Remote | Research Scientist - Computer Science & Computational Physics — $100–$400/hour

We are sharing a specialised remote consulting opportunity for Research Scientists with advanced expertise in theoretical computer science, mathematical and computational physics, algorithmic research, and rigorous scientific problem-solving to contribute their knowledge to frontier AI research and evaluation initiatives.

Selected professionals will identify challenging research questions, investigate open problems, develop computational and mathematical approaches, and systematically evaluate results produced with advanced AI models and research agents. The work combines independent scientific investigation with algorithm development, numerical simulation, formal verification, and research novelty assessment to support the development of increasingly capable AI systems. Prior experience with AI training projects is not required.

Key Responsibilities

Research Problem Identification & Scientific Investigation

• Identify promising open problems, unresolved theoretical questions, and tractable research challenges within relevant scientific disciplines
• Formulate rigorous research questions involving computer science, computational mathematics, or mathematical and computational physics
• Investigate opportunities to establish new theoretical bounds, develop algorithms, or explore novel computational approaches
• Translate complex research objectives into clearly defined mathematical, algorithmic, or computational investigations
• Apply advanced scientific judgement to assess problem significance, research feasibility, and potential intellectual contributions

Algorithm Development & Computational Research

• Conduct structured research involving advanced algorithms, mathematical reasoning, and computational methods
• Develop and evaluate algorithmic approaches to challenging theoretical or applied research problems
• Design computational experiments and numerical simulations to investigate scientific hypotheses
• Apply appropriate programming, numerical analysis, and computational research techniques to evaluate candidate solutions
• Assess computational results for mathematical consistency, methodological accuracy, and relevance to the research question

Frontier AI Research & Agent-Assisted Investigation

• Use advanced AI models and research agents to explore complex mathematical and computational problems
• Evaluate AI-generated proof attempts, algorithms, computational experiments, and research hypotheses
• Develop structured research workflows integrating AI-assisted investigation with independent scientific verification
• Identify useful insights, promising intermediate findings, and potential new research directions emerging from AI-assisted exploration
• Apply expert judgement to distinguish meaningful research progress from incomplete or incorrect computational reasoning

Formal Verification & Research Novelty Assessment

• Systematically verify mathematical arguments, algorithmic solutions, and computational research outputs
• Review proof structures, reproduce numerical results, and assess the validity of scientific conclusions
• Apply appropriate formal verification tools, SAT/SMT solvers, or proof assistants where relevant
• Compare research findings against recent scientific literature and established published results
• Evaluate whether proposed approaches represent technically correct, genuinely novel, or substantively useful research contributions

Scientific Documentation & Research Quality Assurance

• Produce detailed research reports describing hypotheses, methodologies, computational experiments, and findings
• Document partial results, unresolved questions, technical challenges, and alternative research approaches
• Communicate mathematical arguments, algorithmic reasoning, and computational conclusions with clarity and precision
• Identify promising research directions suitable for further investigation by senior research professionals
• Maintain rigorous standards for reproducibility, scientific accuracy, methodological transparency, and technical documentation

Ideal Profile

• Advanced research background in Computer Science, Theoretical Computer Science, Mathematical Physics, Computational Physics, or a closely related quantitative discipline
• Late-stage PhD candidate, postdoctoral researcher, or early-career academic with approximately 0–5 years of post-PhD experience is preferred
• Demonstrated ability to identify, formulate, and investigate challenging research problems
• Strong expertise in mathematical reasoning, algorithm development, computational methods, or theoretical scientific analysis
• Established research interests involving named open problems, theoretical bounds, computational challenges, or novel research directions
• Strong recent publication record, preferably including multiple papers at leading research conferences or comparable academic venues
• Recognition for research excellence, including best paper, dissertation, or other relevant academic awards, is highly valued
• Familiarity with leading research venues such as STOC, FOCS, SODA, PLDI, SC, or equivalent conferences relevant to the candidate's specialisation
• Practical experience developing algorithms, conducting numerical simulations, or implementing computational research methodologies
• Strong understanding of mathematical proofs, numerical validation, scientific reproducibility, and rigorous verification techniques
• Experience assessing research novelty and technical correctness against current academic literature
• Ability to independently evaluate sophisticated mathematical or computational arguments
• Experience using frontier AI models or research agents for scientific investigation is advantageous
• Familiarity with formal verification tools such as Lean, SAT/SMT solvers, or comparable computational research tools is beneficial
• Experience reviewing or sub-reviewing submissions for prominent academic conferences is advantageous
• Recent research contributions addressing recognised open problems or introducing new theoretical or computational approaches are highly relevant
• A publicly available research statement or academic homepage outlining current research interests and specific open problems is preferred
• Excellent scientific writing skills, including the ability to document complex methodologies, partial findings, and technical conclusions
• Strong analytical reasoning, intellectual independence, problem framing, and advanced quantitative problem-solving capabilities
• Ability to work independently and communicate complex research findings effectively within a remote research environment
• Prior experience with AI model training or evaluation projects is not required

Engagement Details

• Freelance / contract engagement
• Fully remote
• Compensation: $100–$400/hour
• Flexible Commitment: Part-time or full-time
• 4 available openings
• Specialised scientific consulting role spanning theoretical computer science, computational physics, algorithmic research, and frontier AI evaluation
• Preferred Research Profile: Late-stage PhD candidate, postdoctoral researcher, or early-career academic
• Research Focus: Open problems, mathematical proofs, computational simulations, algorithm development, and scientific novelty assessment
• Work will involve identifying research questions, conducting AI-assisted investigations, verifying technical results, and documenting research findings
• Assignments may include theoretical analysis, numerical experiments, formal verification, literature comparison, and exploration of promising research directions
• Relevant research experience may include publications at leading academic venues, contributions to recognised open problems, and independently developed computational methods
• Deliverables may include structured research reports, verified analytical results, computational experiments, and documented research recommendations
• Collaboration may involve research scientists, academic specialists, and multidisciplinary technical contributors
• Strong independent research capability, scientific communication, and rigorous analytical judgement are central to the engagement
• Previous experience with AI training projects is not required

About the Platform

This opportunity is available through 24-MAG LLC. We connect experienced professionals with remote consulting opportunities across technical, evaluation, and project-based workstreams.

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