Biology Expert (PhD) — AI Safety Part-time NEW

Biology Expert (PhD) — AI Safety

$65-$70 / hr

Part-time position United States

Location Requirements

United States

About the role

We're hiring PhD-level biologists to help make advanced AI models safer. You'll apply your scientific expertise to evaluate and strengthen how these models handle specialized life-science topics. No prior AI/ML experience is required — we'll train you on the workflow.

What you'll do

• Write expert-level prompts across specialized life-science topics.
• Evaluate and annotate model responses for scientific accuracy, helpfulness, and appropriate handling of sensitive content.
• Apply structured guidelines to classify prompts and conversations.

What we're looking for

• A PhD in biology or a closely related life-science field — ongoing or completed (e.g., molecular biology, microbiology, virology, genetics, biochemistry, bioinformatics, synthetic biology, immunology).
• Deep familiarity with modern laboratory and computational techniques in your subfield.
• Strong scientific reasoning and writing in English.
• Sound judgment around biosecurity and the responsible handling of dual-use information.

Nice to have

• Research or coursework touching on biosafety/biosecurity, pathogen biology, or gain-of-function considerations.
• Experience reviewing, grading, or red-teaming technical content.

Project Timeline

• Start date: Immediate
• Commitment: Part-time (15–25 hours/week, with flexibility up to 40 hours/week)

We consider all qualified applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics and provide reasonable accommodations upon request.

Contract and Payment Terms

• You will be engaged as an independent contractor.
• This is a fully remote role that can be completed on your own schedule.
• Projects can be extended, shortened, or concluded early depending on needs and performance.
• Your work at Mercor will not involve access to confidential or proprietary information from any employer, client, or institution.
• Payments are weekly on Stripe or Wise based on services rendered.
• Please note: We are unable to support H1-B or STEM OPT candidates at this time.

About Mercor

Mercor partners with leading AI labs and enterprises to train frontier models using human expertise. You will work on projects that focus on training and enhancing AI systems. You will be paid competitively, collaborate with leading researchers, and help shape the next generation of AI systems in your area of expertise.

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