Mechanical Engineer – Remote Contract (up to $100/hr)

About the role

Mercor is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to design and evaluate graduate‑level computational problems for AI research labs. This fully remote contract role focuses on structural and mechanical engineering challenges using scientific software libraries.

Key responsibilities

• Design computational problems that require strategic reasoning and hidden‑information discovery.
• Calibrate tasks against state‑of‑the‑art AI models to achieve target difficulty levels.
• Implement solutions using scikit‑fem or comparable finite‑element libraries.
• Work independently in a Linux/terminal environment with remote compute sandboxes.
• Collaborate asynchronously with the team to improve AI model performance and problem‑solving strategies.

Required profile

• Graduate‑level training in a STEM field (MS, PhD, or equivalent research experience).
• Strong Python programming skills.
• Ability to work independently and iterate on problem designs.
• Comfortable operating in a Linux/terminal environment.

Required skills

• Python
• scikit-fem (or similar finite‑element library)
• Finite element analysis
• Linux command‑line proficiency
• Docker or other containerization tools

What we offer

• Compensation ranging from $70 to $100 per hour.
• Fully remote work arrangement.
• Flexible commitment of 15–20 hours per week.