PhD Physicist – Frontier Reasoning Trajectory Writer (AI Trainer)

About the role

Mercor is seeking a PhD‑level physicist to create high‑quality "golden trajectories" for challenging physics problems. You will work remotely, collaborating with a frontier large‑language model (LLM) to produce step‑by‑step, publication‑grade derivations that can be used as training data for AI systems.

Key responsibilities

• Generate complete, sound reasoning trajectories for hard theoretical physics problems.
• Iterate with a frontier LLM, providing hints, correcting errors, and refining the solution flow.
• Produce LaTeX‑formatted derivations and Python‑based sanity‑check plots.
• Deliver 1–2 tasks per week, each averaging about 7 hours of work.

Required profile

• PhD in physics or final 1–2 years of a PhD program from a reputable institution.
• Theoretical or computational specialization in astrophysics, condensed‑matter theory, quantum/quantum‑information, or particle/high‑energy physics.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to produce publication‑grade documentation.
• Availability for roughly 15 hours per week.

Required skills

• Fluency in LaTeX for mathematical derivations.
• Proficiency in Python for numerical checks and plotting.
• Experience with iterative LLM workflows (prompting, error detection, refinement).

What we offer

• Independent contractor engagement with full remote flexibility.
• Hourly rate of USD 80–120, paid weekly via Stripe or Wise.
• No access to confidential client data; tasks are self‑contained.
• Projects may be extended or concluded based on performance.