Remote PhD Drug Discovery, Structural Biology & Computational Chemist — AI Research & Domain Evaluation

We are seeking a detail-oriented Remote PhD Drug Discovery, Structural Biology & Computational Chemist — AI Research & Domain Evaluation ($45 - $90/hour, 100% remote) to join ZR Talent Group. Contributors in this role draw upon real-world mastery of Computational Chemistry, Structural Bioinformatics, Cheminformatics, Proteomics & Metabolomics to evaluate AI-generated deliverables, construct detailed grading rubrics, and guide post-training model alignment.

Prior experience building machine learning systems is not required—our research partners value authentic practitioner judgment, domain rigor, and clear analytical writing.

Key Responsibilities & Deliverables

• Author rigorous, graduate-level scientific problems in computational chemistry, structural biology, and drug discovery, accompanied by step-by-step, verifiable reference solutions.
• Audit, critique, and score AI model outputs for scientific accuracy, rigor, and depth of reasoning, identifying subtle errors that non-specialists would miss.
• Construct comprehensive grading rubrics and gold-standard solutions anchored in the primary literature and established methodology..
• Apply domain expertise across areas such as molecular modeling and simulation, protein structure prediction and design, virtual screening and docking, QSAR/ADMET modeling, and proteomics/metabolomics data analysis.
• Supply detailed, transparent written explanations of your reasoning, so that other experts can follow and validate it.
• Meet quality standards through iterative feedback and peer review cycles.

Required Qualifications & Technical Criteria

• PhD in Computational Chemistry, Structural Biology, Biophysics, Bioinformatics, Medicinal Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a closely related field.
• Practical laboratory or applied research background in an academic or industry lab (wetlab experience is a plus).
• Fluent written and verbal English communication (C1 or higher).

Preferred Experience & Bonus Attributes

• Postdoctoral or industry research experience (pharma/biotech) in drug discovery or structural biology.
• Strong publication record, particularly first-author papers in relevant journals.
• Molecular modeling and simulation: GROMACS, AMBER, NAMD, OpenMM, free energy methods (FEP/TI).
• Structure prediction and design: AlphaFold, Rosetta, homology modeling, cryo-EM / X-ray crystallography data interpretation.
• Docking and virtual screening: AutoDock, Glide, Schrödinger Suite, MOE.
• Cheminformatics: RDKit, QSAR/QSPR, ADMET prediction, fingerprinting, library design.
• Proteomics and metabolomics: LC-MS/MS, MaxQuant, DIA/DDA workflows, PTM analysis, untargeted metabolomics.
• Programming: Python (required in practice), plus R, Bash, or similar; experience with ML for molecular property prediction (GNNs, generative models) is a plus.
• Practical background using benchmarking, model evaluation, or scientific writing/reviewing.
• Ability to explain complex scientific concepts clearly and precisely in writing.

Compensation, Remote Eligibility & Schedule

• Compensation Band: $45 - $90/hour
• Work Model: 100% Remote / Work From Home with flexible asynchronous scheduling
• Eligible Remote Locations: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and South Africa
• Current Openings: 50 active specialist positions
• Hiring Organization: ZR Talent Group
• Core Skills & Technologies: Computational Chemistry, Structural Bioinformatics, Cheminformatics, Proteomics & Metabolomics, Documentation, Verbal communication, Drug Discovery, Biology, Metagenomics