Materials Scientist – AI Trainer

About the role

Mercor is seeking a Materials Scientist to act as an AI Trainer, creating realistic digital workspaces that reflect daily materials‑science workflows. This remote contract position supports frontier AI research by designing and evaluating tasks that train next‑generation AI agents.

Key responsibilities

• Build a digital workspace that mirrors the Drive folders, experimental write‑ups, characterization reports, simulation results, technology transfer memos, IP disclosures, project proposals, and email threads used by materials‑science teams.
• Integrate platforms such as VASP, Materials Studio (Biovia), LabVantage LIMS, and ANSYS Fluent into multi‑step tasks.
• Collaborate with other materials‑science experts to define task scope, ensure realism, and review scenarios for rigor.
• Work asynchronously with research teams to refine task designs and evaluation criteria for AI agent benchmarks.
• Contribute to AI benchmarking efforts that inform how leading labs train and evaluate AI systems.

Required profile

• MS or PhD in materials science, chemistry, physics, or a related field.
• At least 3 years of full‑time experience in a Fortune 500 R&D organization, national lab, or R1 university research group.
• Background in metals, polymers, ceramics, composites, or semiconductor materials.
• Hands‑on experience with characterization techniques and computational materials science.

Required skills

• VASP
• Materials Studio (Biovia)
• LabVantage or LabWare LIMS
• ANSYS Fluent / STAR‑CCM+
• X‑ray diffraction (XRD)
• Scanning/Transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM)
• Spectroscopy and thermal analysis
• Density functional theory (DFT)
• Molecular dynamics (MD)
• Reliability and failure analysis
• Process development and scale‑up

What we offer

• Task‑based compensation ranging from $1,150 to $1,450 per completed task.
• Performance bonuses for top performers.
• Potential transition to an hourly compensation model for sustained high quality.