Remote Chemistry AI Specialist: Synthetic & Analytical

Mercor; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; GBP 72,000 - 103,000; Part time

Job summary

Mercor is seeking a Chemistry Specialist for Synthetic & Analytical Chemistry on a contract basis. This remote role supports AI-driven chemistry research, involving design of benchmarks, evaluation of model outputs, and development of data-quality standards.

Applicants should have a PhD in chemistry and substantial hands-on synthesis experience. The position requires up to 20 hours per week, with strong analytical skills in NMR, MS, IR, and HPLC/LC‑MS, plus familiarity with cheminformatics and

Qualifications

• PhD in chemistry or equivalent research experience.
• 3+ years of hands‑on chemistry experience.
• Hands‑on experience in small‑molecule synthesis and optimizing reactions.
• Practical experience with analytical techniques like NMR, mass spectrometry, IR, and HPLC/LC‑MS.
• Comfortable using cheminformatics and scientific AI tools.
• Ability to engage reliably for at least 20 hours/week during weekdays.
• Strong written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Guide research and engineering teams to close knowledge gaps and improve AI model performance in synthetic chemistry, reaction mechanisms, and structure elucidation.
• Design challenging, non-searchable chemistry tasks, benchmarks, and training data. Write accurate, well-structured solutions to problems like multi-step route design and reaction optimization.
• Evaluate AI model outputs and step-by-step reasoning on chemistry tasks. Diagnose errors in chemical logic and provide clear, written technical feedback.
• Develop specifications, grading rubrics, and verification processes for chemistry data. Act as the domain authority on data quality.
• Advise on experimental design, common lab failure modes, and the chemical validity of model outputs, including molecular representations such as SMILES.
• Collaborate with other subject matter experts to ensure consistency and accuracy in training data.

Skills

Written communication

Time management

Education

PhD in chemistry

Tools

NMR

Mass spectrometry

IR

HPLC/LC-MS

Cheminformatics tools

AI tools

SMILES/SMARTS

Job description

Mercor is seeking a Chemistry Specialist for Synthetic & Analytical Chemistry on a contract basis. This remote role supports AI-driven chemistry research, involving design of benchmarks, evaluation of model outputs, and development of data-quality standards.

Applicants should have a PhD in chemistry and substantial hands-on synthesis experience. The position requires up to 20 hours per week, with strong analytical skills in NMR, MS, IR, and HPLC/LC‑MS, plus familiarity with cheminformatics and