Research Scientist - Formal Methods (Remote)
Listing checked September 22, 2026 · pay as published by AfterQuery
Overview
AfterQuery runs a research cohort of senior domain experts who probe how frontier AI models handle hard, expert-level problems. The STEM track needs people active in formal methods and computational science, whether that means theorem proving in Lean or Coq, genomics and computational biology, or condensed-matter and quantum physics. The work leans toward evaluation and research rather than production engineering: you define what a correct or excellent answer looks like inside your own specialty. Expect roughly 4 hours a week on a remote, asynchronous contract that fits beside a research post or an industry job.
What You'll Do6
- 1Build problem sets and realistic technical scenarios that match the difficulty of your track.
- 2Write expert reference solutions that show the intended reasoning, not only the final answer.
- 3Draft grading rubrics that separate a partly correct response from a genuinely expert one.
- 4Review AI-generated answers for correctness, depth of reasoning, and domain judgment.
- 5Record the reasoning behind each grading call so researchers and other reviewers can follow your standard.
- 6Flag responses that read as confident but rest on faulty assumptions or skipped steps.
Requirements7
- 1Hands-on work in your field, now or within the recent past.
- 2Strong technical writing: you produce explanations and structured feedback, not just answers.
- 3Ability to work alone on a remote, asynchronous schedule with little back-and-forth.
- 4Meets the experience and education bar described in the full listing.
- 5Publication record, open-source contributions, or another recognized body of work in your domain (preferred).
- 6Past experience reviewing or grading other people's technical work, such as peer review, code review, or editing (preferred).
- 7Bonus signal for formal methods and theorem proving with Lean or Coq, computational biology or genomics, or condensed-matter and quantum physics.
Who Should Apply
The best fit is a working researcher or practitioner who can point to concrete output in one of these tracks: a Lean or Coq proof library, a genomics pipeline, a physics paper, a chemistry model. You need to enjoy writing about your subject, because a large share of the job is authoring solutions, rubrics, and feedback rather than solving problems for their own sake. People who want to train or fine-tune models, or who need frequent direction from a manager, will find this role misaligned. Applications score low when the domain claim stays vague, for example naming a field without naming what you built or published in it, or when the writing sample reads thin next to the technical depth claimed on the resume.
Salary Insight
AfterQuery lists $100 to $170 per hour for this contract, with the rate set by experience. At four hours a week that is roughly $400 to $680 weekly, so the role works best as a supplement to a main position rather than a replacement. Candidates with a publication record plus review or grading experience tend to land nearer the top of the band.
Pay and demand for Medical Research & Public Health roles
AggregatedTypical pay
$75/hour
This role
$100–$170/hr
Most Medical Research & Public Health roles pay $55–$100 per hour. This role's pay sits above that range.
Based on 545 similar roles that publish pay · 91 publish only a top rate; those count at the rate they gave
Rates shown per hour. Yearly and monthly pay converted; one-time fees and non-USD pay are not included.
- Live similar roles
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- Listed in last 30 days
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Hiring most right now: micro1 (278) · Mercor (92) · SME Careers (64)
Most requested skills · share of roles
- python16%
- technical writing8%
- llm evaluation8%
- ai evaluation7%
Figures from Medical Research & Public Health roles live on NearSkill when this page loaded. A role can close before you apply, so check the listing itself.
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Compensation
$100–170/hr
Required Skills
Application Tip
Lead with one concrete artifact from your track, a Lean or Coq proof, a published paper, or a repository, and add two or three sentences on how you would grade a flawed solution in that area. That combination of domain proof and grading judgment maps straight onto the review, rubric, and evaluation work this contract asks for.
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