Senior Design Expert - Paid AI Design Research Study | $150-$250/hr Remote
Overview
Mercor is recruiting senior designers for a paid, remote research study with a major tech company exploring how expert designers think and work. You'll participate in structured, recorded sessions that capture your approach to problem-solving, your standards for strong design, and how you know when work is ready to ship. Depending on your background, you may be the expert interviewed or the one conducting the interviews. Sessions run 4–5 hours each, including preparation and review, with pay at $150–$250 per hour. This is a flexible, contract opportunity to influence AI design tooling with your expertise.
What You'll Do5
- 1Participate in structured, recorded remote sessions (4–5 hours each) that capture your design thinking and decision-making process.
- 2Articulate your personal design philosophy, including how you critique work and judge when a product is ready to launch.
- 3Prepare for each session in advance and join a short debrief afterward to reflect on your approach.
- 4If selected as an interviewer, lead conversations with other senior designers to deepen the client's understanding of expert craft.
- 5Share a portfolio that showcases your senior-level work and demonstrates your point of view on design quality.
Requirements4
- 1Senior-level design experience in product design, UX design, brand design, or a related craft discipline.
- 2A clear, well-articulated point of view on design quality, critique, and what makes work shippable.
- 3A publicly shareable portfolio (a website link is ideal) that we can review solely for fit — no confidential, unreleased, or NDA-covered work.
- 4Comfort working remotely in a recorded session, with reliable technology and a distraction-free environment.
Who Should Apply
The ideal candidate is a seasoned designer with a strong personal aesthetic and a disciplined approach to evaluating design. You have deep experience shipping real products or brand work, and you can clearly explain why a design works or doesn't. You're comfortable talking through your choices and giving or receiving critique in a structured setting. If you're curious about AI's role in design and enjoy mentoring or interviewing peers, this study is a great fit.
Salary Insight
$150–$250 per hour, with sessions typically 4–5 hours. The client notes scope and rate may change as the study is finalized.
Location
Required Skills
Application Tip
Make sure your portfolio link is public and easy to access, and include a brief note in your portfolio explaining your design philosophy and how you decide when work is ready to ship. The client is looking for clear thinking, not just pretty visuals.
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