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Researcher Phd Student Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Reality Defender

Audio/Multimodal AI PhD Intern

The 4-month internship is designed for current PhD students and candidates to partner with Reality Defender's AI team to conduct cutting-edge research and publish peer-reviewed papers. Your primary ...

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Researcher Phd Student information

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$30K

$113.1K

$164.5K

How much do researcher phd student jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for researcher phd student in the United States is $113,102.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $67,000.00 and $154,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by PhD students working as researchers, and how can they be managed?

PhD students working as researchers often encounter challenges such as balancing independent research with coursework and teaching responsibilities, managing long-term projects with uncertain outcomes, and handling the pressure to publish or present findings. Effective time management and setting realistic goals can help address these difficulties. Additionally, seeking regular feedback from advisors, collaborating with peers, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance are key practices to ensure success and well-being throughout the program.

What are Researcher PhD Students?

Researcher PhD Students are individuals enrolled in a doctoral program who conduct original research in their chosen field of study. They work under the supervision of faculty advisors, contribute to academic publications, and often assist with teaching or laboratory duties. Their primary goal is to develop new knowledge or solve complex problems through rigorous scholarly investigation, culminating in a dissertation or thesis. PhD students often present their findings at conferences and may collaborate with other researchers. Upon completion, they earn a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree, which can lead to careers in academia, industry, or research institutions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Researcher PhD Student, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Researcher PhD Student, you need strong analytical skills, a solid academic background in your field, and experience with experimental design or theoretical research. Familiarity with research software such as SPSS, MATLAB, R, or specialized databases, and sometimes certifications in research ethics or data management, are commonly required. Excellent written and verbal communication, perseverance, and critical thinking set standout candidates apart. These skills are crucial for generating original research, effectively disseminating findings, and advancing knowledge in your discipline.

What is the difference between Researcher Phd Student vs Research Assistant?

AspectResearcher Phd StudentResearch Assistant
Required CredentialsEnrolled in PhD program, advanced degree in progressBachelor's or Master's degree, often in related field
Work EnvironmentAcademic or research institution, independent research focusLaboratory or fieldwork, supporting research projects
Employer & IndustryUniversities, research institutes, industry R&D departmentsUniversities, research labs, industry settings
Common Search & ComparisonYesYes

The main difference between a Researcher Phd Student and a Research Assistant lies in their educational status and responsibilities. A Researcher Phd Student is pursuing a doctoral degree and often leads independent research projects, while a Research Assistant typically supports research activities under supervision. Both roles are common in academic and research environments, but the PhD student is more focused on developing original research, whereas the Research Assistant provides support to ongoing projects.

More about Researcher Phd Student jobs
What cities are hiring for Researcher Phd Student jobs? Cities with the most Researcher Phd Student job openings:
What states have the most Researcher Phd Student jobs? States with the most job openings for Researcher Phd Student jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Researcher Phd Student jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Researcher Phd Student jobs are:
Researcher Phd Student jobs near you
Infographic showing various Researcher Phd Student job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 88% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $113,102 per year, or $54.4 per hour.

Academic Researcher - Fully Remote | Upto $110/yr

Mercor

New York, NY • Remote

$80 - $110/hr

Full-time

Posted 6 days ago

Job description

About the job

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.

Position: Academic Research Collaborator - Professors & PhDs
Type: Contract
Compensation: $80–$110/hour
Location: Remote

Role Responsibilities

  • Design challenging, real-world domain-specific problems in areas like financial modeling, legal reasoning, econometrics, ML, and coding. Focus on addressing core capability loss failures in frontier AI models.
  • Integrate problems into an Agentic development environment using Python. Prepare all necessary components for robust task execution.
  • Evaluate the target model's performance on designed tasks. Analyze outcomes to improve model reasoning and outputs.
  • Identify tasks where the model fails to pass tests. Classify failures as logical reasoning issues to guide future improvements.
  • Collaborate with domain experts to enhance AI model training and ensure task relevance and accuracy.

Qualifications

Must-Have

  • Current or retired professor, or PhD student, in STEM or professional/quantitative domains.
  • Degree or PhD in progress from a top university.
  • Working proficiency in Python applied in research, industry, GitHub, or coursework.
  • Ability to engage reliably for 30+ hours/week during weekdays.
  • Basic ability to work independently and manage time effectively.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred

  • Past experience in AI training, model evaluation, and data annotation.

Resources & Support

  • For details about the interview process and platform information, please check: https://talent.docs.mercor.com/welcome
  • For any help or support, reach out to: support@mercor.com

PS: Our team reviews applications daily. Please complete your AI interview and application steps to be considered for this opportunity.