Genomics PhD - AI Model Specialist

Mercor; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 83,000 - 165,000; Part time

Job summary

Cincinnatus LLC is seeking a Genomics and Cell Biology SME to join a cutting-edge AI lab in San Francisco on a part-time basis (20 hours per week). You will contribute bench or computational biology expertise to design and evaluate AI models for biology, guiding cross-functional teams and developing robust benchmarking data.

The role requires hands-on experience with molecular biology workflows, CRISPR, and sequence analysis, plus strong communication to explain complex decisions.

Qualifications

• PhD in molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, genomics, synthetic biology, biochemistry or closely related discipline.
• Recent hands-on bench or computational experience with PCR/qPCR, cloning, CRISPR, cell-based assays, sequence analysis or functional genomics.

Responsibilities

• Guide research and engineering teams to close knowledge gaps and improve AI model performance in biology tasks.
• Design benchmarks and training data for biology tasks and write solutions.
• Evaluate AI model outputs and provide clear technical feedback on protocols and workflows.
• Develop rubrics and verification processes for biology data produced by external teams.

Skills

Bench experience

CRISPR design

Sequence analysis

Biology data critique

Clear communication

20h/week availability

Cross-organism familiarity

Education

PhD in molecular biology/cell biology/genomics

Postdoctoral experience

Tools

PCR/qPCR workflows

Molecular cloning

CRISPR design tools

Sequence analysis software

Job description

Join a leading AI lab's cutting-edge research team to be at the core of the AI revolution, where your expertise fuels the development of the most advanced LLMs.

1. Overview

Join a leading AI lab's cutting-edge research team and help build foundational AI models for science from the ground up. We're seeking talented Genomics and Cell Biology subject-matter experts (SMEs), including molecular biologists, cell biologists, geneticists and synthetic biologists working at the bench or computationally, to bring recent, hands-on laboratory expertise to the design and evaluation of advanced AI models for biology.

This is a part-time position through Cincinnatus LLC (or an appropriate international entity), with the opportunity to be placed at a leading AI Lab as part of their extended workforce.

2. Key Responsibilities

• Guide research and engineering teams to close knowledge gaps and improve AI model performance in molecular cloning, primer and CRISPR design, functional genomics, sequence analysis and cell-based assays.
• Design challenging, non-searchable biology tasks, benchmarks and training data, and write accurate, well-structured solutions to problems such as construct design, protocol planning and assay troubleshooting.
• Evaluate AI model outputs and step-by-step reasoning on biology tasks, judging the biological feasibility of proposed protocols and computational workflows, and provide clear, written technical feedback.
• Develop specifications, grading rubrics and verification processes for biology data produced by external technical teams, and act as the domain authority on data quality.
• Collaborate with other subject matter experts to ensure consistency and accuracy in training data.

3. Core Qualifications

• PhD in molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, genomics, synthetic biology, biochemistry or a closely related discipline. Strong recent PhD graduates and postdoctoral researchers are encouraged to apply.
• Recent, hands-on experience (bench or computational) with workflows such as PCR / qPCR, molecular cloning, CRISPR, cell-based assays, sequence analysis or functional genomics.
• Broad experience across organisms, model systems and methods, rather than a single narrow technique.
• Comfortable using scientific software and AI tools (no coding required).
• Ability to engage reliably for at least 20 hours/week during weekdays.
• Strong written communication and collaboration skills, and the ability to explain complex technical decisions clearly.
• Nice to have: 1 to 3 years of post-PhD experience, or experience evaluating AI models or agents, designing benchmarks, or writing grading rubrics.

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, or an appropriate international entity, serves as the employer of record for these engagements, providing 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.