Compensation Architect - Total Rewards

About the job

Mercor connects elite creative and technical talent with leading AI research labs. Headquartered in San Francisco, our investors include Benchmark , General Catalyst , Peter Thiel , Adam D'Angelo , Larry Summers , and Jack Dorsey .

Position: Compensation & Equity Expert (Total Rewards)

Type: Contract

Compensation: $50–$200/hour

Location: Remote

Role Responsibilities

• Build salary bands, leveling frameworks, and job architecture from the ground up.
• Own an annual compensation cycle, including merit planning, promotion decisions, and bonus programs.
• Benchmark against a peer set and defend to a skeptical exec team.
• Design incentive structures that are simple, credible, and behavior-changing.
• Manage equity programs, including option and RSU programs, grant guidelines, and pool planning.
• Work through 409A valuations, plan governance, and grant administration at a venture-backed company.

Qualifications

Must-Have

• Depth in compensation design & architecture or equity program management .

Preferred

• Experience in compensation philosophy , benchmarking methodology, pay equity, and pay transparency.
• Compensation design for a global or contractor workforce at scale.
• Benefits program design, HRIS , and compensation tooling.
• Executive compensation, plan governance, or equity through IPO readiness.

Interview Process

• Short screen followed by a paid conversation about a live question.

Compensation & Legal

• Hourly contractor
• Paid for each engagement

Application Process (Takes 20–30 mins to complete)

• Upload resume
• AI interview based on your resume
• Submit form

Resources & Support

• For details about the interview process and platform information, please check:
• For any help or support, reach out to: Show email

PS: Our team reviews applications daily. Please complete your AI interview and application steps to be considered for this opportunity.