Applied Physics Specialist

Alignerr Corp.; New Zealand; Remote; NZD 83,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Alignerr is seeking an Applied Physics Specialist (AI Training) to design challenging physics problems and craft precise, step-by-step golden solutions. You will audit AI reasoning for physical consistency and correctness, ensuring models respect conservation laws and fundamental principles.

Ideal candidates hold a PhD or are near completion in applied physics, with strong analytical writing and the ability to work independently.

Qualifications

• PhD completed or in final stages in Applied Physics, Physics, Engineering Physics, or a closely related field.
• Exceptional analytical writing with clear, rigorous explanations.
• Strong ability to work independently on task-based assignments.

Responsibilities

• Design PhD-level physics problems requiring multi-step reasoning across domains.
• Author precise golden solutions with correct constants and units.
• Audit AI reasoning for physical consistency and adherence to first principles.
• Provide expert feedback to refine AI model behavior and physics-based reasoning.

Skills

PhD-level physics

Research writing

Independent work

Education

PhD completed or near completion in Applied Physics

Physics/Engineering Physics

Tools

Python (NumPy/SciPy)

MATLAB

COMSOL

Job description

Applied Physics Specialist (AI Training)

About The Role

What if your years of physics training could directly influence how AI understands the physical world? We're looking for PhD-level Applied Physicists to stress-test cutting-edge AI models - designing rigorous problems, auditing AI reasoning, and ensuring these systems never violate the fundamental laws that govern reality.

This is a fully remote, flexible contract role built for researchers and scientists who want to contribute to something genuinely consequential. No prior AI experience needed - just deep mastery of physics and the ability to think critically about where AI reasoning breaks down.

• Organization: Alignerr
• Type: Hourly Contract
• Location: Remote
• Commitment: 10–40 hours/week

What You'll Do

• Design Advanced Problems: Craft PhD qualifying exam-level physics problems that demand multi-step logical reasoning, rigorous mathematical derivation, and mastery of physical principles across domains like quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, and thermodynamics
• Author Ground-Truth Solutions: Develop precise, step-by-step "golden responses" - where every physical constant, unit conversion, and logical step is airtight and correct
• Audit AI Reasoning: Evaluate AI-generated simulations, proofs, and explanations for physical consistency - identifying where models "hallucinate" physics that violates first principles like conservation of energy or momentum
• Refine Model Behaviour: Provide structured, expert feedback that helps AI systems develop genuine physics-informed reasoning, including correct handling of boundary conditions, symmetry constraints, and conservation laws

Who You Are

• PhD completed or in final stages in Applied Physics, Physics, Engineering Physics, or a closely related field
• Deep command of the core pillars: Classical Mechanics, Electrodynamics, Statistical Mechanics, and Quantum Mechanics
• Exceptional analytical writing ability - you can explain complex derivations in clear, structured English without sacrificing rigour
• Obsessively precise about units, scientific notation, dimensional analysis, and the logical flow of a proof
• Self-motivated and comfortable working independently on task-based assignments
• No prior AI or data annotation experience required

Nice to Have

• Experience with data annotation, scientific dataset evaluation, or quality assurance for research outputs
• Proficiency with computational tools such as Python (NumPy/SciPy), MATLAB, or COMSOL
• Background in research-level benchmarking or physics education

Why Join Us

• Work on high-impact AI projects alongside the world's leading AI research labs
• Fully remote and flexible — work on your own schedule, wherever you are
• Apply your deepest expertise to problems that actually matter for the future of AI
• Freelance autonomy with the satisfaction of meaningful, intellectually demanding work
• Exposure to frontier AI models and how they are trained and evaluated
• Potential for ongoing work and contract extension as new projects launch