Materials Science Expert
Mercor • Remote
Education
Not stated
Type
Hourly
Pay Rate
$60–$120/hr
Listed
17d 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
The research teams behind the best-known AI models come to Mercor for materials science 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 materials scientists 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 materials scientists in the network to projects like:
Writing a materials problem from work you have done, with the system, the processing history, and the property target, plus the reference answer a model's attempt gets graded against
Grading model-written structure-property reasoning: whether the microstructure explains the property, whether the characterization supports the claim, whether the processing window is realistic
Flagging where a model's proposed material meets the spec on paper and fails in service, given fatigue, corrosion, thermal cycling, or what can actually be manufactured
Past rates have run $60 to $120 an hour, set per project by scope and depth.
What we're looking for
A graduate degree in materials science or a related field, with research or industrial 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 processed and characterized the material 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 materials science pool.
When a project needs materials science 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 →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
AI labs pay $60–$120/hr for a Materials Science Expert because getting Generalist nuance wrong in a training set is expensive to fix later. That's what this rate is pricing in.
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
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.
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 Materials Science Expert?
Tasks here are scoped to Generalist, not generic labeling. As a Materials Science Expert, 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 $60–$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.