Microbiology Expert

About the role

About the Engagement Office Hours is seeking experienced microbiology researchers to contribute to an active AI research initiative focused on evaluating how advanced AI systems approach real-world biological research problems. As a Microbiology Expert, you’ll use your own domain expertise to develop scientifically grounded research problems, evaluate how AI models respond to them, and create expert-quality solutions that establish the correct answer and reasoning. This is a fully remote, asynchronous opportunity designed for scientists interested in applying their research expertise to the development and evaluation of next-generation AI systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop original biological research problems grounded in your area of expertise
• Create detailed solutions and supporting reasoning for each problem
• Test problems against advanced AI models and evaluate model performance
• Identify where model responses succeed or fail from a scientific and reasoning perspective
• Incorporate feedback and revisions to ensure submissions meet project quality standards
• Apply your research experience to help create high-quality expert data for AI evaluation

Areas of Expertise

• bacterial biology
• virology
• microbial genetics
• microbial physiology
• host-microbe interactions
• microbial ecology
• infectious disease biology
• antimicrobial resistance
• microbiome research
• related areas of microbiology

Qualifications

• PhD, MD/PhD, or current doctoral/postdoctoral researcher in microbiology or a closely related field
• Strong research experience investigating microbial systems, mechanisms, or interactions using experimental, quantitative, or computational approaches
• Deep familiarity with experimental design, scientific reasoning, and interpretation of biological research
• Ability to develop research problems that require meaningful expert reasoning rather than straightforward factual recall
• Strong written communication skills and the ability to explain scientific reasoning clearly and precisely
• Peer-reviewed publications and/or substantial hands-on research experience strongly preferred
• Ability to work independently and incorporate feedback into revised submissions
• Prior experience with AI training, model evaluation, or data annotation is helpful but not required

Pay

Compensation: $90-$150/hour equivalent, based on expected completion time. Experts are compensated per successfully reviewed and accepted submission.

Schedule

Asynchronous — complete the work on your own schedule.