High Energy Physicist (PhD)

Pay: $80 – $110/hour
Commitment: Hourly, ~10 h/week
Field: Life, Physical, and Social Science

About the work

CritPt is a public benchmark of research-level physics challenges, built to test whether frontier AI models can carry out genuine physics research reasoning rather than textbook problem solving. The benchmark paper is and we recommend reading it before applying. It will tell you quickly whether this work interests you.

We are engaging physicists to work on research-level physics problems in their own subfield. Depending on where your publication record fits, that can mean creating problems, solving them, reviewing completed work, or auditing it. We agree the specific assignment with you once you are matched to an area.

This is research-grade work rather than volume work. Whatever you produce has to be complete enough for another specialist in your subfield to follow and verify independently, so written reasoning is part of every assignment.

Research areas in this panel

Seven areas. We match narrowly: you need to have published on one of these specific phenomena, not in high energy theory broadly. Each area lists the methods it requires.

1. AdS/BCFT, end-of-the-world branes, black hole interiors: AdS/BCFT correspondence, Karch-Randall end-of-the-world branes, geodesic approximation for heavy bulk fields, thermal one-point functions, BTZ black hole geometry, black hole interior behind the horizon.

2. LaMET and quasi-PDFs: matching kernels and DGLAP evolution: Large-momentum effective theory, quasi-parton distribution functions, pion parton distribution functions, perturbative matching kernels, modified minimal subtraction renormalization, plus distributions, DGLAP evolution, renormalization-group resummation of logarithms, one-loop running coupling.

3. LaMET and quasi-PDFs: one-loop perturbative QCD and renormalization: Perturbative quantum chromodynamics, large-momentum effective theory, quasi-parton distribution functions, one-loop Feynman diagram computation, dimensional regularization, MS-bar renormalization scheme, superficial degree of divergence analysis, soft and collinear infrared divergences.

4. LaMET and quasi-PDFs: Coulomb gauge matching and lattice QCD parton structure: Large-momentum effective theory, Coulomb gauge fixing, quasi-parton distribution functions, perturbative matching kernels, one-loop QCD corrections, dimensional regularization, MS-bar renormalization scheme, lattice QCD calculations of parton structure.

5. Ultralight vector (dark photon) dark matter in laser interferometers: Ultralight vector dark matter, dark photon coupled to the baryon-minus-lepton current, laser interferometric gravitational-wave detection, differential test-mass forces from composition-dependent charge-to-mass ratios, strain noise spectral density and detector sensitivity curves, coherent signal integration and signal-to-noise scaling, local dark matter density normalization, coherence time of a stochastic ultralight field.

6. Matrix models and invariant theory: Grassmann-valued invariants, Molien-Weyl and Hilbert series: Adjoint matrix models, Grassmann-valued matrix invariants, gauge-invariant operator counting, trace relations, Cayley-Hamilton identities, Molien-Weyl formula, plethystic Hilbert series, primary and secondary invariants.

7. Superconformal and Witten index, finite-N trace relations, plethystic counting: Witten index, superconformal index, adjoint fermion matrix models, trace relations at finite N, Grassmann-valued matrix invariants, Molien-Weyl formula, plethystic counting of gauge invariants, finite-rank corrections to large-N counting.

Methods we expect to find in your own publications

You should be able to point to your own papers demonstrating at least one of the following families:

• Holographic: AdS/CFT and AdS/BCFT correspondence, geodesic approximation, thermal one-point functions
• Perturbative QCD: one-loop Feynman diagram computation, dimensional regularization, MS-bar renormalization, soft and collinear divergences
• Effective field theory: large-momentum effective theory, perturbative matching kernels, renormalization-group resummation of logarithms
• Lattice: lattice QCD calculations of parton structure, gauge fixing
• Group-theoretic: gauge-invariant operator counting, trace relations, Cayley-Hamilton identities, Molien-Weyl formula, plethystic counting
• Astroparticle and detector: interferometric gravitational-wave detection, strain noise spectral density, signal-to-noise scaling

Who we are looking for

A PhD in high energy theory, nuclear theory or a closely related field. This is a hard requirement. Postdoctoral researchers, research scientists and junior faculty are the strongest fit. Senior PhD students with a strong first-author record are welcome to apply.

Published work on the specific phenomenon above, not the adjacent one. This is the single most common reason we decline otherwise excellent physicists. Command of the methods is not enough if you have not published on the phenomenon itself.

For the quasi-PDF areas specifically, we need loop-calculation experience, not lattice experience alone.

A verifiable publication record. Three to five representative papers with arXiv IDs or DOIs, ideally from the last five years. First author strongly preferred. Every paper you list will be checked against the public record.

Working proficiency with LaTeX, Python, SymPy and Jupyter. Some familiarity with an agentic coding extension in VS Code is useful. Gaps here are acceptable if you declare them honestly.

English at B2 or above , including written reasoning. A large part of the value you add is how clearly you set out your argument.

Application steps

• Apply and complete the attached form. Basic information, education, research experience, your method self-attestation, and up to five of the areas above that you are the best fit for. For each area you select, give an arXiv ID or DOI of your own paper as proof, with your author position and the methods it demonstrates. A selection without proof is not scored.
• We verify your papers and authorship against the public record.
• Then one of two things happens. Either we onboard you directly, or we invite you to a short live alignment call to agree the area and the assignment with you.
• A brief 30 to 45 minute assessment may be added, but only where we need it. Most applicants will not see one.

Commitment and rate

10 hours per week , sustained across an 8 to 10 week window, starting immediately. Remote and asynchronous with no fixed hours.

$80 to $110 per hour , set by depth of subdomain match.