Computational Seismology Problem Designer for AI Benchmarks

Obsidian; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 69,000 - 96,000; Part time

Job summary

Obsidian seeks a Computational Seismology & Geophysics Expert to design graduate-level problems that test AI systems using real scientific software such as SPECFEM, ObsPy, Pyrocko, SimPEG, pyGIMLi, SeisBench, EQcorrscan, or Fatiando a Terra. You will create challenging, research-focused tasks requiring multi-step workflows and strategic experimentation.

You will work with Linux/terminal environments, write Python code for problem setups, oracle functions, and validators, and iterate with

Qualifications

• Graduate-level training in a relevant STEM field.
• Hands-on use of listed software libraries, shown through research publications, open-source contributions, or professional work.
• Strong Python skills — you'll be writing problem setups, oracle functions, and solution validators.
• Ability to work independently and refine problem designs based on feedback.

Responsibilities

• Design problems that require skilled use of specialized scientific software.
• Run simulations, interpret results, and design experiments to uncover information.
• Refine problems through testing against state-of-the-art AI models.

Skills

Strong Python skills

Independent work

Problem design and puzzle thinking

Education

MS or PhD in STEM field

Equivalent research experience

Tools

SPECFEM

ObsPy

Pyrocko

SimPEG

pyGIMLi

SeisBench

EQcorrscan

Fatiando a Terra

Job description

Obsidian seeks a Computational Seismology & Geophysics Expert to design graduate-level problems that test AI systems using real scientific software such as SPECFEM, ObsPy, Pyrocko, SimPEG, pyGIMLi, SeisBench, EQcorrscan, or Fatiando a Terra. You will create challenging, research-focused tasks requiring multi-step workflows and strategic experimentation.

You will work with Linux/terminal environments, write Python code for problem setups, oracle functions, and validators, and iterate with