Astrophysics Researcher - Fully Remote | Upto $100/hr

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: Astrophysics & Cosmology ExpertType: Contract Compensation: $70–$100/hour Location: Remote Commitment: 15–20 hours/week

Role Responsibilities

• Design challenging computational problems to test AI systems using real scientific software.
• Develop problems requiring strategic planning and multi-step workflows for AI to uncover hidden data.
• Refine problems through iterative testing against state-of-the-art AI models .
• Utilize astropy and related tools for cosmological calculations and data analysis.
• Work independently to enhance problem designs based on feedback.
• Collaborate asynchronously with teams to ensure problem difficulty is optimal.

Qualifications

Must-Have

• Graduate-level training in a relevant STEM field (MS, PhD, or equivalent research experience ).
• Proven proficiency with scientific software libraries through research publications or professional work.
• Strong Python skills for writing problem setups and solution validators.
• Comfortable in a Linux/terminal environment with remote compute sandboxes.
• Available for at least 15–20 hours per 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.