Mathematics Domain Expert

Confidential; United States; Remote; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Zekai is seeking senior mathematicians to improve how frontier AI models reason about real mathematical research. Your mathematical judgment will define problem specs, reference solutions, proofs, and benchmarks that reveal genuine progress.

This is a fully remote contract role based in the United States. Applicants should hold a PhD and a strong publication record, with hands-on experience using large language models to evaluate mathematical reasoning.

Qualifications

• PhD in mathematics or closely related field.
• Senior appointment at a university, national lab, or research organization.
• Deep domain expertise in analysis, algebra, geometry, probability, or applied mathematics.
• Strong peer‑reviewed publication record; awards are a plus.
• AI fluency in practical model work and sound judgment.
• Excellent written communication and ability to give precise feedback.
• Location: United States.

Responsibilities

• Expert review: assess mathematical tasks and model outputs, identifying gaps in proofs and unjustified steps.
• Problem specs and reference solutions: write precise problem statements and rigorous solutions that reflect research mathematics.
• Benchmarks: design challenging, research-level problems and evaluation sets in your area of specialization.
• Calibration: work with researchers to turn tacit judgment into explicit, teachable criteria.

Skills

AI fluency

Communication

Research track record

Education

PhD in mathematics or closely related field

Job description

Help define how frontier AI models reason about mathematics.

1. Overview

We are looking for senior mathematicians to improve how frontier AI models reason about real mathematical research.

Your mathematical judgment is the substance of this role. You will review the quality of mathematical reasoning tasks and model outputs, write the problem specifications and reference solutions and proofs that define what "correct" looks like, and design benchmarks that show whether a model is genuinely improving. We are looking for a practicing specialist rather than a generalist.

This role is fully remote.

2. Key Responsibilities

• Expert review: Assess mathematical tasks and model outputs, catching gaps in proofs, unjustified steps, incorrect generalizations, and arguments that read well but would not survive peer review.
• Problem specs and reference solutions: Write precise problem statements and rigorous reference solutions and proofs that reflect how research mathematics is actually done.
• Benchmarks: Design challenging, research-level problems and evaluation sets in your area of specialization.
• Calibration: Work with other researchers and experts in adjacent fields to turn tacit expert judgment into explicit, teachable criteria.

3. Core Qualifications

• Education: PhD in mathematics, applied mathematics, statistics, operations research, or a closely related field.
• Seniority: A faculty appointment, principal investigator, staff or senior scientist, or an equivalent senior research role at a university, national laboratory, or research organization.
• Domain depth: Genuine specialization in at least one area, for example analysis and PDE, algebra and number theory, geometry and topology, probability and statistics, or applied mathematics and optimization.
• Research record: A strong peer-reviewed publication record. Recognition such as competitive fellowships or awards is a plus.
• AI fluency: Hands-on use of large language models in your work, and the judgment to tell a sound argument from a plausible-sounding wrong one.
• Communication: Excellent written communication and the ability to give precise, well-structured feedback.
• Location: Based in the United States.

This is a 100% remote contract role. Applicants must be located in: United States.