Graphic & UX/UI Designer Talent Network

$60–80/hrrate as listed

Mercor maintains a standing pool of graphic and UX/UI designers who evaluate AI model output, write design tasks drawn from real client work, and give written critique that feeds model training. This is an open application rather than a single project — you pass an AI screen once, then get matched to contracts as labs request design expertise.

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

What the work actually looks like

Projects vary, but the recurring shapes are consistent across AI labs. You may be asked to compare two model-generated interface layouts and write a structured critique explaining which better serves a stated user goal — and why, in terms a non-designer reviewer can audit. You may author prompts and reference deliverables from scenarios you've actually shipped: an onboarding flow with an unclear empty state, a dashboard with a hierarchy problem, a brand system applied inconsistently across breakpoints. You may review a model's Figma-adjacent output for spacing logic, accessibility contrast, type scale coherence, or whether its stated rationale matches what it produced.

The common thread is written judgment. Labs are less interested in you making a beautiful artifact than in you articulating the reasoning a senior designer applies silently — heuristic violations, tradeoffs between novelty and convention, when a design decision is defensible versus merely fashionable.

What the platform screens for

Mercor's intake is resume upload, location confirmation, and an AI-led interview. Expect the interview to probe specifics rather than accept summary claims:

Named products, your actual scope on them, and what changed as a result of your work
Fluency in Figma or Adobe XD described at the level of workflow, not toolbar
Whether you can distinguish research findings from design intuition when asked to justify a decision
Clarity and structure in spoken explanation, since written critique is the deliverable

Vague or inflated claims tend to surface under follow-up questions. Portfolio depth in one area (product UI, design systems, brand) generally reads better than broad shallow exposure.

Logistics and pay

Fully remote and largely asynchronous. Observed rates for this network sit in the $60–80/hr range; actual rates are set per project and are not guaranteed by joining the pool. Typical commitments run 15–30 hours per week when you're matched, but matching is rolling — passing the screen makes you eligible, not scheduled. Some experts wait weeks between invitations. Treat this as a supplementary income channel alongside freelance or full-time design work rather than a replacement for either.

What they look for

Professional experience in UX/UI or graphic design with a reviewable portfolio
Fluency in Figma or Adobe XD, including prototyping and component systems
Ability to write clear, structured design critique and rationale
User experience research methods and the judgment to separate evidence from intuition
Visual design fundamentals: typography, hierarchy, color, accessibility standards
Self-directed remote work habits and reliable async communication

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 at least 2 years of professional experience in user experience design, user interface design, or interaction design (paid work, not personal projects)?
Professional UI/UX design experience · required
Do you have hands-on working experience with Figma, Adobe XD, or both as your primary design tool(s)?
Proficiency in Figma or Adobe XD · required
Are you authorized to work as a contractor in your location, and do you have a reliable internet connection and quiet workspace to work remotely?
Work authorization and remote capability · required
Can you provide a portfolio, case studies, or work samples demonstrating your UI/UX design work?
Portfolio or work samples · required
Can you commit to a minimum of 15 hours per week on a project, starting within the next 4 weeks?
Availability in target window · preferred

0 of 5 answered

Included with this listing

Interview prep — 11 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 you've actually conducted or synthesized user research and translated it into interface decisions, not just applied design trends or followed specs handed to you.
A strong answer: A concrete narrative that names the user need or pain point discovered (through interviews, testing, or data), describes a specific design choice you made in response, and explains how you validated or measured the impact—either through user testing, adoption metrics, or stakeholder feedback.
Where people lose it: Describing a portfolio piece as 'visually stunning' or focusing on tools and aesthetics while omitting the user research, the problem statement, or any evidence the design actually worked for its intended audience.