Advisory & Transaction Services Expert (M&A / Valuation)

$80–120/hrrate as listed

Mercor is recruiting transaction advisory and valuation practitioners to build training scenarios and grade AI outputs on QoE, due diligence, and valuation work. Observed pay runs $80–120/hr, remote and asynchronous, with volume you set around your deal calendar.

Summary, eligibility guidance and screening preparation are prepared by Sidequest from the platform's posting. Check the source listing before applying.

What the work involves

You write the kind of problems a deal team actually faces and then judge whether a model handles them the way a competent associate or manager would. In practice that means authoring scenarios drawn from your own experience — a quality-of-earnings analysis with disputed run-rate adjustments, a net working capital peg and true-up, a DCF where the terminal assumption is doing too much work, a comps set with a defensible screening rationale, an ASC 805 purchase price allocation, or an LBO model with a debt schedule that has to tie.

The second half is evaluation. You'll review AI-generated responses side by side, score them against a rubric, and write the rationale: not just that an EBITDA adjustment is wrong, but why a normalization for owner compensation needs market-rate support, or why a model confidently mislabeled a cash-free debt-free adjustment. The written feedback is the product. Vague grading gets rejected; specific, sourced, professionally defensible reasoning is what the lab pays for.

What the screen looks for

Hands-on ownership, not oversight. Reviewers probe whether you personally built the QoE schedule or valuation model, or signed off on someone else's.
Depth under follow-up. Expect two or three layers of questioning on any technical claim — say "we normalized for one-time items" and you'll be asked which items, how you supported them, and how the other side pushed back.
Judgment on ambiguity. Much of valuation and diligence has a defensible range rather than a right answer; the screen tests whether you can articulate the range and the reasoning that bounds it.
Writing. Clear, structured prose with no filler. Feedback quality is the throughput constraint on this kind of work.

Logistics

Fully remote and asynchronous — no client calls, no standing meetings. Contributors typically commit 5–15 hours a week, though some scale higher during project pushes. Work is contractor-based and project-scoped; engagements can extend or wind down as the lab's data needs shift. Application is a resume or experience summary, a practice-area and credentials form, and for shortlisted candidates a short paid or unpaid sample task in your stated specialty.

What they look for

5+ years in transaction advisory (Big 4 TAS or boutique), investment banking, corporate development, or business valuation
Hands-on ownership of quality-of-earnings analyses, valuation models (DCF, comps, precedent transactions), or deal/LBO models
CPA, and/or ASA, ABV, or CFA — particularly for valuation-leaning candidates
Working knowledge of purchase accounting under ASC 805 and purchase price allocation
Strong technical writing: able to explain why an assumption is or isn't defensible in a few precise sentences
Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field

Before you apply

Would you pass this screen?

Drawn from what this listing actually requires. Answered in your browser — nothing is sent to us, and we do not store your answers.

Do you have hands-on experience in M&A transaction advisory, corporate development, investment banking, or business valuation—at least 3 years in at least one of these areas?
Transaction Advisory or Valuation Background · required
Do you hold a Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or a related field?
Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, or Related Field · required
Do you hold a CPA, ASA (Accredited Senior Appraiser), ABV (Accredited in Business Valuation), or CFA certification?
CPA, ASA, ABV, or CFA Credential · preferred
Have you personally built, owned, or significantly contributed to quality-of-earnings analyses, valuation models (DCF, comparables, precedent transactions), or deal economic models—not just reviewed or used work others created?
Hands-on Model or Analysis Ownership · required
In your current or most recent role, are you regularly expected to produce written analyses, memos, or reports that your deal team or clients rely on for decision-making?
Written Communication Proficiency · preferred

0 of 5 answered

Included with this listing

Interview prep — 10 questions

Matched to what this platform's screening actually measures. Answer each out loud in 60–90 seconds: claim → concrete example → implication.

What it tests: Can they recall specific technical work (not just general exposure) and explain the commercial logic behind QoE adjustments, not just the mechanics.
A strong answer: A concrete example with specific add-backs or normalizations (e.g., non-recurring costs, owner compensation, revenue timing), tied to a real deal thesis or valuation range impact. Should show understanding of why the adjustment matters, not just that it was made.
Where people lose it: Vague answer like 'we adjusted EBITDA' without naming what was adjusted, why, or what the deal impact was. Or conflating QoE with general financial statement analysis.