Drug Discovery Specialist, Pharmacology & ADME/Tox

About the role

Join a leading AI lab's cutting-edge research team and help build foundational AI models for science from the ground up. We're seeking talented Drug Discovery subject-matter experts (SMEs), including pharmacologists, DMPK / ADME scientists and toxicologists from pharma, biotech, contract research or academic settings, to bring deep, hands-on discovery expertise to the design and evaluation of advanced AI models for drug discovery.

This is a part-time position through Cincinnatus LLC (or an appropriate international entity), with the opportunity to be placed at a leading AI Lab as part of their extended workforce.

Scope of Work

• Guide research and engineering teams to close knowledge gaps and improve AI model performance in mechanism of action, target and cellular pharmacology, ADME/Tox, and PK/PD.
• Design challenging, non-searchable drug discovery tasks, benchmarks and training data, and write accurate, well-structured solutions to problems such as interpreting assay readouts, identifying compound liabilities and planning optimization strategy.
• Evaluate AI model outputs and step-by-step reasoning on drug discovery tasks, diagnosing errors in scientific logic, tool usage and factual accuracy, and provide clear, written technical feedback.
• Develop specifications, grading rubrics and verification processes for drug discovery data produced by external technical teams, and act as the domain authority on data quality.
• Advise on assay design and quality control, experimental failure modes, and the biological and pharmacological validity of model outputs.
• Collaborate with other subject matter experts to ensure consistency and accuracy in training data.

What you’ll bring

• PhD in pharmacology, pharmaceutical sciences, toxicology, DMPK, biochemistry or a closely related discipline, or equivalent research experience.
• 3+ years of experience in early-to-mid stage drug discovery, pharmacology, DMPK / ADME or toxicology at a recognized organization, such as a pharmaceutical or biotech company, a contract research organization, or an academic drug discovery group.
• Hands-on experience analyzing experimental drug discovery data, such as in vitro ADME and safety assays, PK/PD studies, CRO assay readouts or LC-MS bioanalysis, and using it to guide compound decisions.
• Comfortable using PK/PD or data analysis software and scientific AI tools (no coding required).
• Ability to engage reliably for at least 20 hours/week during weekdays.
• Strong written communication skills and the ability to explain complex technical decisions clearly.

Preferred Qualifications

• experience with PK/PD or ADME modeling, writing grading rubrics, designing benchmark tasks, or evaluating scientific AI models.

Benefits

Not provided in the source listing.

Contract & Payment Terms

• About Cincinnatus LLC: Cincinnatus LLC is an enterprise staffing company that partners with leading technology companies to source and employ highly skilled professionals for contingent and contract-based opportunities. Cincinnatus, or an appropriate international entity, serves as the employer of record for these engagements, providing employment, payroll, benefits, and compliance, while placing employees directly within client teams to work on high-impact initiatives.
• Equal Employment Opportunity: Cincinnatus is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or any other legally protected characteristic.
• We consider all qualified applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics and provide reasonable accommodations upon request.
• You will be engaged as an independent contractor.
• This is a fully remote role that can be completed on your own schedule.
• Projects can be extended, shortened, or concluded early depending on needs and performance.
• Your work at Mercor will not involve access to confidential or proprietary information from any employer, client, or institution.
• Payments are weekly on Stripe or Wise based on services rendered.
• Please note: We are unable to support H1-B or STEM OPT candidates at this time.

Where you can work

This role is open to people based in: United Kingdom, United States.

Remote does not always mean work from any country. Always check the employer’s location and working-hour requirements.