PhD Research Scientist (Remote | $45–$90/hr)

Synthires; United States; Remote; USD 62,000 - 124,000; Full time

Job summary

Synthires seeks PhD-level scientists with hands-on research to design and evaluate challenging AI-focused problems from their own research areas, and to develop verified solutions with objective evaluation standards.

You will review and refine problems created by others, ensuring scientific accuracy and clear evaluation criteria, while contributing to advanced AI system development in a remote, worldwide setting.

Qualifications

• PhD-level scientists with hands-on research experience.
• Ability to design technically challenging problems with realistic constraints.
• Ability to explain why a solution is correct in a clear, structured manner.

Responsibilities

• Design challenging technical and scientific problems based on your own research area, incorporating realistic constraints and supporting data.
• Develop accurate solutions and provide clear, step-by-step explanations of the reasoning behind them.
• Establish objective evaluation criteria so that other researchers can independently verify the correctness of each solution.
• Review problems created by other contributors for scientific accuracy, logical consistency, and methodological soundness.
• Identify ambiguous, incomplete, or ungradable problems and flag them rather than submitting work that cannot be evaluated reliably.
• Apply hands-on research knowledge and subject-matter expertise to support the development and evaluation of advanced AI systems.

Skills

PhD in STEM field

Hands-on research

Experimental design

Data analysis

Scientific reasoning

Objective evaluation criteria

Education

PhD in STEM field

Job description

PhD Scientist — STEM Expert (Remote | $45–$90/hr)

Position: PhD Scientist — STEM Expert

Type: Contractor

Compensation: $45–$90 per hour

Location: Remote (Worldwide)

About the Opportunity

We are seeking PhD-level scientists with hands-on research experience to contribute to a technical problem-design and evaluation project focused on advancing next-generation AI systems. In this role, you will develop challenging scientific and technical problems based on your own research expertise, provide verified solutions, and establish objective criteria for evaluating correctness. The focus is on problems that require genuine subject-matter depth, careful interpretation of constraints, and sound scientific reasoning—not simply textbook knowledge. You will also review work submitted by other contributors to ensure technical accuracy, methodological soundness, and clear evaluation standards. No prior AI training or evaluation experience is required.

Key Responsibilities

• Design challenging technical and scientific problems based on your own research area, incorporating realistic constraints and supporting data.
• Develop accurate solutions and provide clear, step-by-step explanations of the reasoning behind them.
• Establish objective evaluation criteria so that other researchers can independently verify the correctness of each solution.
• Review problems created by other contributors for scientific accuracy, logical consistency, and methodological soundness.
• Identify ambiguous, incomplete, or ungradable problems and flag them rather than submitting work that cannot be evaluated reliably.
• Apply hands-on research knowledge and subject-matter expertise to support the development and evaluation of advanced AI systems.

Required Qualifications

• Completed PhD in a STEM field. This is a mandatory requirement.
• Hands-on research experience, including direct involvement in conducting or contributing to research.
• Strong understanding of research methods, experimental design, data analysis, and scientific problem-solving within your area of expertise.
• Ability to develop technically challenging problems with realistic constraints and verifiable solutions.
• Strong scientific reasoning and the ability to explain why a solution is correct in a clear, structured manner.
• Ability to define objective standards for evaluating technical answers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in wet-lab research, laboratory environments, or academic research.
• Publications or a demonstrated record of meaningful research contributions.
• Expertise in areas such as biology, medicine, engineering, mathematics, physics, chemistry, or other STEM disciplines.
• Experience with scientific writing, statistical analysis, research data interpretation, or specialized technical tools.
• Previous involvement in AI training, model evaluation, or technical assessment projects is an advantage but not required.

Compensation & Engagement

• Compensation: $45–$90 per hour
• Engagement Type: Contractor
• Work Arrangement: Remote