Bioinformatics Expert - Genomics Specialist

Mercor connects elite creative and technical talent with leading AI research labs. Headquartered in San Francisco, our investors include Benchmark, General Catalyst, Peter Thiel, Adam D’Angelo, Larry Summers, and Jack Dorsey.

About the role

Contract position, 15–20 hours per week, fully remote, $70–$100/hour.

Responsibilities

• Design challenging computational problems to evaluate AI systems using real scientific software.
• Develop problems requiring strategic planning and multi-step workflows for AI model testing.
• Refine problem difficulty through iterative testing against state-of-the-art AI models.
• Collaborate on single-cell RNA-seq analysis, trajectory inference, and spatial transcriptomics using tools like scanpy, scvelo, squidpy, and gudhi.
• Work independently and asynchronously to meet deadlines and improve problem designs.

Requirements

• Graduate-level training in a relevant STEM field (MS, PhD, or equivalent research experience).
• Proven proficiency with scientific software libraries through research publications, open-source contributions, or professional work.
• Strong Python skills for writing problem setups, oracle functions, and solution validators.
• Ability to work independently and refine problem designs based on feedback.
• Comfortable in a Linux/terminal environment with remote compute sandboxes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience across multiple listed domains or tools.
• Familiarity with benchmark or evaluation design.
• Background in scientific teaching or exam/problem-set design.
• Experience with computational reproducibility and containerized environments.