Mercor is recruiting chemistry and biology PhDs with native-level Norwegian to write technical prompts and grade model responses on chemical, biological, and radiological/nuclear topics. The work is part-time — roughly 7 hours a week — and centres on scientific accuracy plus careful judgment about dual-use information.

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 expert-level prompts in Norwegian across your scientific subfield, then evaluate what the model returns. Evaluation means annotating for scientific accuracy, usefulness to a competent practitioner, and whether the model handled sensitive material appropriately — refusing what should be refused, and not stonewalling routine questions that any Norwegian university lab would answer. A third strand is classification: applying a written guideline to sort prompts and conversations into categories, consistently, across many items.

The CBRN framing is real. Prompts touch chemical synthesis, microbiology and virology, genetics, and — where your background supports it — radiochemistry, nuclear chemistry, energetic materials, or radiation physics. You are expected to know where the line sits between published, teachable technique and operationally uplifting detail, and to defend that line in writing. No AI or ML background is needed; the workflow is taught.

What the platform screens for

Mercor's screen is AI-led and follow-up heavy. Expect it to push on one narrow area of your doctoral work until you either show real depth or run out of specifics — naming instruments, reagents, controls, failure modes. It will also test Norwegian directly, including whether you can render technical vocabulary naturally in Norwegian rather than code-switching into English for every term. Dual-use judgment is probed through scenarios rather than policy questions: you will be given a borderline request and asked what you would mark and why.

Logistics

Fully remote and asynchronous; work is picked up from a queue rather than scheduled in meetings
Roughly 7 hours per week, part-time, immediate start
Observed band of $77–81/hr, as posted by the platform — not a guarantee, and rates can vary by project and task type
Based in Norway is a preference only; applicants elsewhere with native-level Norwegian are welcome
A PhD in chemistry, biology, or a close field — completed or in progress — is the core credential

Bilingual Norwegian STEM Expert (PhD) — AI Safety

What the work involves

What the platform screens for

Logistics

Interview prep — 10 questions