Forensic Scientist – Nuclear Materials

Mercor

. Write challenging single-turn prompts in nuclear materials and safeguards, labelled benign, dual-use or adversarial .

Posted 9/18/2026contractRemote • United StatesMid-LevelSenior💰 $65 - $75 per hourWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in nuclear materials characterization, radiochemical analysis, and technical writing, with a strong focus on evaluating misuse potential and providing clear rationales for non-specialists. Proficient in detection technologies and forensic methodologies relevant to nuclear safeguards.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Nuclear Materials CharacterizationRadiochemical AnalysisTechnical WritingDetection TechnologyNuclear Forensics

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Sample CharacterizationMass-Spectrometric AnalysisIsotopicsAge DatingMaterial Signature LibrariesAttribution MethodologyPre-Detonation ForensicsPost-Detonation ForensicsRed-TeamingTechnical Reasoning

Soft Skills

Written CommunicationAnalytical Thinking

Tools & Technologies

Portal MonitorsHandheld IdentificationSearch Operations

Industry Keywords

Nuclear ForensicsMisuse ScenariosPolicy StandardsTechnical Misuse PotentialInternational Exercise Participation

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Write challenging single-turn prompts in nuclear materials and safeguards, labelled benign, dual-use or adversarial
Evaluate model responses against a defined policy standard
Judge whether responses handled technical misuse potential correctly
Write reference answers and technical reasoning explaining correct responses
Distinguish routine professional questions from requests that may facilitate misuse
Provide written rationales understandable to non-specialists
Read and write about misuse scenarios for sustained periods

Requirements

What you’ll need

Experience characterising real nuclear material
Background in nuclear forensics casework or international exercise participation
Experience with sample characterisation and attribution
Experience in radiochemical and mass-spectrometric analysis, including isotopics, age dating, impurity and process signatures
Experience with detection and interdiction technology, including portal monitors, handheld identification and search operations
Experience with material signature libraries, reference materials and attribution methodology
Experience in pre- or post-detonation forensics research at a national laboratory or agency
Red-teaming experience ideally
Strong technical writing ability
Prior technical writing, published research or expert witness experience is a strong signal
Include a writing sample or link
Must not use classified or export-controlled information, NDA-protected information or material subject to prepublication review obligations
Must disclose such obligations so the work can be scoped accordingly

Benefits

Comp & perks

Earn up to $250 for each successful referral
No limit on how many people you can refer
Reasonable accommodations upon request
Ability to pause or step away from misuse-scenario work at any point without penalty