Mathematician Talent Network

$60–80/hrrate as listed

Mercor maintains a standing pool of mathematicians who are matched to AI lab projects as they open — writing problems, grading model proofs, and flagging where reasoning breaks down. Applying is a one-time profile plus an AI interview; work arrives on a rolling basis at an observed $60–80/hr, typically 15–30 hours per week.

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 is

This is a talent network application, not a single assignment. Once verified, you become eligible for contracts that labs open with Mercor — most of them some mix of authoring hard mathematical problems with verifiable answers, writing reference solutions, grading model-generated proofs line by line, and annotating exactly where a chain of reasoning goes wrong. Some projects skew toward adversarial prompt writing (find problems the model confidently botches); others are pure evaluation, where you rank two model outputs and justify the ranking in prose a researcher can act on. Statistics-heavy briefs show up regularly: checking whether a model's inference, estimator choice, or simulation setup is actually defensible rather than merely plausible.

What the screen looks for

The AI interview probes whether your mathematical background is load-bearing. Expect follow-ups that push past your first answer — naming a subfield is not enough; you'll be asked what you proved, what technique you used, and why. Graders care about your ability to distinguish a proof that is wrong from one that is merely unfamiliar or terse, since false-positive error flags are expensive to labs. Clear written English matters as much as the mathematics: your rationale is the deliverable, and it has to be legible to someone who is not a specialist in your area.

Logistics

Fully remote and largely asynchronous; you work against deadlines, not shift blocks.
Typical commitments run 15–30 hours per week, though scope and duration vary by project.
Pay in the $60–80/hr range has been observed for mathematics work on this platform; actual rates are set per project and are not guaranteed.
Matching is rolling — approval makes you eligible, and an invitation may follow weeks later. Expect a second, project-specific interview before you start.

What they look for

Graduate degree in mathematics, statistics, or a closely related field (PhD common)
Fluency writing and verifying rigorous proofs
Applied statistical modeling and inference experience
Clear technical writing for non-specialist readers
Comfort with LaTeX and computational tools (Python, Mathematica, or similar)
Self-directed remote work with reliable turnaround

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 bachelor's degree or higher in mathematics, physics, statistics, computer science, or a related quantitative field, or do you have at least three years of professional experience in mathematical analysis, statistical modeling, or computational mathematics?
Advanced degree or professional experience in mathematics · required
Are you authorized to work as a remote contractor in your country of residence, and do you have a stable internet connection suitable for remote work?
Work authorization and location · required
Have you written technical mathematics (proofs, derivations, analysis, or explanations) for an academic, professional, or public audience within the last two years?
Proficiency in mathematical communication · preferred

0 of 3 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 the candidate has genuine hands-on depth in at least one core domain (not cursory familiarity), and whether they can articulate technical substance without overselling.
A strong answer: The answer names a specific project, research area, or professional responsibility, describes what the mathematics actually involved (estimation under uncertainty, rigorous lemma proof, numerical simulation, etc.), and explains why it mattered or what it demonstrated—not a vague claim of 'expertise.'
Where people lose it: Describing experience too broadly ('I've done stats') without naming concrete problems, or inflating coursework or brief exposure as equivalent to professional depth; evaluators will detect the gap immediately.