Astrophysics Expert - Computational Specialist

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. Application Process (Takes 20–30 mins to complete) - Upload resume - AI interview based on your resume - Submit form Resources & Support - For details about the interview process and platform information, please check: https://talent.docs.mercor.com/welcome - For any help or support, reach out to: support@mercor.com PS: Our team reviews applications daily. Please complete your AI interview and application steps to be considered for this opportunity.