Astrophysics & Cosmology AI Problem Designer (Remote)

mercor; France; Remote; EUR 86,000 - 123,000; Full time

Job summary

Mercor connects elite talent with AI research labs and seeks an Astrophysics & Cosmology Expert for remote, contract work. The role involves designing complex computational problems, testing AI systems with real scientific software, and refining tasks using state-of-the-art models.

You will work largely independently with access to Linux environments and remote sandboxes, committing to 15–20 hours weekly. The ideal candidate has graduate-level STEM training, proven experience with scientific

Qualifications

• > Must have: Graduate-level training in a relevant STEM field (MS, PhD, or equivalent research experience).
• > Must have: Proficiency with scientific software libraries through research publications or professional work.
• > Must have: Strong Python skills for writing problem setups and validators.
• > Must have: Comfortable in a Linux/terminal environment with remote compute sandboxes.
• > Must have: Available for at least 15–20 hours per week.

Responsibilities

• > Design challenging computational problems to test AI systems using real scientific software.
• > Develop problems requiring strategic planning and multi-step workflows for AI to uncover hidden data.
• > Refine problems through iterative testing against state-of-the-art AI models.
• > Utilize astropy and related tools for cosmological calculations and data analysis.
• > Work independently to enhance problem designs based on feedback.
• > Collaborate asynchronously with teams to ensure problem difficulty is optimal.

Skills

Python

Linux/CLI

Scientific libraries

Multiple domains/tools

Independent work

Education

MS or PhD in STEM

Tools

Astropy

Job description

Mercor connects elite talent with AI research labs and seeks an Astrophysics & Cosmology Expert for remote, contract work. The role involves designing complex computational problems, testing AI systems with real scientific software, and refining tasks using state-of-the-art models.

You will work largely independently with access to Linux environments and remote sandboxes, committing to 15–20 hours weekly. The ideal candidate has graduate-level STEM training, proven experience with scientific