Is this job worth applying to?

Pay

Above typicalTops out at $150/hr. The typical top rate across 237 priced coding listings is $90/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 3mo ago. Still listed on Mercor on Nov 6, 2026.

Where you live

Not statedThe listing names no country.

The job description

Mercor is building a network of experienced data scientists for potential future projects with leading AI research organizations. These projects may focus on evaluating how effectively AI systems perform real-world data science work.

There is no immediate project opening, but qualified applicants may be contacted as relevant opportunities become available.

2\. Potential Responsibilities

Future projects may involve:

Designing precise, task-specific grading criteria for data science deliverables, including exploratory data analyses, statistical modeling work, machine learning pipelines, experimentation and A/B test write-ups, feature engineering, and technical reports or notebooks
Evaluating AI-generated or human-created work against established criteria
Providing detailed written justifications for evaluations and scores
Applying consistent, evidence-based judgment so that assessments are reproducible and defensible
Incorporating structured feedback from senior reviewers and iterating on submitted work

Specific responsibilities will vary depending on the project.

3\. Ideal Qualifications

1+ years of professional data science experience
Experience at a leading technology, research, or quantitative firm (such as top FAANG, AI labs, top-tier quant funds, or equivalent)
Strong command of Python, SQL, statistical modeling, machine learning, experimentation and causal inference, and translating messy real-world data into rigorous analyses
Exceptional written communication skills, including the ability to convey technical findings clearly
A detail-oriented and consistent approach to evaluating complex work
Comfort receiving feedback and calibrating judgment against established standards

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.