Is this job worth applying to?

Pay

Above typicalTops out at $100/hr. The typical top rate across 1,713 priced listings is $70/hr.

Getting in

Some screening~30 min: resume upload + 20-min AI interview. Resume showing real experience in your field.

Steady work

Work is patchyProjects can pause or end with little notice.

Payout record

Pays on timeSchedule: weekly, every Wednesday. Paid via Stripe (Wise in a few countries).

Freshness

Older postPosted 7w ago. Still listed on Mercor on Nov 6, 2026.

Where you live

Named countries onlyOpen in United States.

The job description

Join a leading technology company's GenAI initiative and put your Excel expertise at the core of how the next generation of AI models learns to work in spreadsheets.

1\. Overview

We're seeking advanced Excel experts with broad, cross-industry experience — versatile professionals who have applied Excel at an expert level across a range of functions and industries, rather than in a single niche. Your expertise will directly elevate the quality of the training data behind the most advanced Large Language Models.

This role is for generalists who bring genuine breadth — modeling, data analysis, dashboards, and automation applied across multiple domains and business functions.

This is a W-2 employment position with Cincinnatus LLC, with the opportunity to be placed at a leading technology company as part of their extended workforce.

2\. Key Responsibilities

Guide research teams to close knowledge gaps and improve AI model performance on Excel-based tasks across a range of domains.
Design realistic Excel tasks drawn from your professional experience, and write accurate, well-structured solutions.
Evaluate Excel tasks and solutions and provide clear, written feedback.
Collaborate with other subject matter experts to ensure consistency and accuracy in training data.

3\. Core Qualifications

Demonstrated advanced, professional-level Excel expertise, including advanced formulas (e.g., XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, dynamic arrays), PivotTables, data modeling, dashboards, Power Query, Power Pivot, and macros/VBA.
Breadth of Excel application across multiple industries and business functions — not single-function specialization — is a strong plus.
Teaching or training experience and/or a PhD is a strong plus.
Prior experience in AI training, human data annotation, or model evaluation — ideally Rubrics-trained on Mercor or a comparable platform — is a strong plus.
Demonstrable career progression in your field.
Ability to engage reliably for 40 hours/week during weekdays through the end of September, then 20 hours/week thereafter.
Verbal and written communication skills, problem-solving skills, and interpersonal skills.
United States–based only.

About Cincinnatus LLC: Cincinnatus LLC is an enterprise staffing company that partners with leading technology companies to source and employ highly skilled professionals for contingent and contract-based opportunities. Cincinnatus serves as the employer of record for these engagements, providing W-2 employment, payroll, benefits, and compliance, while placing employees directly within client teams to work on high-impact initiatives.

Equal Employment Opportunity: Cincinnatus is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or any other legally protected characteristic.

How do you apply to Mercor?

Apply on Mercor

The Apply button opens this post on Mercor's own site. You apply with them, not with Rubric. Budget about 30 min: resume upload + 20-min AI interview.

Get through screening

What Mercor asks for after you apply:

Take the recorded AI video interview (practice round available)
Complete any role-specific assessment and the ID check
Accept the offer and sign the contract

Start work and get paid

Pay schedule: weekly, every Wednesday. Paid via Stripe (Wise in a few countries). You're paid for the work they hand out, not a fixed salary.

Mercor also needs

Resume showing real experience in your field
Webcam with your full face visible for the AI interview
Government ID

Red flags

Red flagLong waits with no offer after passing the interview
Red flagProjects ending abruptly with little warning

What is Mercor like to work for?

Hiring marketplace that screens professionals with an AI video interview and places them on hourly contracts training and evaluating models for AI labs.

Advertised pay	$20–200/hr
Getting in	Some screening
Application takes	~30 min: resume upload + 20-min AI interview
How you get paid	Weekly, every Wednesday, via Stripe (Wise in a few countries)
Payout record	Pays on time
Countries	Hires in many countries and runs its pay week on India Standard Time; Mercor keeps a list of locations it cannot onboard, and some projects are US-only.

Most listings sit around $50–100/hr; healthcare, legal and finance roles pay the most, language and generalist roles the least.