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Strategic Project Lead

MercorOpsOnsiteFull-timeSan Francisco
$120k-$200k+ Equityposted 2h ago

ABOUT MERCOR

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

Silicon Valley’s leading AI companies partner with Mercor to scale high-quality data operations. As an SPL, you will:

- Drive the tactical execution of multi-million-dollar projects.

- Build deep client relationships with researchers at top AI labs.

- Orchestrate the work of 1,000+ contributors.

- Ensure flawless operational execution under demanding timelines.

This is a hands-on operations role for candidates excited by process optimization, rapid iteration, and high-intensity problem solving. We're an early-stage startup that operates with intensity. That means occasionally being responsive on weekends and always holding a high bar for output. The upside — performance incentives, career trajectory, and meaningful equity — reflects that.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

- Design and manage end-to-end data pipelines, from customer specifications to final delivery.

- Diagnose bottlenecks, restructure workflows, and implement solutions that improve quality, throughput, and cost-efficiency.

- Examples include: creating incentive systems, re-sequencing workflows, refining instructions, and scaling review processes.

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

- Act as the primary point of contact for leading AI labs.

- Deliver clear, consistent reporting and proactively anticipate client needs.

- Build long-term trust and identify opportunities for expansion.

LARGE-SCALE COORDINATION

- Manage 1,000+ distributed contributors in Slack-based workspaces.

- Source, vet, train, and performance-manage domain experts.

- Maintain high execution standards across all stages of production.

QUALITY REPORTING

- Run daily internal syncs (“war rooms”) to stay ahead of issues.

- Provide regular, transparent progress updates to customers.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

- Experience: Background in consulting, finance, startups, or other operationally intense environments.

- Skills: Strong analytical and communication abilities; proven track record of managing complex projects.

- Customer-Facing Experience: Comfortable working directly with high-profile clients.

- Mindset: Excited by “gritty” process optimization and large-scale execution.

KEY FACTS

- SPLs generate $10M+ in project revenue annually.

- Customer requests are high-pressure and time-sensitive (e.g., onboarding 1,000 contributors in 3 days, delivering 10+ hours of quality data per contributor within 48 hours).

- The role is explicitly operations-focused—not strategy, product, or GTM.

GROWTH PATH

- SPLs begin as individual contributors, running projects end-to-end.

- High performers may advance to Senior SPL (SSPL) roles, managing multiple projects and teams of SPLs.

COMPENSATION

- Base cash comp from $120K-$200k

- Aggressive bi-annual performance bonus structure

- Generous equity grant vested over 4 years

- $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