Biology Research Scientist (BA, MS, PhD's)

$60–100/hrrate as listed

Verify protein target assignments in ChEMBL and BindingDB by reading the primary papers and patents behind each bioactivity record, then confirming or correcting the mapped UniProt accession. Work is remote, part-time at 10–20 hrs/week, and U.S.-only, with pay observed in the $50–70/hr range.

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

Each task starts with a bioactivity record — a compound, an assay readout, and a protein target mapped to a UniProt ID. Your job is to go back to the source: pull the paper or patent, read the methods closely enough to know what protein construct was actually assayed, and decide whether the assigned accession is right. That means paying attention to species, isoform, subunit composition, complexes versus single chains, orthologs, chimeric or tagged constructs, and cases where the assay measured a downstream functional response rather than direct binding to the named protein.

When an assignment is wrong, you classify the error against a structured taxonomy, propose the correct accession, and write a short evidence-grounded note — usually a few sentences citing the specific figure, table, or methods line that justifies your call. Consistency matters more than volume. These labels feed AI drug discovery models, so a confidently wrong correction is more costly than a flagged ambiguity.

What the platform screens for

Mercor's screen is AI-led and looks for bench reality, not résumé keywords. Expect probing on assay formats you have personally run (SPR, TR-FRET, radioligand binding, kinase or GPCR functional assays), how you interpret IC50 versus Ki versus KD, and whether you can articulate the difference between an agonist/antagonist framing and an activator/inhibitor framing. Follow-up questions get more specific, not less, so answer with concrete detail: constructs, buffers, controls, what went wrong and how you diagnosed it. Fluency with UniProt and adjacent workflows — target validation, selectivity profiling, SAR support, HTS triage — is checked directly.

Logistics

10–20 hrs/week, fully remote and largely async; you choose your hours
1–2 month minimum engagement, extension described as likely
Immediate start; U.S.-based candidates only
Requires being currently bench-active in a research, scientist, or associate scientist role at a biotech, pharma, or CRO
Pay observed at $50–70/hr; final rate depends on credentials and platform calibration and is not guaranteed

What they look for

BA/BS with 5+ yrs, MS with 2+ yrs, or PhD in pharmacology, biochemistry, molecular biology, or chemical biology with industry drug discovery experience
Hands-on binding or functional assay experience (SPR, TR-FRET, radioligand binding, kinase or GPCR assays) and interpretation of IC50/Ki/KD
Working fluency with UniProt records: isoforms, species, subunits, and construct-level detail
Ability to read primary literature and patents critically and extract methods-level evidence
Currently bench-active in a research, scientist, or associate scientist role
Nice to have: direct experience with ChEMBL, BindingDB, or PubChem, and selectivity/counterscreening work

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 hold a BA/BS with 5+ years, or MS with 2+ years, or a PhD in pharmacology, biochemistry, molecular biology, or chemical biology—all with drug discovery research experience at a biotech, pharma, or CRO?
Degree and Research Experience · required
Have you personally performed at least one of the following assays: SPR, TR-FRET, radioligand binding, kinase assay, GPCR functional assay, or KD/IC50/Ki measurement?
Hands-on Assay Experience · required
Are you currently employed in a research, scientist, or associate scientist role where you spend at least 40% of your time on hands-on bench work?
Current Bench Role · required
Have you worked with UniProt, or have you performed SAR support, HTS, target validation, biochemical profiling, or IND-enabling studies in a drug discovery context?
UniProt or Target Workflow Fluency · required
Are you based in and legally authorized to work in the United States?
U.S. Location · required
Can you start within 1–2 weeks and commit to 10–20 hours per week for at least one month?
Immediate Availability · preferred

0 of 6 answered

Included with this listing

Interview prep — 12 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: Whether they have genuine hands-on bench experience with the specific assays listed (SPR, TR-FRET, radioligand, kinase, GPCR), not just familiarity with the concept. This role requires real judgment about assay quality and target annotation.
A strong answer: Name a specific assay (e.g., TR-FRET against a kinase, or radioligand displacement on a GPCR), describe their role in running it or analyzing the data, and cite a concrete result (an IC50 range, a fold selectivity). Show they understand what the assay actually measures.
Where people lose it: Describing assays only at a textbook level, claiming to know SPR without ever troubleshooting a chip or interpreting a sensorgram, or naming an assay but being vague about what they actually did ('I was in the lab' is not a proof of hands-on work).