Colorist & Finishing Editor
$70–110/hr
Remote full time writing contract with Mercor, $70–110/hr, open to people in United States. Posted Oct 22.
$70–110/hr
Apply on MercorIs this job worth applying to?
- Pay
- Above typicalTops out at $110/hr. The typical top rate across 80 priced writing listings is $68/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
- RecentPosted 2w ago. Still listed on Mercor on Nov 6, 2026.
- Where you live
- Named countries onlyOpen in United States.
The job description
Join a leading AI lab's cutting-edge GenAI team to be at the core of the AI revolution, where your expertise fuels the development of the most advanced AI models.
1\. Overview
A leading AI lab is building generative video models that aim for theatrical-grade finishing: consistent color across shots, accurate skin tones, multi-shot pacing, clean scene cuts and HDR-ready deliverables. We're looking for experienced colorists, finishing and online editors, narrative editors and post-production specialists to help define what excellent finishing looks like, and to judge where the models get it right or wrong. This is a full-time role of approximately 40 hours per week.
This is a W-2 employment position with Cincinnatus LLC, with the opportunity to be placed at a leading AI Lab as part of their extended workforce.
2\. Key Responsibilities
- Set the quality bar: Define clear standards for color consistency, skin tones, multi-shot pacing, scene cuts and HDR preparation, critique current evaluations, and help build a taxonomy of the ways generated footage fails.
- Curate benchmarks: Identify, grade, edit and curate strong examples of excellent and genuinely hard color grades and multi-shot edits, and test early model capabilities against them.
- Critique model outputs: Review generated sequences and write precise, actionable notes on color shifts, contrast, banding and compression, and editorial rhythm.
- Shape the reviewer pool and captions: Help define how human reviewers are vetted and calibrated, and review captioning guidelines so color and editorial detail is described accurately.
- Collaborate with other experts to keep evaluations consistent and accurate.
3\. Core Qualifications
- 7+ years of professional experience in post-production, color grading and editorial finishing.
- Credits on 2+ professional films.
- A background in at least one of: Senior Digital Intermediate (DI) or Finishing Colorist (Resolve or Baselight, shot matching, HDR and Dolby Vision); Finishing or Online Editor (conform, color pipelines, mastering deliverables); Lead Narrative Film or Television Editor; or Post-Production Supervisor or Color Science and Pipeline Specialist (ACES, Rec.709, Rec.2020, P3).
- A meticulous eye for color shifts, skin tones, contrast, banding and compression, and editorial rhythm.
- Hands-on use of generative tools to create and finish test visual samples.
- Nice to have: reliable access to a color-accurate 4K/HDR display for pixel-level review.
- Ability to engage reliably for approximately 40 hours/week during weekdays.
- Strong written communication and the ability to turn color and editorial detail into precise language for captions and evaluation templates.
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.