Chemistry Research Collaborator (Part-time)

Role Overview

A leading AI laboratory is recruiting accomplished chemistry researchers to help advance the next generation of AI systems for scientific reasoning.

This opportunity is designed for researchers working at the frontier of chemistry. Contributors will help train and evaluate AI models capable of reasoning across organic synthesis, reaction mechanisms, catalysis, structural chemistry, physical chemistry, chemical biology, computational chemistry, theoretical chemistry, and materials science at the level of an active researcher.

This position is offered through Cincinnatus LLC and places successful candidates within a leading AI laboratory as part of its extended workforce.

Key Responsibilities

Review Scientific Research

• Review chemistry research papers for:
  • Correctness
  • Novelty
  • Scientific significance
  • Technical rigor

Create Advanced Chemistry Tasks

• Author and review challenging chemistry problems for training and evaluating frontier AI models.

Evaluate AI Scientific Reasoning

Assess AI-generated outputs involving:

• Retrosynthesis
• Reaction mechanism prediction
• Spectral interpretation
• Computational chemistry
• Literature reasoning

Identify Model Failures

Detect subtle scientific mistakes that experienced chemists would identify, including:

• Incorrect reaction mechanisms
• Invalid retrosynthetic pathways
• Unsupported conclusions
• Errors in spectral interpretation
• Faulty scientific reasoning

Collaborate with Experts

• Work closely with senior researchers and AI scientists.
• Help improve scientific datasets and evaluation standards for frontier AI systems.

Ideal Qualifications

Applicants should meet several of the following qualifications:

Research Excellence

• First-author or co-first-author publications in leading journals, including:
  • Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS)
  • Nature Chemistry
  • Science
  • Nature
  • Angewandte Chemie
  • Nature Catalysis
  • ACS Catalysis
  • Chem (Cell Press)
  • Chemical Reviews
  • Chemical Society Reviews
  • Journal of Organic Chemistry
  • Organic Letters
  • Inorganic Chemistry
  • Nature Communications

Academic Background

• Doctorate or postdoctoral training from a top-20 global institution in:
  • Chemistry
  • Related STEM discipline

Awards & Fellowships

Examples include:

• NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
• Hertz Fellowship
• Sloan Research Fellowship
• Camille and Henry Dreyfus Award
• Searle Scholar Award
• Pew Scholar Award
• Beckman Young Investigator Award
• NIH F32/NRSA Fellowship
• Damon Runyon Fellowship
• Helen Hay Whitney Fellowship
• Marie Curie Fellowship
• Fulbright Scholarship
• Rhodes Scholarship
• Marshall Scholarship
• Gates Cambridge Scholarship
• Schmidt Science Fellowship
• NSF CAREER Award
• DOE Early Career Award

Research Impact

One or more of:

• Issued patents
• Spin-out company
• Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on research grants
• International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) Gold, Silver, or Bronze medal

Current Research Activity

Current or recent experience as:

• PhD Candidate
• Postdoctoral Researcher
• Faculty Member
• Instructor
• Principal Scientist
• Industry Researcher

Outstanding senior PhD students and recent graduates with strong publication records are also encouraged to apply.

Work Arrangement

• Part-time
• Up to 20 hours per week
• Compensation based on research experience and credentials

Compensation

• $80–$110 per hour

Employment Details

• W-2 contingent role
• Fully remote within the United States
• Employer of Record: Cincinnatus LLC

About Cincinnatus LLC

Cincinnatus LLC partners with leading technology companies to recruit highly skilled professionals for contingent and contract opportunities.

Successful candidates are employed by Cincinnatus LLC while working directly with client teams on high-impact AI research initiatives.

Employment, payroll, onboarding, and compliance are managed by Cincinnatus LLC.