Research Grants Coordinator

Mercor's mission is to organize human intelligence to power the AI economy. We're a leading AI data company, building the layer between human expertise and frontier models. Millions of domain experts on the platform are paid over $4 million per day to train frontier AI models. Mercor's APEX benchmark family measures AI's real-world impact on professional work. Mercor Enterprise brings this same infrastructure to Fortune 500 companies: helping companies capture how their best people actually work, translating that expertise directly back into agents.

Mercor is creating a new category of work where expertise powers AI advancement. Achieving this requires an ambitious, fast-paced and deeply committed team. You’ll work alongside researchers, operators, and AI companies at the forefront of shaping the systems that are redefining society. Mercor is a profitable Series C company valued at $10 billion. We work in-person five days a week in our San Francisco, NYC, or London offices.

About the Role
We’re looking for a Research Grants Coordinator to help run Mercor’s research funding programs. Initially, you’ll be responsible for $10m of funding.

You’ll work closely with our research team and external researchers to move promising projects from initial application through funding, delivery, and publication. You’ll coordinate the day-to-day grantmaking process, build relationships across the research community, and make sure applicants and grantees receive clear, timely support. This role suits someone who is highly organized, enjoys working with researchers, and takes ownership of getting things done.

What You’ll Do

• Coordinate the grant process: Manage applications, organize reviews with Mercor researchers, track decisions, and keep applicants informed.

• Outbound to grantees: Reach out to applicants and potential applicants to make them aware and keep them informed of the grants process.

• Support grantees: Serve as the main operational contact for funded researchers, coordinating onboarding, answering questions, and connecting them with relevant people and resources.

• Keep projects moving: Track milestones, budgets, and deliverables; follow up on progress; and flag issues early.

• Coordinate agreements and payments: Work with legal, finance, and operations to get grants set up and funding delivered on time.

• Build research relationships: Identify prospective applicants, support outreach to universities and research organizations, and help grow the community around Mercor’s funding programs.

• Communicate results: Coordinate project updates, publications, and announcements, and help the team understand what funded projects have achieved.

• Improve how we work: Build straightforward systems for tracking grants, managing communications, and reporting on program progress.

• Organize events: Organize kickoff, checkin, and wrapup events for grantees and the wider research community.
  

What We’re Looking For

• Experience: Ideally 2–3 years in program coordination, research operations, grant administration, consulting, or a related role.

• Organization: Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and relationships.

• Communication: Clear, concise writing and confidence working with researchers, applicants, and internal teams.

• Ownership: You follow through, resolve problems independently, and know when to ask for input.

• Research interest: Curiosity about AI research and the ability to understand and summarize a project’s goals and progress.

• Practical judgment: Comfortable handling confidential proposals and funding information, adapting to changing priorities, and improving processes as you go.

Compensation

• $10K proximity bonus (if you live within 0.5 miles of our office)

• $1.5K monthly stipend for meals

• Free Equinox membership

• $200 monthly laundry reimbursement

• $200 monthly personal wellness reimbursement

• Health, Dental, Vision insurance

• 401(k) with company match

• Up to $15k Relocation bonus