Pharmaceutical Research Expert - PhD
Mercor · United States
- Hybrid
- Part-time
- $150,000 / year
- United States
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Job highlights
- Design realistic digital workspaces for AI research.
- Develop multi-step tasks for AI agent challenges.
- Collaborate with experts on task design and evaluation.
- Contribute to frontier AI research and benchmarking.
- Shape AI system training and evaluation methods.
About the role
About The Job
Mercor connects elite creative and technical talent with leading AI research labs. Headquartered in San Francisco, our investors include Benchmark, General Catalyst, Peter Thiel, Adam D'Angelo, Larry Summers, and Jack Dorsey.
Position: Pharmaceutical Research Expert
Type: Contract
Compensation: $1,150–$1,450 per completed task
Location: Remote
Role Responsibilities
- Build a realistic digital workspace centered on the Drive folders you use day-to-day. Include study protocols, investigator brochures, IND/NDA drafts, pharmacology reports, biomarker analyses, CMC technical reports, and email threads.
- Represent platforms like Medidata Rave, Oracle Clinical One, Schrödinger Suite, and Benchling.
- Design multi-step tasks grounded in your real workflows. Require navigating multiple apps, files, and stakeholders to meaningfully challenge frontier AI agents.
- Collaborate with other pharmaceutical-research experts to design the environment, shape task scope, and review scenarios for realism and rigor.
- Work asynchronously with research teams to refine task designs and evaluation criteria for pharma-research agent benchmarks.
- Contribute to frontier AI research and benchmarking. The work you produce directly informs how leading labs train and evaluate the next generation of AI systems.
Qualifications
Must-Have
- PhD, MD, PharmD, or MS with deep experience; industry fellowship training a plus.
- 3+ years of full-time experience at a Fortune 500 pharma/biotech or top academic research center.
- Background in areas such as target ID/drug discovery, preclinical/translational research, clinical development, regulatory affairs, or real-world evidence.
- Day-to-day use of Medidata Rave, Oracle Clinical One, Schrödinger Suite, and Benchling.
- Strong analytical thinking and writing skills.
Compensation & Legal
- Task Completion Pay: Competitive and based on task quality (~$1,150–$1,450 per completed task, subject to change as the project evolves).
- Performance Bonus: Top performers receive a weekly bonus incentive on top of their per task rate.
- Hourly Opportunity: Top performers may be invited to transition to an hourly compensation model based on sustained quality and throughput.
Application Process (Takes 20–30 mins to complete)
- Upload resume
- AI interview based on your resume
- Submit form
Resources & Support
- For details about the interview process and platform information, please check: https://talent.docs.mercor.com/welcome
- For any help or support, reach out to: support@mercor.com
PS: Our team reviews applications daily. Please complete your AI interview and application steps to be considered for this opportunity.
Key skills/competency
- Pharmaceutical Research
- AI Benchmarking
- Drug Discovery
- Clinical Development
- Regulatory Affairs
- Medidata Rave
- Schrödinger Suite
- Benchling
- Analytical Thinking
- Scientific Writing
Skills & topics
- Pharmaceutical Research
- AI Research
- Drug Discovery
- Clinical Development
- Regulatory Affairs
- Real-World Evidence
- Medidata Rave
- Schrödinger Suite
- Benchling
- AI Benchmarking
- Remote
- Contract
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight your PhD/MD/PharmD, 3+ years of pharma experience, and specific platform expertise (Medidata Rave, Schrödinger Suite, Benchling).
- Prepare for the AI interview: Be ready to discuss your background in drug discovery, preclinical research, or regulatory affairs.
- Showcase analytical skills: Emphasize your strong analytical thinking and scientific writing abilities in your application.
- Understand the task-based pay: Be aware of the compensation structure and potential for performance bonuses and hourly transition.
- Complete all steps: Ensure your resume is uploaded and the AI interview is completed promptly for consideration.
Technical preparation
Master Medidata Rave, Oracle Clinical One, Schrödinger Suite.,Familiarize yourself with Benchling for data management.,Prepare to simulate real-world pharma workflows.,Practice designing complex, multi-step AI tasks.
Behavioral questions
Describe a complex research project you managed.,How do you ensure realism in your work?,How do you collaborate with diverse stakeholders?,How do you approach challenging AI agent tasks?
Frequently asked questions
- What is the compensation structure for the Pharmaceutical Research Expert role at Mercor?
- The Pharmaceutical Research Expert role at Mercor is compensated on a per-task basis, ranging from $1,150 to $1,450 per completed task. Top performers may also be eligible for weekly performance bonuses and could be invited to an hourly compensation model based on sustained quality and throughput.
- What qualifications are essential for the Pharmaceutical Research Expert position at Mercor?
- Essential qualifications include a PhD, MD, PharmD, or an MS with deep experience, coupled with at least 3 years of full-time experience in a Fortune 500 pharma/biotech or a top academic research center. A background in target ID/drug discovery, preclinical/translational research, clinical development, regulatory affairs, or real-world evidence is required, along with daily use of Medidata Rave, Oracle Clinical One, Schrödinger Suite, and Benchling, and strong analytical and writing skills.
- Can I work remotely as a Pharmaceutical Research Expert for Mercor?
- Yes, the Pharmaceutical Research Expert position at Mercor is a remote role, allowing you to build your digital workspace from anywhere.
- What is the application process for the Pharmaceutical Research Expert role at Mercor?
- The application process involves uploading your resume, completing an AI-driven interview based on your resume, and submitting the form. Mercor reviews applications daily and encourages prompt completion of these steps.
- What kind of tasks will I be designing as a Pharmaceutical Research Expert at Mercor?
- As a Pharmaceutical Research Expert, you will design multi-step tasks grounded in your real-world workflows. These tasks will involve navigating multiple applications, files, and stakeholders to challenge frontier AI agents, and will be centered around study protocols, IND/NDA drafts, pharmacology reports, and more, utilizing platforms like Medidata Rave and Benchling.
- What is Mercor's mission and who are their investors?
- Mercor connects elite creative and technical talent with leading AI research labs. Their notable investors include Benchmark, General Catalyst, Peter Thiel, Adam D'Angelo, Larry Summers, and Jack Dorsey.
- How does this role contribute to AI research?
- Your work as a Pharmaceutical Research Expert directly informs how leading AI research labs train and evaluate their next-generation AI systems. You will contribute to frontier AI research and benchmarking by designing realistic environments and tasks for AI agents.