Seismology Puzzle Designer & Computational Benchmark Expert

Mercor; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 90,000; Part time

Job summary

Mercor seeks a Computational Seismology & Geophysics Expert to design graduate-level problems using open-source tools like SPECFEM, ObsPy, Pyrocko, and more. You will craft research-grade tasks, run simulations, and interpret results to benchmark AI models against real scientific workflows.

The role emphasizes independent problem design, multi-step experimentation, and deep domain knowledge in computational seismology or geophysics with Python proficiency. Remote, part-time hours expected.

Qualifications

• Graduate-level training in a relevant STEM field (MS, PhD, or equivalent research experience)
• Proven proficiency with at least one of the listed scientific 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
• Comfortable working in a Linux/terminal environment with remote compute sandboxes
• Available for at least 15–20 hours per week

Responsibilities

• Design problems requiring hands-on use of specialized scientific software
• Facilitate multi-step workflows and plan queries/experiments to uncover hidden information
• Test problems against state-of-the-art AI models and refine difficulty
• Contribute to benchmarking and evaluation design for research problems

Skills

Python

Problem design

Independent work

Education

MS or PhD in STEM

Tools

SPECFEM

ObsPy

Pyrocko

SimPEG

pyGIMLi

SeisBench

EQcorrscan

Fatiando a Terra

Job description

Mercor seeks a Computational Seismology & Geophysics Expert to design graduate-level problems using open-source tools like SPECFEM, ObsPy, Pyrocko, and more. You will craft research-grade tasks, run simulations, and interpret results to benchmark AI models against real scientific workflows.

The role emphasizes independent problem design, multi-step experimentation, and deep domain knowledge in computational seismology or geophysics with Python proficiency. Remote, part-time hours expected.