Cosmology Researcher - Fully Remote | Upto $100/hr

mercor; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; GBP 73,000 - 104,000; Part time

Job summary

Mercor invites applications for a Computational Astrophysics & Cosmology Expert on a remote contract basis. The role covers 15–20 hours per week at $70–$100/hour, with flexible scheduling to fit research needs.

You will design computational problems to test AI capabilities in scientific software, develop challenging setups using Python and Astropy, and validate solutions in Linux/terminal environments. Collaboration is asynchronous and project-focused.

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 programming

Linux/Terminal

Education

MS/PhD or equivalent in STEM

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.