Economics Research Expert

What you'll do

Mercor is recruiting economists for a research project with a leading foundation-model AI lab. That is almost the whole description: the ad does not say what the tasks are.

For context, projects like this on Mercor usually involve writing or checking hard domain problems and grading how well AI models handle them, but that is a general pattern, not something this ad states. Ask what the deliverables are (problem sets, evaluations, written analysis) before you commit hours to it.

Who qualifies

• A Master's or PhD in economics
• At least one year of experience in economics research at a top institution; the ad's examples are the World Bank, the IMF, the Fed and graduate schools

The institution list is the main filter. A strong private-sector economist without a research-institution stint may not clear it as written, while a PhD student who has spent a year at a graduate school does. No country requirement is published.

What it pays

$120–150 per hour, Mercor's published figure. The ad does not say what decides where you land in the band.

The commitment is at least 10 hours a week, and the engagement runs for a minimum of four weeks. At the floor that is 40 hours and $4,800 over the minimum term, before tax.

The contract terms in the ad are Mercor's standard ones: independent contractor, weekly payment via Stripe or Wise based on services rendered, and no support for H-1B or STEM OPT candidates.

Worth knowing

Good:

• One of the higher rates on the board for social-science expertise
• A defined minimum: four weeks at 10 or more hours a week
• Ten hours a week fits alongside academic or institutional work
• The ad says successful contributions raise your odds of selection for future Mercor projects

Less good:

• The ad describes no tasks at all, so you are applying on credentials and rate alone
• The institutional-experience bar is narrow and specific
• The ad also states projects can be extended, shortened or ended early depending on need and performance
• H-1B and STEM OPT holders are excluded
• The lab is not named

About this listing

Posted by Mercor as a remote hourly contract, read on 30 September 2026. The pay band, hours, duration, requirements and payment terms above come from the ad itself. No closing date or country list is published. See Mercor.