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 tot his job Apply To this Job