Computational Chemistry Expert - PhD

About The Job
Mercor connects elite creative and technical talent with leading AI research labs. Headquartered in San Francisco, our investors include Benchmark, General Catalyst, Peter Thiel, Adam D'Angelo, Larry Summers, and Jack Dorsey.
Position: Computational Chemistry & Electronic Structure Expert
Type: Contract
Compensation: $70–$100/hour
Location: Remote
Commitment: 15–20 hours/week
Role Responsibilities
Design challenging computational problems to evaluate AI systems using real scientific software.
Develop problems requiring strategic planning and execution of complex, multi-step workflows.
Refine problems through iterative testing against state-of-the-art AI models to achieve target difficulty.
Collaborate with AI research teams to ensure problems test reasoning and strategic thinking.
Work independently to design and improve problem setups and solution validators using Python.
Operate in a Linux/terminal environment with remote compute sandboxes.
Qualifications
Must-Have
Graduate-level training in a relevant STEM field (MS, PhD, or equivalent research experience).
Proven proficiency with scientific software libraries like PySCF.
Strong Python skills.
Ability to work independently and refine problem designs.
Comfortable in a Linux/terminal environment.
Preferred
Experience across multiple domains or tools.
Familiarity with benchmark or evaluation design.
Background in scientific teaching or exam/problem-set design.
Experience with computational reproducibility and containerized environments.
Application Process (Takes 20–30 mins to complete)
Upload resume
AI interview based on your resume
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Resources & Support
For details about the interview process and platform information, please check: https://talent.docs.mercor.com/welcome
For any help or support, reach out to: support@mercor.com
PS: Our team reviews applications daily. Please complete your AI interview and application steps to be considered for this opportunity.

Work arrangement
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