Ever wondered how cutting edge artificial intelligence actually learns to grasp complex physical laws? At Mercor, we are bridging the gap between top tier human intellect and advanced AI research labs. We are backed by heavyweights like Benchmark, General Catalyst, and Peter Thiel, and we are currently on the hunt for brilliant minds who live and breathe physics. If you want to shape the future of machine learning by feeding it rigorous, research grade physical reasoning from the comfort of your home anywhere in the world, keep reading because this role was built for you.

Overview

Mercor is looking for a Research Physics Expert to join our network on a flexible contract basis. This fully remote, worldwide opportunity requires about ten hours of your week and pays between $80 and $135 an hour. You will work directly at the intersection of theoretical physics and artificial intelligence, helping top tier labs evaluate and improve their models.

Key Responsibilities

Tackle advanced research level physics problems completely from scratch, backing up your work with solid derivations, custom code, and peer reviewed references.
Break down massive problems into smaller, digestible checkpoints that demand actual physical insight rather than rote memorization.
Write clean Python answer templates complete with automated grading functions to handle both symbolic and numerical results.
Review submitted solutions carefully, checking for method soundness and scope while providing constructive feedback.
Act as the final judge when multiple solvers attempt the same problem, determining which approach stands as the golden reference.
Write down your exact chain of thought, specify error tolerances, and build verification test cases.

Requirements

You must hold a PhD or be a current postdoc in a relevant subfield of physics, though senior PhD students close to the finish line will also be considered. A deep command of advanced physical concepts, strong Python programming skills, and a genuine passion for training the next generation of artificial intelligence systems are absolute musts.

What You'll Gain

You get to set your own schedule with a light ten hour weekly commitment while earning top tier hourly rates. You will also collaborate with elite research labs and rub shoulders with some of the brightest technical talent on the planet, all while pushing the boundaries of what machine learning can achieve in the realm of physics.