Seeking PhD-level experts in automated planning, symbolic AI, machine learning, and operations research to review and validate advanced reasoning problems used for frontier AI training and evaluation. This contract role offers flexible remote work across several countries with hourly pay of $55-$80.
Automated CS Planning PhDs & Domain Experts — Zion (Arches)
United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand
$55 – $80/hr
June 23, 2026
Job description
Mercor is seeking Automated CS Planning PhDs and Domain Experts for a premier project with one of the world's leading AI laboratories.
In this role, you will apply advanced expertise in automated planning, symbolic AI, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and related fields to help create high-quality datasets used to train and evaluate frontier AI systems.
Contributors will develop challenging domain-specific problems that push the reasoning capabilities of state-of-the-art large language models.
Responsibilities
- Create difficult and technically rigorous problems within your area of expertise
- Contribute subject matter expertise to advanced AI training and evaluation initiatives
- Help improve AI reasoning and planning capabilities
- Maintain high standards of technical accuracy and rigor
- Review and refine domain-specific content when required
- Collaborate with project teams to ensure quality and consistency
Required Qualifications
Candidates should possess a PhD, advanced degree, or equivalent research experience in one or more of the following fields:
- Computer Science
- Artificial Intelligence
- Machine Learning
- Operations Research
Preferred Specialization
- Automated Planning
- Symbolic AI
- AI Planning Systems
- Decision Making Systems
- Search Algorithms
- Knowledge Representation
Additional Requirements
- Exceptional attention to detail
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
- Excellent written communication skills
- Excellent verbal communication skills
- Ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly
Screening Process
- Complete a short interview
- Complete a project-related assessment
The combined onboarding process typically takes approximately 20–30 minutes.
Paid Onboarding
Successful candidates will be compensated for:
- The screening task
- Onboarding activities
- Required onboarding videos
up to one hour of onboarding time.
Location Requirements
Applicants must be located in one of the following countries:
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Canada
- Australia
- New Zealand
Compensation
- $55–80/hour
- Weekly payments through Stripe or Wise
Contract & Payment Terms
- Independent contractor engagement
- Fully remote work
- Flexible schedule
- Weekly payments through Stripe or Wise
- Projects may be extended, shortened, or concluded based on business needs and performance
Important Note
Mercor currently cannot support:
- H1-B candidates
- STEM OPT candidates
About Mercor
Mercor partners with leading AI labs and enterprises to train and improve frontier AI systems using human expertise.
Contributors collaborate with researchers and domain experts on projects shaping the future of artificial intelligence and advanced reasoning systems.
Apply now
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