
Data filtering, deduplication, quality classification, and mixture/ordering optimisation.
Measuring data interventions rigorously.
LLM Post-Training
Hands-on experience with one or more of:
Supervised fine-tuning, including building your own datasets via synthetic generation, noisy or weak supervision, and rejection sampling.
Preference optimisation (DPO, RLHF, RLAIF) and reward modelling / human-preference prediction.
Alignment fine-tuning: shaping refusal behaviour, truthfulness, and unbiased reasoning while preserving general capability.
Fine-tuning for narrow, verifiable domains (math, code, games, structured prediction) where outputs can be checked programmatically.
Additional Areas of Interest
Experience in any of the following is a plus:
Scaling laws and training-efficiency research.
Curriculum learning and data ordering.
LLM evaluation: benchmark construction, contamination control, statistically sound comparisons.
Reinforcement learning for language models.
Model alignment and AI safety.
General Qualifications
3+ years of machine learning research experience (PhD research counts toward this requirement).
Strong experience with PyTorch, JAX, TensorFlow, or similar ML frameworks.
Degree from a top-100 university, experience at a FAANG or comparable AI company, or an equivalent research track record through publications or impactful open-source contributions.
Why Join
Work on cutting-edge foundation model research.
Collaborate with leading AI researchers on challenging, high-impact projects.
Flexible, project-based work with competitive compensation.
Requirements
- Must be eligible to work in Remote
- Fluent proficiency in English (Written & Verbal)
- Reliable high-speed internet connection
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience
- Demonstrated expertise in STEM
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 →Key responsibilities
- Train transformer-based language models from scratch and fine-tune open-weight models.
- Get the most out of limited data and compute.
- Construct training corpora from raw web-scale sources.
- Build post-training pipelines.
Why this role
$100–$120/hr makes this LLM Research Scientist (Pre-training & Post-Training) role one of the higher-paying remote options in STEM, and it pays for background you've already built rather than a new skill set.
Skills 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.
Why do these AI training roles pay so much?
Because general knowledge isn't what's being tested. The model already knows the basics; what it needs is expertise on edge cases, the rare, difficult, highly technical judgment calls only a senior professional in the field would make correctly.
What does the day-to-day workload look like for elite-expert AI training roles?
Slow and deep, not fast and repetitive. A single task can take 45-60 minutes of researching citations or verifying complex calculations. Quality is what's being measured here, not throughput.
What does STEM work look like for a LLM Research Scientist (Pre-training & Post-Training)?
Tasks here are scoped to STEM, not generic labeling. As a LLM Research Scientist (Pre-training & Post-Training), 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 $100–$120/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.