How do I become a Google researcher? What's the process of application?
Tell me a little bit about it. Also, please tell me some other
websites that would hire researchers like Google Answers does.

Dear Kubbin, 

Thank you for your question. A job as a Google Answers Researcher
requires ability to locate information quickly and efficiently using
(mostly) the Internet. These are the basic qualifications, and hence,
these are the requirements in applying: to be able to locate the
required information and serve it in a helpful manner.

It has already been asked, more than once, how to become a Google
Answers Researcher, and I and my colleagues have answered that in
those occasions (see list bellow, these could be also found by
searching Google or Google Answers).

However, in fact, the answer is already written in the Google Answers site: 
"How do I sign up to become a Researcher? 
Because of an overwhelming response by qualified candidates, we are
temporarily not accepting additional applications. Please check back
with us again, as we likely will begin accepting applications again in
the near future. " (SOURCE: Google Answers FAQ,
<http://answers.google.com/answers/faq.html#becomeresearcher>).

Most of the Google Answers Researchers were hired more than a year
ago, when there were still openings. Since then, few were hired. They
were - and here I reveal a tip on how one *might* be able to get in -
people who proved their research abilities on the comment section,
without annoying the other researchers (for example: it would be a bad
idea to give a full comment/answer on a fresh question, without giving
Researchers their chance to earn their bread).

As for services similar to Google Answers, here are several answers
with lists of such services, some of which were compiled by yours
truely:

online research service like google answers 
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=155820

Internet research services similar to Google Answers  
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=71183

Looking for other collaborative "answer my question" websites 
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=184926

Research 
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=183866

Job Possibilities for Researchers
<http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=207306>

Job Possibilities for Researchers 2
<http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=211085> 

Expert advice systems sites? 
<http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=250464>

Questions about becoming a Researcher: 

How to sign up as an internet researcher? 
<http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=242246> - with many
links to previous answers on the question.

I hope this answered your question. Please contact me if you need any
further clarifications on this answer before you rate it.

Please note that Google Answers Researchers are not "hired." Although
all of us have obtained official approval to function as GA
Researchers, we are not employees, but independent contractors.

This is a great answer to the question, but it is not fair to say that
you shouldn't give a full answer/comment to a question if you are a
commentor.  If you know the answer you should post it, regardless.  I
doubt that the editors would use that as a criteria for hiring and I
also doubt that they would want you to supress a perfectly good answer
if you are able to answer it.  To do so would defeat the purpose of
this service.

It would seem to me that if you were even remotely qualified to work
as a Google researcher, you would be able to use Google to research
the answer to this question yourself, especially since the question
has been asked before.

Just a note of self defense regarding the last comment on my
qualifications. As a first time GA question asker I was desirous to
test out the system and see how reliable Google researchers are and
how quick they answered. I noted that there was a brief answer to part
of my question in the GA FAQs and had I the time to look further into
it I would have approached DMOZ for their directories and Google with
their related links and other tools like Alexa and the like. But it
was an easy question and I paid only a little for it, so...no loss
right? That's all. Just tryin' GA out. Thanks.

Bowler: I agree; to say that commenters should "prove their research
abilities on the comment section" without giving a full answer
suggests that the main goal of the site is enriching the paid
researchers, rather than sharing information. If non-paid commenters
are willing to volunteer their time, it seems like the paid
researchers could at least find a way to be content that the question
was answered, and move on to one that hasn't been answered yet, rather
than becoming "annoyed" like politicalguru states. In fact, I'd like
to see tipping for commenters implemented. The existing paid
researchers shouldn't feel threatened by that; they already have much
'competition' from their colleagues, and the full stated question
value would still be available only to them.