Particle Physics AI Benchmark Architect

Mercor; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 72,000; Part time

Job summary

Mercor is seeking a Particle & Nuclear Physics Expert to join a project designing graduate-level problems that test AI systems using real scientific software, simulations, and data interpretation. You will develop challenging problems, validate them against state-of-the-art models, and refine difficulty.

Ideal candidates hold MS/PhD in a STEM field, Python proficiency, and experience with Linux and research software.

Qualifications

• Graduate-level training in a STEM field (MS, PhD or equivalent)
• Proven proficiency with at least one scientific software library
• Strong Python skills — writing problem setups, oracle functions, and validators
• Ability to work independently and refine problem designs based on feedback
• Comfortable working in a Linux/terminal environment with remote compute sandboxes
• Available for at least 15–20 hours per week

Responsibilities

• Design graduate-level problems requiring skilled use of specialized scientific software
• Test problems against state-of-the-art AI models and refine to hit target difficulty
• Craft problems where reasoning—not just computation—drives the solution
• Collaborate to ensure problems align with research workflows

Skills

Python

Linux/Unix

Scientific software

Education

MS/PhD in STEM

Tools

scikit-hep

HEP Python tools

Job description

Mercor is seeking a Particle & Nuclear Physics Expert to join a project designing graduate-level problems that test AI systems using real scientific software, simulations, and data interpretation. You will develop challenging problems, validate them against state-of-the-art models, and refine difficulty.

Ideal candidates hold MS/PhD in a STEM field, Python proficiency, and experience with Linux and research software.