PhD Data Partner — TELUS Digital

Last verified: 30 July 2026 · Source: telusinternational.ai/cmp/public/jobs/available/127131

What is this project?

TELUS Digital's top tier of AI-data work: you design advanced, domain-specific question-and-answer problem sets that genuinely test deep reasoning, in your own field of expertise. We opened the Architecture variant, but this role family exists across Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Diagnostics/Laboratory Medicine, Mechanical Engineering, Energy/Power, and more — each is its own listing.

What would I actually do day to day?

• Develop complex, original question-and-answer pairs based on advanced topics in your area of expertise.
• Ensure each question involves genuine multi-step problem-solving and critical thinking — not something a quick web search answers.
• Write detailed, clear solutions that meet a high academic standard.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to refine content.

Requirements

• A Doctorate/PhD degree in the specific subject is essential for this variant. (A lower-credential "Data Partner," non-PhD, variant of the same family also exists, at a lower pay tier — see the pay section.)
• Strong English writing proficiency — clear, correct grammar, and the ability to explain complex ideas concisely.

Is there an exam?

Yes — a subject-specific qualification exam plus ID verification.

Pay

$12–$15 USD/hour in the listings we checked. TELUS Digital states rates vary by "expertise, skills assessment, location, project need, and other factors," and that PhDs specifically may be offered higher rates within that range. The parallel non-PhD "Data Partner" variant of the same family paid less in the listings we sampled (around $8–10/hr).

Who should apply

People with a completed doctorate (or, for the lower-tier variant, a relevant Bachelor's/Master's) in a subject where rigorous, original problem-writing is genuinely hard to fake — Math, the sciences, medicine, law, engineering, architecture. This is not a role you can bluff your way into; the exam is subject-specific and the work product (original graduate-level problems with correct solutions) is self-evidently either right or wrong.

How to prepare

There isn't a shortcut here — this role rewards genuine subject-matter depth, not general AI knowledge. TTA Academy's Applied AI & Machine Learning and Full-Stack Development with AI courses give useful surrounding context about how your domain expertise gets used in AI training, but they don't substitute for the PhD-level expertise this role actually requires.

Part of the TELUS Digital vendor guide. TTA Academy is not affiliated with TELUS Digital.