Geophysics Specialist - Fully Remote | Upto $85/hr

mercor; France; Remote; EUR 86,000 - 105,000; Part time

Job summary

Mercor is seeking a Computational Seismology & Geophysics Expert for a remote contract role. You will design challenging computational problems to evaluate AI capabilities in solving complex scientific tasks and develop problems requiring SPECFEM, ObsPy, and Pyrocko.

You should hold an MS or PhD (or equivalent), demonstrate strong Python skills, and work independently in a Linux terminal. The position requires 15–20 hours per week, with asynchronous collaboration and ongoing problem-set

Qualifications

• Graduate-level training in a relevant STEM field (MS, PhD, or equivalent research experience).
• Proven proficiency with at least one scientific software library (SPECFEM, ObsPy, etc.).
• Strong Python skills for writing problem setups and solution validators.

Responsibilities

• Design challenging computational problems to evaluate AI capabilities in solving scientific tasks.
• Develop problems requiring the use of specialized scientific software like SPECFEM , ObsPy , and Pyrocko .
• Test and refine problems against state-of-the-art AI models to achieve target difficulty.
• Collaborate on AI model training, evaluation, and improvement in computational seismology .
• Work independently and asynchronously to refine problem designs based on feedback.

Skills

Python

Linux

Scientific libraries

Education

MS/PhD in STEM

Tools

SPECFEM

ObsPy

Pyrocko

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: Computational Seismology & Geophysics Expert

Type: Contract

Compensation: $70–$85/hour

Location: Remote

Commitment: 15–20 hours/week

Role Responsibilities

• Design challenging computational problems to evaluate AI capabilities in solving scientific tasks.
• Develop problems requiring the use of specialized scientific software like SPECFEM , ObsPy , and Pyrocko .
• Test and refine problems against state-of-the-art AI models to achieve target difficulty.
• Collaborate on AI model training, evaluation, and improvement in computational seismology .
• Work independently and asynchronously to refine problem designs based on feedback.

Qualifications

Must-Have

• Graduate-level training in a relevant STEM field ( MS, PhD, or equivalent research experience ).
• Proven proficiency with at least one scientific software library ( SPECFEM , ObsPy , etc.).
• Strong Python skills for writing problem setups and solution validators.
• Ability to work independently in a Linux/terminal environment .
• Available for at least 15–20 hours per week .

Preferred

• Experience across multiple listed domains or tools.
• Familiarity with benchmark or evaluation design.
• Background in scientific teaching or exam/problem-set design.
• Experience with computational reproducibility and containerized environments.