Applied Physics Phd - Assessment Expert

Mercor; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; GBP 63,000 - 79,000; Part time

Job summary

Mercor is seeking an Applied Physics Benchmark Specialist on a contract basis to work remotely with flexible, long-term commitments. The role focuses on designing rigorous physics questions and evaluating performance across semiconductor physics, nanoelectronics, and photonics, for advanced AI research contexts.

The ideal candidate holds a PhD (or is a doctoral candidate) in physics or a closely related field, possesses strong graduate-level math, and can communicate complex ideas clearly in

Qualifications

• PhD or doctoral candidate in physics or closely related field.
• Strong command of graduate-level physics concepts and math.
• Excellent written English and ability to express complex ideas clearly.

Responsibilities

• Author original physics questions testing deep understanding in Semiconductor Physics, Nanoelectronics & Spintronics, and Photonics.
• Ensure questions are unambiguous, self-contained, and precisely defined.
• Rate question difficulty as Medium, Hard, or Expert with correct answer and plausible alternatives.
• Write step-by-step Chain-of-Thought solutions in markdown format.
• Provide 1–5 academic references per question from reputable sources.
• Flag clarity, completeness, precision, or solvability issues and justify edits.

Skills

Graduate-level physics

English writing

Clear technical communication

Education

PhD in Physics or related field

Master's degree considered for exceptional depth

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: Applied Physics Benchmark Specialist
Type: Contract
Compensation: $61-$77/hour
Location: Remote
Commitment: 10+ hours/week

Role Responsibilities

• Author original physics questions that test deep conceptual understanding in Semiconductor Physics, Nanoelectronics & Spintronics, Photonics, and other domains.
• Ensure questions are unambiguous, self-contained, and precisely defined with all necessary information in the problem statement.
• Rate each question's difficulty as Medium, Hard, or Expert, providing 1 correct answer and 9 plausible alternatives.
• Write step-by-step Chain-of-Thought solutions with clear, concise intermediate steps in markdown format.
• Supply 1-5 academic references per question from reputable sources like peer-reviewed journals.
• For verification tasks, flag issues with clarity, completion, precision, or solvability and justify any edits made.

Qualifications

Must-Have

• PhD or doctoral candidate in Physics, Applied Physics, Astrophysics, or a closely related field.
• Master's degree considered for candidates with exceptional depth in a specific subdomain.
• Strong command of graduate-level physics concepts and mathematical formalism.
• Excellent written English and ability to express complex ideas clearly and concisely.

Preferred

• Experience with rigorous academic problem design or physics olympiad writing is a strong plus.

Resources & Support

• For details about the interview process and platform information, please check: https://talent.docs.mercor.com/welcome
• For any help or support, reach out to: [e-mail]