Data Scientist | $70-$120hr

This opportunity is shared as part of a referral program Mercor is hiring experienced Data Science professionals to support a variety of high-impact research collaborations with leading AI labs. Freelancers will help improve AI systems through work on code validation, prompt refinement, algorithmic evaluation, and model benchmarking. This is a unique opportunity to apply your engineering expertise toward shaping the next generation of intelligent systems. Key Responsibilities • Scientific Research Translation: Identify and analyze high-impact research papers in Data Science that introduce novel, code-implementable methods. • Complex Problem Decomposition: Break down high-level scientific problems into a series of logical, independently testable subproblems. • Golden Solution Authoring: Develop "Gold Standard" Python solutions for each subproblem and create corresponding unit tests to verify accuracy • Quality Control and Review: Review peer prompts, golden solutions, and unit tests for accuracy, comprehensiveness, and difficulty. Ideal Qualifications • Degree: Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD in a Data Science field. • Expert Python Proficiency: Strong experience in scientific computing libraries (e.g., NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib, JAX, or domain-specific packages like RDKit or OpenMM). • Technical Writing: Ability to translate dense academic research into clear, structured problem statements for a technical audience. • Version Control: Proficiency with Git, including branch management and pull request workflows. • Unit Testing Experience: Familiarity with testing frameworks (like pytest) and the ability to write robust validation scripts for mathematical/scientific code. Project Timeline • Start Date: Immediate • Duration: 1–2 months • Commitment: Part-time (15–25 hours/week, with flexibility up to 80 hours/week) Application & Onboarding Process • Upload your resume • AI interview: 2 short, 15-minute conversational sessions to understand your background, experience, and interest in the role • Follow-up communication within a few days with next steps and onboarding details Resources & Support • For details about the interview process and platform information, please check: https://talent.docs.mercor.com/welcome/welcome PS: Mercor team reviews applications daily.