Astrophysics Researcher - Fully Remote | Upto $100/hr

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

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: Astrophysics & Cosmology Expert Type: Contract Compensation: $70–$100/hour Location: Remote Commitment: 15–20 hours/week

Role 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.

Qualifications

• Must-Have: Graduate-level training in a relevant STEM field ( MS, PhD, or equivalent research experience ).


• Must-Have: Proven proficiency with scientific software libraries through research publications or professional work.


• Must-Have: Strong Python skills for writing problem setups and solution validators.


• Must-Have: Comfortable in a Linux/terminal environment with remote compute sandboxes.


• Must-Have: Available for at least 15–20 hours per week.


• Preferred: Experience across multiple domains or tools.


• Preferred: Familiarity with benchmark or evaluation design.


• Preferred: Background in scientific teaching or exam/problem-set design.


• Preferred: Experience with computational reproducibility and containerized environments.