Biology Research Scientist (BA, MS, PhD's)

Science & AI Safety • Independent Contractor • Remote • Weekly Payouts

About the Role

Mercor is partnering with a leading AI research organization to verify protein target assignments in large-scale bioactivity databases (ChEMBL, BindingDB). You will read primary literature, apply scientific judgment, and determine whether UniProt IDs accurately reflect the proteins being studied, work that directly feeds AI drug discovery pipelines.

What You'll Do

• Access primary sources (papers, patents) to verify protein target assignments against UniProt records

• Flag and classify target assignment errors using a structured taxonomy

• Propose correct UniProt accessions where assignments are wrong

• Write concise, evidence-grounded notes explaining your reasoning

Requirements

• BA/BS with 5+ years, MS with 2+ years, or PhD with industry or drug discovery research experience, in pharmacology, biochemistry, molecular biology, or chemical biology at a biotech, pharma, or CRO

• Hands-on binding or functional assay experience (SPR, TR-FRET, radioligand binding, kinase assays, GPCR functional assays, IC50/Ki/KD)

• Currently bench-active in a research, scientist, or associate scientist role

• Working fluency with UniProt or adjacent workflows: SAR support, HTS, target validation, biochemical profiling, or IND-enabling studies

Nice to Have

• Direct experience with ChEMBL, BindingDB, or PubChem

• Selectivity profiling or counterscreening experience

• Familiarity with agonist/antagonist vs. activator/inhibitor distinctions

Role Details

• 10, 20 hrs/week | Remote | Immediate start

• 1, 2 month minimum, extension likely

• U.S. only

Details

• Pay: $60 to $100 per hour (hourly)
• Commitment: 40 hours per week • remote
• Eligible locations: United States
• Platform: Mercor (weekly payouts via Stripe or Wise)

Submit your application via the link below. Qualified candidates move through Mercor's short AI interview and selection process. Projects can be extended, shortened, or concluded early depending on needs and performance.