Pharmacology AI Trainer for Drug Discovery

Mercor; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 83,000 - 138,000; Part time

Job summary

Mercor is seeking a Pharmacology SME to join a cutting-edge AI lab's research team, focusing on drug discovery data, ADME/Tox, PK/PD, and mechanism of action. This is a part-time engagement through an international partner, with placement at a leading AI Lab.

The role requires a PhD in a related field, 3+ years in early drug discovery, hands-on data analysis, and the ability to contribute at least 20 hours per week on weekdays. No coding is required, and strong written communication is essential.

Qualifications

• PhD in pharmacology, pharmaceutical sciences, toxicology, DMPK, biochemistry or a closely related discipline, or equivalent research experience.
• 3+ years of experience in early-to-mid stage drug discovery, pharmacology, DMPK/ADME or toxicology at a recognized organization.
• Hands-on experience analyzing experimental drug discovery data and using it to guide compound decisions.
• Comfortable using PK/PD or data analysis software and scientific AI tools (no coding required).
• Ability to engage reliably for at least 20 hours/week during weekdays.
• Strong written communication skills and the ability to explain complex technical decisions clearly.
• Nice to have: experience with PK/PD or ADME modeling, writing grading rubrics, designing benchmark tasks, or evaluating scientific AI models.

Responsibilities

• Guide research and engineering teams to close knowledge gaps and improve AI model performance in mechanism of action, target and cellular pharmacology, ADME/Tox, and PK/PD.
• Design challenging, non-searchable drug discovery tasks, benchmarks and training data, and write accurate, well-structured solutions to problems such as interpreting assay readouts, identifying compound liabilities and planning optimization strategy.
• Evaluate AI model outputs and step-by-step reasoning on drug discovery tasks, diagnosing errors in scientific logic, tool usage and factual accuracy, and provide clear, written technical feedback.
• Develop specifications, grading rubrics and verification processes for drug discovery data produced by external technical teams, and act as the domain authority on data quality.
• Advise on assay design and quality control, experimental failure modes, and the biological and pharmacological validity of model outputs.
• Collaborate with other subject matter experts to ensure consistency and accuracy in training data.

Skills

Written communication

Work availability 20 hours/week

No coding required

Pharmacology domain expertise

Data analysis software proficiency

Education

PhD in pharmacology or related field

Tools

PK/PD analysis software

Scientific AI tools

Job description

Mercor is seeking a Pharmacology SME to join a cutting-edge AI lab's research team, focusing on drug discovery data, ADME/Tox, PK/PD, and mechanism of action. This is a part-time engagement through an international partner, with placement at a leading AI Lab.

The role requires a PhD in a related field, 3+ years in early drug discovery, hands-on data analysis, and the ability to contribute at least 20 hours per week on weekdays. No coding is required, and strong written communication is essential.