Remote Physics Research Collaborator (PhD) — Contract

Visa Hunt; United States; Remote; USD 96,000 - 138,000; Part time

Job summary

Mercor is seeking a Physics - Research Collaborator for a remote, contract role. You will design and analyze real-world physics problems across classical mechanics, electromagnetism, and quantum mechanics, delivering detailed problem statements and gold solutions while evaluating model performance.

The role requires a PhD in Physics (or related field), deep physics expertise, strong mathematical abilities, and excellent written and verbal communication.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in or recently completed a PhD in Physics or a related field.
• Deep expertise in physics subfields with strong mathematical and analytical skills.
• Ability to write clear, rigorous, and well-structured physics problems and solutions.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to engage reliably for 8+ hours/week.

Responsibilities

• Design challenging, real-world physics problems in classical mechanics, electromagnetism, and quantum mechanics.
• Prepare components including detailed problem statements, golden solutions, and evaluation criteria.
• Evaluate the model's performance on tasks to identify reasoning and derivation failures.
• Analyze model trajectories to extract core capability loss patterns.
• Work independently and asynchronously to meet deadlines while improving model performance.

Skills

Math skills

Analytical thinking

Technical writing

Verbal communication

Independent work

Time management

Education

PhD in Physics or related field

Job description

Mercor is seeking a Physics - Research Collaborator for a remote, contract role. You will design and analyze real-world physics problems across classical mechanics, electromagnetism, and quantum mechanics, delivering detailed problem statements and gold solutions while evaluating model performance.

The role requires a PhD in Physics (or related field), deep physics expertise, strong mathematical abilities, and excellent written and verbal communication.