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Research-level work for AI

AI Training Jobs for PhDs

$80–$200/hrtypical paylive median $80/hrup to $200/hr at micro1

Measured from 61 distinct advertised rates, across 7 platforms. 12 of the 75 open roles here state no hourly rate; 2 advertise only a maximum ("up to $X/hr"), which is excluded.

AI labs pay people with a doctorate or a master's by the hour to write research-level problems in their field, find where a model's reasoning breaks and write the answer an expert would give. 75 roles for PhDs are open right now on , including Alignerr, micro1 and Mercor. Every role is checked against its platform's job board daily.

See 75 roles for PhDs

Live roles for PhDs

Updated 44 min ago

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Physics, astronomy and earth science PhDs

17 open

Research-level physics for doctoral and postdoctoral physicists (condensed matter, quantum information, high energy, cosmology), plus atmospheric and environmental science: write problems at the edge of your field and check a model's derivations.

See all 17 physics and earth science roles

Biology, medicine and life sciences PhDs

14 open

Molecular biology, bioinformatics, genomics and clinical research: check a model's experimental reasoning and write what a researcher in the field would answer.

See all 14 life sciences roles

Mathematics and statistics PhDs

6 open

Research problems with verified solutions, proofs and statistical reasoning, for people with a graduate degree in mathematics.

Engineering, computer science and ML PhDs

10 open

Graduate engineers and computer scientists (aerodynamics, hardware, materials, machine learning, quantitative finance): grade a model's technical reasoning and code.

Before you apply

This is training and evaluation work for AI models, not a research position: you will not publish or keep rights to what you write. If you hold a university or lab appointment, check its policy on outside work first, and never bring unpublished or confidential research into a task. A legitimate platform never charges you to apply.

Pay by specialty

Each specialty's typical pay is measured over its own open roles the way every band on this site is (the 25th percentile of what roles pay (the middle of each advertised range) to the 90th-percentile advertised ceiling), and shown only where at least three distinct rates are posted.

SpecialtyOpen rolesTypical payHighest rate
Physics, astronomy and earth science PhDs17$95–$200/hr$200/hr
Chemistry PhDs10$70–$100/hr$120/hr
Biology, medicine and life sciences PhDs14$70–$120/hr$120/hr
Mathematics and statistics PhDs6$80–$110/hr$120/hr
Engineering, computer science and ML PhDs10$80–$150/hr$150/hr
Psychology, social science and humanities PhDs6$80–$200/hr$200/hr
PhDs and master's graduates in any field12$70–$130/hr$150/hr

What the roles ask for

Read from the requirements of 35 of the 75 open roles for PhDs: the lines each role's pop-up lists from its posting. A role counts once, at the lowest degree it accepts.

26

Ask for a PhD

5

Ask for a master's

3

Ask for a bachelor's or a degree

1

Name no degree

  • Ask for coding (Python, SQL and the like)12
  • Name years of experience3
  • Ask where you live or may work2

The roles that name experience ask for a median of 2 years.

What platforms pay to find you

micro1, Turing and AfterQuery post a flat referral bonus on 28 of the 75 open roles for PhDs: what the platform pays whoever refers the person it accepts, a measure of how hard these people are to find. The platform pays it, and it never comes out of your pay.

RolePlatformReferral bonus
Bilingual Cantonese Psychologist (PhD)micro1$3,000
Bilingual Japanese Psychologist (PhD)micro1$3,000
Bilingual Vietnamese Psychologist (PhD)micro1$3,000
Georgian Speaking Psychologist (PhD)micro1$3,000
Physics Expert (PhD / Postdoc)micro1$2,000
Physics Expert PhD (AMO / Optical Properties of Materials)\t\tmicro1$2,000
Physics Expert PhD (Statistical Physics / Quantum Information / Condensed Matter)micro1$2,000
Aerodynamics Expert (MSc. or PhD)micro1$1,000
See all 28 roles with a bonus

Who hires PhDs for AI work

PlatformOpen rolesPay stated
Alignerr logoAlignerr25$20–$120/hr
micro1 logomicro118$45–$200/hr
Mercor logoMercor10$50–$110/hr
Turing logoTuring9Not stated
Braintrust logoBraintrust3$30–$150/hr
Terac logoTerac3Not stated
AfterQuery logoAfterQuery2$100/hr
Handshake AI logoHandshake AI2up to $75/hr
Welo Data logoWelo Data2$50–$70/hr
Anyone AI logoAnyone AI1$150/hr

How each platform checks you

The platforms hiring PhDs now, in the words of each one's onboarding guide, with the source of every line. The full steps are on each platform's page.

Alignerr logoAlignerr25 open
Assessment
Role assessments and the Zara AI interview. How to apply
Interview
AI interview (recorded, scored by AI)
Identity check
Once you are matched to a project: a driver's license, state ID, work permit or permanent residence card from an accepted country, photographed live through Persona, plus a recent selfie. Source
micro1 logomicro118 open
Assessment
The Zara AI interview (plus a role-specific skill check). How to apply
Interview
AI interview (recorded, scored by AI)
Identity check
Valid government-issued photo ID (passport or driver's license) for identity verification, matching the legal name on your application. Source
Mercor logoMercor10 open
Assessment
AI Video Interview (plus role-specific Form assessments). How to apply
Interview
AI interview (recorded, scored by AI)
Turing logoTuring9 open
Assessment
Role-specific Turing vetting (proctored tests, AI interview, human interviews). How to apply
Interview
AI interview (recorded, scored by AI)
Identity check
A valid, unexpired, physical government photo ID: a passport or driver's license (Nigerian users may also use a physical NIN card). Source
Credentials
It describes three stages: screening and matching on your profile (skills, domain, credentials, availability), automated testing (coding challenges in 18-plus languages, RLHF and SFT-style task evaluations, and an adaptive AI interviewer), and expert human review with deep-dive interviews for complex or high-stakes roles. Source
Braintrust logoBraintrust3 open
Assessment
Braintrust screening interview (AIR / AI skills interview). How to apply
Interview
AI interview (recorded, scored by AI)
Identity check
Government-issued photo ID and ability to take a selfie for Identity Verification (verification is run through Persona; images are not stored or displayed on Braintrust). Source
Terac logoTerac3 open
Assessment
Per-opportunity screening (often a short AI voice interview), plus an optional onboarding interview. How to apply
Interview
AI interview (recorded, scored by AI)
Identity check
A government-issued photo ID before your first cash-out. Source
AfterQuery logoAfterQuery2 open
Assessment
AfterQuery pool skills assessment (plus an interview step). How to apply
Interview
Video interview
Identity check
For verification and payouts: a government-issued photo ID, a device with a camera for a selfie, a phone that can receive a text code, a bank account in your own legal name in the same country you select in Stripe, and your SSN if you are in the US. Source
Credentials
AfterQuery says it welcomes 'experts with advanced degrees, significant industry experience, or demonstrated expertise in their field,' and that every expert goes through a verification process that includes credential checks and expertise validation. Source
Handshake AI logoHandshake AI2 open
Assessment
Project assessment (per project, after an invitation). How to apply
Interview
None published
Identity check
A government photo ID (driver's license, state ID, passport or green card) and a phone or tablet with a camera for the Persona ID and selfie check. Source
Welo Data logoWelo Data2 open
Assessment
Timed Welo Works assessments, then a client exam (per role). How to apply
Interview
None published
Anyone AI logoAnyone AI1 open
Assessment
Interview (format not published), then project onboarding. How to apply
Interview
Interview

Where these roles are posted

Roles a platform posts for one country, and roles whose title names a language. Each place opens its own page; each count opens these roles.

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Frequently asked questions

How much do AI training jobs for PhDs pay?

Across the 61 distinct hourly rates posted for roles for PhDs right now, typical pay runs from $80 to $200 an hour, with a median of $80. The highest posted rate is $200 an hour, at micro1. 12 of the 75 open roles for PhDs state no hourly rate, so check each listing.

Do I need a finished PhD?

Not always. Many roles take a master's or a PhD in progress, and several accept postdoctoral researchers or equivalent research experience; the best-paid ask for a completed doctorate in a named field. Each listing states the degree, the field and the countries it accepts, and platforms ask for proof of the degree when they verify you. Of the 35 open roles for PhDs whose requirements we read, 26 ask for a PhD, 5 a master's, 3 a bachelor's or a degree and 1 name no degree.

What does a PhD do in AI training?

You write problems from your own research area that the best models get wrong, with a verified solution, grade a model's step-by-step reasoning against it, and explain where it went wrong. Some projects add rubric writing or reviewing other experts' problems. It is remote, hourly contract work, and the hours depend on the project.

How do platforms check PhDs?

Most platforms start with an assessment in your field before any paid work, and each listing says what it asks for. Of the platforms hiring PhDs now, Alignerr, micro1, Mercor, Turing and Braintrust run an AI interview (a recorded interview scored by AI) for many roles. Alignerr, micro1, Turing, Braintrust and Terac check a government photo ID, usually with a selfie, before you are paid. Turing and AfterQuery say they check credentials such as degrees. The section on how each platform checks you quotes each guide with its source.

Are these jobs legitimate?

They are posted by established AI data platforms (Alignerr, micro1, Mercor and Turing among them), and each platform's page here covers whether it is legit, how it vets people and how it pays. A legitimate platform never charges you to apply or to get work.

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Every math and science role, with live pay by platform.

Expert fields in demand

Which professions AI training roles ask for, counted from their titles.