Physics PhD Experts (Statistical Mechanics, Condensed Matter & AMO Physics)

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.

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.

No, it's closer to academic research. Expect to write or verify complex proofs, solve advanced equations, or check the logic behind a model's step-by-step reasoning. The goal is teaching AI systems to reason deeply within your specific field.

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.

Tasks here are scoped to STEM, not generic labeling. As a Physics PhD Experts (Statistical Mechanics, Condensed Matter & AMO Physics), 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.

Data Annotation, English, and PhD 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.

This listing is posted at $70–$90/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.

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.

For this specific role, yes, or near-equivalent professional depth. The credential gate is enforced at the assessment stage, not just on paper. That said, active PhD candidates and people with equivalent published research have qualified without a formal degree. The assessment is the real filter.

This specific role is open only to people based in Canada, Europe, and the United Kingdom. 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, since they can differ by country.

Yes. You will need to complete a short AI interview and form - the whole application process should last 20-40 minutes

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.