Computational Seismology Expert - PhD

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: Computational Seismology & Geophysics Expert

Type: Contract

Compensation: $70–$85/hour

Location: Remote

Commitment: 15–20 hours/week

Role Responsibilities

• Design challenging computational problems to evaluate AI capabilities in solving scientific tasks.
• Develop problems requiring the use of specialized scientific software like SPECFEM , ObsPy , and Pyrocko .
• Test and refine problems against state-of-the-art AI models to achieve target difficulty.
• Collaborate on AI model training, evaluation, and improvement in computational seismology .
• Work independently and asynchronously to refine problem designs based on feedback.

Qualifications

Must-Have

• Graduate-level training in a relevant STEM field ( MS, PhD, or equivalent research experience ).
• Proven proficiency with at least one scientific software library ( SPECFEM , ObsPy , etc.).
• Strong Python skills for writing problem setups and solution validators.
• Ability to work independently in a Linux/terminal environment .
• Available for at least 15–20 hours per week .

Preferred

• Experience across multiple listed 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.

Application Process (Takes 20–30 mins to complete)

• Upload resume
• AI interview based on your resume
• Submit form

Resources & Support

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PS: Our team reviews applications daily. Please complete your AI interview and application steps to be considered for this opportunity.