Astrophysics Expert - Computational Specialist

Mercor; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; GBP 73,000 - 104,000; Full time

Job summary

Mercor is seeking a Computational Astrophysics & Cosmology Expert for a remote contract role. You will design computational problems to evaluate AI capabilities in scientific software, and develop problems that require strategic planning and experimentation to uncover data insights.

You will test and refine problems against state-of-the-art AI models using your Astrophysics and Cosmology expertise with tools like astropy, and work independently and asynchronously to improve problem designs.

Qualifications

• Graduate-level training in a relevant STEM field (MS, PhD, or equivalent).
• Proven proficiency with scientific software libraries through research or professional work.
• Strong Python skills for writing problem setups and solution validators.
• Ability to work in a Linux/terminal environment with remote compute sandboxes.
• Available for 15–20 hours/week.

Responsibilities

• Design challenging computational problems to evaluate AI capabilities in scientific software usage.
• Develop problems requiring strategic planning and experimentation to uncover hidden data insights.
• Test and refine problems against state-of-the-art AI models to achieve target difficulty.
• Utilize Astrophysics & Cosmology expertise with tools like astropy for problem creation.
• Work independently and asynchronously to refine problem designs based on feedback.

Skills

Python

Linux/terminal

Graduate-level STEM

Scientific software libraries

Part-time availability

Education

MS, PhD, or equivalent

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

Role Responsibilities

• Design challenging computational problems to evaluate AI capabilities in scientific software usage.
• Develop problems requiring strategic planning and experimentation to uncover hidden data insights.
• Test and refine problems against state-of-the-art AI models to achieve target difficulty.
• Utilize Astrophysics & Cosmology expertise with tools like astropy for problem creation.
• 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).
• Proven proficiency with scientific software libraries through research or professional work.
• Strong Python skills for writing problem setups and solution validators.
• Ability to work in a Linux/terminal environment with remote compute sandboxes.
• Available for 15–20 hours/week.

Preferred

• Experience across multiple 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.