Biology PhDs with published papers
## Role Overview
Mercor is seeking PhD-level life scientists with deep expertise across biology, omics, and computation to support a research project with a leading AI lab. In this role, you will leverage your domain knowledge in biology to create challenges for leading AI models - ensuring scientific accuracy, experimental rigor, and sound reasoning across complex biological questions. Your hands-on research experience will directly shape how next-generation AI systems understand and reason about the life sciences.
## Key Responsibilities
- Create challenges related to molecular biology, genomics, transcriptomics, epigenetics, and/or proteomics with scientific accuracy and depth
- Design experimental challenges, including evaluation of controls, confounders, reproducibility, and data interpretation
- Create high-quality training data including research-level questions, answers, and evaluation rubrics across domains
- Provide structured feedback on challenges covering wet-lab protocols, computational analysis pipelines, and study design
- Apply quantitative and bioinformatics reasoning to calibrate model performance on complex, multi-step biological problems
## Qualifications
### Required
- **PhD** (or MD/PhD) in a life-science field such as molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, bioengineering, or systems biology
- **Currently or recently active in academia** - e.g., faculty, staff scientist, research scientist, or postdoc with an active institutional affiliation and ongoing research
- **Hands-on wet-lab experience** - must have designed and executed experiments (not purely computational)
- **Strong experimental design and scientific reasoning** - demonstrated expertise with controls, confounders, reproducibility, and interpretation
- **Bio-focused domain expertise** in at least one of the following:
- Genomics
- Transcriptomics
- Epigenetics
- Proteomics / protein assays / protein biochemistry
- **Evidence of research impact** - published peer-reviewed work or influential preprints/tools/datasets with clear contributions (e.g., first/second author papers, senior-author leadership, or widely used methods and resources)
### Preferred
- **Computational and quantitative skills** - experience in computational biology, bioinformatics, statistical genetics, and/or machine learning for omics (analysis, interpretation, and study design support)
- **Breadth across molecular modalities:**
- DNA / RNA / protein biology; gene expression and translation
- Protein assays (e.g., Western blot, ELISA, mass spectrometry-based proteomics)
- Small molecules / chemical biology exposure
## Job Details
- Pilot program to start. High touch and high excellence required - with potential for extension based on performance.
Apply Now
Apply Now
Mercor is seeking PhD-level life scientists with deep expertise across biology, omics, and computation to support a research project with a leading AI lab. In this role, you will leverage your domain knowledge in biology to create challenges for leading AI models - ensuring scientific accuracy, experimental rigor, and sound reasoning across complex biological questions. Your hands-on research experience will directly shape how next-generation AI systems understand and reason about the life sciences.
## Key Responsibilities
- Create challenges related to molecular biology, genomics, transcriptomics, epigenetics, and/or proteomics with scientific accuracy and depth
- Design experimental challenges, including evaluation of controls, confounders, reproducibility, and data interpretation
- Create high-quality training data including research-level questions, answers, and evaluation rubrics across domains
- Provide structured feedback on challenges covering wet-lab protocols, computational analysis pipelines, and study design
- Apply quantitative and bioinformatics reasoning to calibrate model performance on complex, multi-step biological problems
## Qualifications
### Required
- **PhD** (or MD/PhD) in a life-science field such as molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, bioengineering, or systems biology
- **Currently or recently active in academia** - e.g., faculty, staff scientist, research scientist, or postdoc with an active institutional affiliation and ongoing research
- **Hands-on wet-lab experience** - must have designed and executed experiments (not purely computational)
- **Strong experimental design and scientific reasoning** - demonstrated expertise with controls, confounders, reproducibility, and interpretation
- **Bio-focused domain expertise** in at least one of the following:
- Genomics
- Transcriptomics
- Epigenetics
- Proteomics / protein assays / protein biochemistry
- **Evidence of research impact** - published peer-reviewed work or influential preprints/tools/datasets with clear contributions (e.g., first/second author papers, senior-author leadership, or widely used methods and resources)
### Preferred
- **Computational and quantitative skills** - experience in computational biology, bioinformatics, statistical genetics, and/or machine learning for omics (analysis, interpretation, and study design support)
- **Breadth across molecular modalities:**
- DNA / RNA / protein biology; gene expression and translation
- Protein assays (e.g., Western blot, ELISA, mass spectrometry-based proteomics)
- Small molecules / chemical biology exposure
## Job Details
- Pilot program to start. High touch and high excellence required - with potential for extension based on performance.
Apply Now
Apply Now