Mercor
Astrophysics Software Designer - Expert
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Astrophysics Software Designer - Expert
STEM Computational Scientific Software & Evaluation Design – Astrophysics & Cosmology
About the Role
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: STEM Computational Scientific Software & Evaluation Design – Astrophysics & Cosmology
- Type: Contract
- Compensation: $70–$100/hour
- Location: Remote
- Commitment: 15–20 hours/week
Role Responsibilities
- Design graduate-level computational problems using domain-specific scientific software libraries.
- Evaluate AI systems' ability to solve research-grade problems, ranging from querying simulations to interpreting outputs.
- Develop experimental strategies to recover hidden information from data, emphasizing strategic reasoning.
- Calibrate tasks against state-of-the-art AI models, refining problem designs to achieve target difficulty.
- Work independently and asynchronously to iterate on problem designs based on calibration feedback.
- Utilize libraries like astropy and related tools for cosmological calculations and observational data reduction.
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Qualifications
Must-Have
- Graduate-level training in a relevant STEM domain (MS, PhD, or equivalent research experience).
- Demonstrated proficiency with scientific software libraries, evidenced by research publications or professional work.
- Strong Python programming skills for writing problem setups and solution validators.
- Ability to work in a Linux/terminal environment with remote compute sandboxes.
- Available for at least 15–20 hours per week.
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Preferred
- Experience across multiple listed domains or tools.
- Familiarity with benchmarking or evaluation design.
- Background in scientific pedagogy or exam/problem-set design.
- Experience with computational reproducibility and containerized environments.
Application Process
(Takes 20–30 mins to complete)
- Upload resume
- Complete AI interview (based on your resume)
- Submit a form
Resources & Support
For interview process details or platform information, visit: https://talent.docs.mercor.com/welcome
For help or support, email: support@mercor.com
Note: Our team reviews applications daily. Please complete the AI interview and application steps to be considered.
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