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Researcher Phd Student Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Mercor

Physics Researcher - High Energy Expert

New York, NY · On-site +1

$80 - $135/hr

PhD or postdoc in the relevant subfield (senior PhD student minimum). * Postdoc or junior professor in the relevant subfield ( PhD minimum). * Full professor or industry research PI in the relevant ...

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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 Sep 2, 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 is a researcher PhD student?

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 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 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.

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Researcher Phd Student jobs near you
Infographic showing various Researcher Phd Student job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 58% Full Time, 37% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 82% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 17% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $113,102 per year, or $54.4 per hour.

Machine Learning PhD Student Contributor

Cobalt

Alameda, CA • On-site

Other

Posted 2 days ago

New

Job description

About the role:

Cobalt is seeking PhD-qualified machine learning researchers with direct experience designing, running, and evaluating original ML research. This opportunity is suited to researchers who have worked in academic ML labs, industry research groups, or frontier lab environments, and who understand how technical claims are established, tested, and supported by evidence.

You may currently work, or have previously worked, as a PhD candidate, Postdoctoral Researcher, Research Scientist, Research Engineer, Applied Scientist, Member of Technical Staff, or in a related role.

You do not need prior experience in data annotation or model evaluation. You must, however, have contributed meaningfully to at least one substantive ML research output, and you must be comfortable reading papers, interpreting experimental results, and judging whether stated conclusions follow from the underlying evidence.


What you'll do:

Depending on the project, you may:

  • Produce written reasoning traces on hard ML problems, capturing how you reach a solution rather than only the solution itself, and draft expert reference answers to technical questions
  • Author novel problems in your subfield that have verifiable or defensible correct answers
  • Evaluate model-generated technical content: compare and rank responses, articulate what makes the stronger one stronger, and identify the specific step at which a chain of reasoning breaks down
  • Assess whether stated conclusions are supported by the underlying derivation, code, or experimental evidence
  • Design rubrics and partial-credit criteria for scoring multistep technical tasks, and contribute subject-matter expertise to benchmark and dataset development

Projects follow their own annotation guidelines and quality standards, and you will work with feedback from reviewers and lab research teams.


Required qualifications:

  • PhD, completed or in progress, in machine learning, computer science, statistics, mathematics, physics, or a closely related quantitative discipline, with research that is substantially ML focused
  • Direct experience authoring, co-authoring, or substantively contributing to at least one ML research output, such as a peer-reviewed paper, preprint, thesis chapter, or comparable technical artifact
  • Demonstrated depth in at least one area, for example optimization, reinforcement learning, language model training and post-training, learning theory, probabilistic methods, computer vision, natural language processing, or systems for ML
  • Ability to interpret papers, derivations, code and experimental results, and to explain your reasoning clearly in writing
  • Strong attention to detail, a commitment to factual accuracy, and the ability to work independently to agreed timelines


Why join Cobalt AI:

  • Advance frontier AI where it counts. Apply your research expertise to the data that frontier labs cannot obtain any other way, where your reasoning directly shapes how the next generation of models works through technical problems.
  • Grow professionally. Expand your influence through evaluation projects, advisory roles, and research collaborations, while deepening your understanding of how frontier models are trained and assessed.
  • Work with a top-tier network. Collaborate with researchers from leading institutions and labs on high-impact, flexible work.
  • Set your own schedule. Flexible 10 to 40 hour weeks that fit around your research position and your life.
  • Competitive pay. Rates vary by project and are determined by a number of factors, including scope, skillset, and experience.

Apply