MercorDomain experts
Inorganic Materials, Semiconductor & Superconductor Experts
$84/hr
About this role, in Mercor's words
Mercor is seeking experimental scientists and engineers across inorganic synthesis, characterization, superconductors, and semiconductors (including advanced packaging) to support a frontier AI research lab building models for materials science and the physical sciences. This is hands-on, expert-level work: you'll apply deep, specialized knowledge to generate, structure, and evaluate the scientific data these models learn from — and your input will directly shape how advanced models reason about materials, devices, and processes.
What you'll do
Key Responsibilities
- Contribute domain expertise across synthesis, characterization, fabrication, and device physics to build high-quality training and evaluation data.
- Review and evaluate AI-generated scientific reasoning, catching errors and improving technical accuracy.
- Design and solve challenging, expert-level problems in your area of specialization.
Show all 6 itemsHide the other 3 in Key Responsibilities
- Rate and rank model outputs against defined scientific criteria, with clear written reasoning.
- Structure technical knowledge — experimental procedures, characterization results, process data — into well-organized, model-ready data.
- Deliver reliable, high-quality work within defined timelines.
Quoted from selected sections of Mercor's posting. The full posting may state other conditions. Read the full posting
A closer look
More context, when you need it.
Full job descriptionThe original posting, in Mercor's words
Posted by Mercor, reproduced here so you can judge the role before clicking. Original posting ↗
Mercor is seeking experimental scientists and engineers across inorganic synthesis, characterization, superconductors, and semiconductors (including advanced packaging) to support a frontier AI research lab building models for materials science and the physical sciences. This is hands-on, expert-level work: you'll apply deep, specialized knowledge to generate, structure, and evaluate the scientific data these models learn from — and your input will directly shape how advanced models reason about materials, devices, and processes.
Key Responsibilities:
• Contribute domain expertise across synthesis, characterization, fabrication, and device physics to build high-quality training and evaluation data.
• Review and evaluate AI-generated scientific reasoning, catching errors and improving technical accuracy.
• Design and solve challenging, expert-level problems in your area of specialization.
• Rate and rank model outputs against defined scientific criteria, with clear written reasoning.
• Structure technical knowledge — experimental procedures, characterization results, process data — into well-organized, model-ready data.
• Deliver reliable, high-quality work within defined timelines.
You're a strong fit if you have:
• Hands-on experimental experience in one or more of: inorganic synthesis (solid-state, solution, solvothermal, sol-gel), superconducting materials, or semiconductors and advanced packaging.
• Strong materials or device characterization skills (XRD, SEM, TEM, spectroscopy, electrical/transport measurements).
• Experience with thin-film growth or device fabrication (MBE/epitaxy, MOCVD, CVD, sputtering, IBAD, etch, clean-room microfabrication) — a plus.
• An advanced degree (PhD/MS) or equivalent hands-on experience in materials science, chemistry, physics, or a related engineering field.
• Clear written English and the ability to explain technical reasoning concisely.
Role Details:
• Type: Long-term, ongoing engagement
• Engagement: Up to 40 hours/week (minimum 10)
• Work arrangement: Remote (US-based)
Working with MercorPay, getting started and work, from Mercor's own pages
What the platform publishes in general. These are not extra terms confirmed for this particular role.
- Getting paid
- Hourly work is paid every Wednesday for the previous week, through Stripe Connect or Wise, whichever Mercor assigns to your region. Stripe holds the first payout for 7 days. talent.docs.mercor.com/how-to/payments, talent.docs.mercor.com/policies/contracts
- Before your first paid task
- An AI interview of about 20 minutes, reused for other roles that need it, then any assessments the role asks for. Before logging hours: ID verification through Persona, a tax form, the contract documents, the Insightful time tracker, and a background check the onboarding guide says usually takes one to two weeks. talent.docs.mercor.com/support/ai-interview, talent.docs.mercor.com/how-to/apply, talent.docs.mercor.com/policies/contracts, talent.docs.mercor.com/how-to/id-verification, talent.docs.mercor.com/working/project-onboarding
- How much work
- Hearing back after the AI interview usually takes 2 to 4 weeks. When a project ends you are not moved to a new one automatically. talent.docs.mercor.com/support/ai-interview, talent.docs.mercor.com/support/project
- Contract
- Independent contractor with Mercor.io Corporation of San Francisco, which deducts no taxes. talent.docs.mercor.com/policies/taxes-work-authorization, talent.docs.mercor.com/support/legal
Read on the pages linked above on 23 Sep 2026. Platforms change these terms, so check the linked page before you rely on one.
Alex's experience on MercorA personal account, not a promise about your project
Alexruns this site and has worked on Mercor himself. Written 31 Aug 2026.
- Every interview I took used an AI interviewer. They always checked my microphone and camera and asked me to share my screen, and some included a timed exercise of around 25 minutes.
- Many later applications needed no new interview from me. With the required assessments complete and no other outstanding steps, applying could be close to one click.
- The application I checked did not ask for a rate. My offer matched my minimum in Work Preferences. That does not establish that Mercor always caps higher offers at your preference.
- Onboarding and setup came to about 4 hours, with more security and tool setup. Of the three platforms I worked on, it was the most complicated for me. That is an estimate from my projects, not a platform average.
- Mercor required the Insightful tracker on my project. I observed app and website usage monitoring, and I am unsure which screenshot settings applied, so check the configuration.
- I was paid for hours logged, once every 14 days, and I have not experienced late or incorrect payments. That was my arrangement. Mercor's current documentation describes weekly payout cycles, so check your own offer.
One person's applications, not a promise about yours.
What happens after you apply, first-handHow does the pay compare?Across Domain experts roles, not this role alone
From our own daily reads of every open listing on the platforms we follow, not from Mercor's posting. How we count.
Pay across the field: Domain experts
Across 699 roles in this field with a stated hourly rate in US dollars, on 18 platforms, the middle half pays $65 to $130 an hour at the top of the range, and the median is $100. This role's top rate, $84, is in the middle half. Of the 261 distinct rates we count, 107 are lower and 153 are higher.
| Platform | Roles | Top of range, per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Alignerr | 149 | $24 to $200 · median $80 |
| micro1 | 136 | $28 to $400 · median $110 |
| AfterQuery | 88 | $45 to $175 · median $100 |
| Handshake AI | 79 | $30 to $300 · median $85 |
| Mercor (this platform) | 77 | $55 to $450 · median $120 |
Sources and listing historyWhere this information comes from
This listing's history
- First seen here on 19 Aug 2026, and still on Mercor's list when we last read it on 13 Oct 2026.
- Posted by Mercor
- First seen by AIPayList
- Last seen live
- Listing ID
- list_AAABn7y1hc_w_rS_H_hIF6Zt
Pay as the source states it: “84 USD HOUR”.
Platforms sometimes change a rate after posting. Every listing here is re-read at least once a day and corrected when its source moves, so a difference you see on the platform is usually a change made since the last read. How freshness works.
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