PhD Synthetic and Analytical Chemist, AI Expert (Remote, UK or US East Coast)

This role is for one of our clients

Compensation: $70 - $100 per hour

Location: Remote (UK or US East Coast)
Engagement Type: Part-Time, Independent Contractor
Time Commitment: Minimum 20 hours per week, weekdays

Job Overview

We are seeking highly skilled PhD-qualified chemists with strong expertise in synthetic and analytical chemistry to contribute to the development of next-generation AI models for scientific research. This opportunity is ideal for synthetic, organic, medicinal, analytical, or physical chemists from academia or industry who bring substantial hands-on laboratory and research experience.

As a Chemistry Subject-Matter Expert (SME), you will work closely with AI research and engineering teams at a leading AI lab to improve the scientific reasoning, accuracy, and problem-solving capabilities of advanced AI models. Your expertise will help develop challenging chemistry benchmarks, create high-quality training datasets, and evaluate AI-generated solutions across chemical synthesis, reaction mechanisms, compound characterization, and analytical workflows.

This is a part-time, fully remote opportunity for candidates based in the United Kingdom or on the US East Coast.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with AI research and engineering teams to identify scientific knowledge gaps and improve model performance across synthetic chemistry, reaction mechanisms, structure elucidation, and physicochemical property prediction.
• Design challenging, domain-specific chemistry tasks, benchmarks, and training datasets that assess genuine scientific reasoning rather than simple information retrieval.
• Develop accurate, structured solutions for complex chemistry problems, including multi-step synthesis route planning, reaction optimization, and spectroscopic characterization.
• Evaluate AI-generated responses and step-by-step reasoning, identifying errors in chemical logic, factual accuracy, and scientific tool usage.
• Provide detailed written technical feedback to improve the reliability and scientific accuracy of AI model outputs.
• Develop task specifications, grading rubrics, and verification processes for chemistry-related data produced by external technical teams.
• Assess experimental designs, identify common laboratory failure modes, and validate the chemical feasibility of proposed solutions.
• Review molecular representations, including SMILES, for chemical correctness and consistency.
• Collaborate with other subject-matter experts to maintain scientific accuracy and quality across AI training datasets.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Chemistry, preferably in Synthetic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, or a closely related discipline. Equivalent research experience may also be considered.
• At least 3 years of hands-on chemistry experience within a recognized organization, such as a pharmaceutical, biotechnology, chemical, or materials company, contract research organization, or university research group.
• Strong practical experience in small-molecule synthesis, including:
• Designing and executing multi-step synthetic routes.
• Reaction setup, monitoring, and optimization.
• Troubleshooting experimental challenges and improving reaction outcomes.
• Hands-on experience with analytical and compound-characterization techniques, including:
• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.
• Mass spectrometry.
• Infrared (IR) spectroscopy.
• High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
• Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS).
• Ability to interpret analytical and spectroscopic data and assess compound identity, purity, and structural characteristics.
• Familiarity with cheminformatics platforms, scientific software, and AI-powered research tools. Programming expertise is not required.
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex chemical concepts and technical decisions clearly.
• Ability to commit reliably to at least 20 hours per week during weekdays.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with cheminformatics representations and molecular notations such as SMILES and SMARTS.
• Familiarity with AI model evaluation, scientific reasoning assessments, or AI agent testing.
• Experience developing scientific benchmarks, training datasets, grading rubrics, or structured evaluation frameworks.
• Ability to translate complex laboratory procedures and chemical reasoning into clear, structured technical documentation.

Employment Details

• Work Arrangement: Fully remote.
• Eligible Locations: United Kingdom or US East Coast.
• Engagement Type: Part-time, independent contractor.
• Time Commitment: Minimum 20 hours per week, primarily on weekdays.
• Schedule: Flexible, with the ability to manage work remotely.
• Project Duration: Engagements may be extended, shortened, or concluded early depending on project requirements and performance.
• Payment: Weekly payments through Stripe or Wise, based on services rendered.
• Confidentiality: The role will not require access to confidential or proprietary information belonging to any current or former employer, client, or institution.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, political views or activity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants upon request.

Important Eligibility Information

• Applicants must be based in the United Kingdom or on the US East Coast.
• H-1B and STEM OPT candidates cannot be supported for this opportunity.
• Candidates should have a PhD or equivalent research experience, along with substantial hands-on expertise in synthetic and analytical chemistry.