Computational Astrophysics And Cosmology Expert

About OpenTrain

OpenTrain is the #1 platform for finding and building careers in AI training and data labeling. OpenTrain AI is hiring and contracting for this role, giving specialists a way to apply their research expertise to the development and evaluation of advanced AI systems.

Creating an OpenTrain account is free. Your work can help build a portfolio in a fast-growing field where human experts shape how AI models reason about specialized subjects.

About AI Training Work

AI training is the human side of building artificial intelligence. Contributors create examples, evaluate model outputs, and design challenging tasks that reveal whether an AI system can reason reliably instead of relying on superficial patterns.

This role focuses on expert-led evaluation design rather than routine data labeling. You will turn authentic astrophysics and cosmology research workflows into rigorous computational problems for testing advanced AI systems.

The Role

OpenTrain is seeking a Computational Astrophysics and Cosmology Expert to design and refine challenging scientific tasks. The work covers simulation, interpretation, experimental planning, strategic reasoning, and specialized scientific software.

You will create graduate-level problems with either fully defined setups requiring exact calculations or open-ended structures requiring an AI system to plan queries or experiments that uncover hidden information. This is remote contract work requiring at least 15 to 20 hours per week, with a default commitment of 40 hours per week.

Compensation is $70 to $100 per hour.

• Remote contractor position
• Part-time availability of at least 15 to 20 hours per week
• Default commitment of 40 hours per week
• $70 to $100 per hour

What You'll Do

You will build original computational problems grounded in real astrophysics and cosmology research workflows. Each challenge should assess whether an AI system can apply careful scientific reasoning, manage edge cases, and plan effective computational investigations.

You will also test tasks against advanced AI models and revise them until they reach the intended difficulty. Scientific rigor, reproducibility, and the distinction between genuine reasoning and raw computation will be central to your work.

• Create original computational problems based on astrophysics and cosmology research workflows
• Use astropy and related tools for cosmological calculations and angular power spectra
• Develop tasks involving galaxy survey analysis and observational data reduction workflows
• Write Python problem setups, oracle functions, and solution validators
• Test challenges against advanced AI models and refine their difficulty
• Assess whether problems reward scientific reasoning rather than surface-level pattern matching

Required Qualifications

You should have graduate-level training in astrophysics, cosmology, or a closely related STEM field, demonstrated by an MS, PhD, or equivalent research experience. The role requires hands-on experience with astropy or comparable scientific software used in research workflows.

Strong Python skills are essential, including the ability to construct problem setups, oracle functions, and solution validators. You should also understand software edge cases and the features that make a scientific problem genuinely difficult.

• Graduate-level training in astrophysics, cosmology, or a closely related STEM field
• MS, PhD, or equivalent research experience
• Hands-on use of astropy or comparable scientific software
• Strong Python programming skills for scientific problem construction and validation
• Understanding of research workflows and software edge cases
• Ability to design rigorous problems testing strategic reasoning and experimental planning
• Comfort working independently and refining designs based on feedback
• Comfort with Linux or terminal environments and remote compute sandboxes

Helpful Background

Experience across multiple astrophysics or cosmology tools and domains can help you create broader, more demanding evaluations. Familiarity with benchmark design, evaluation design, scientific teaching, or problem-set development is also useful.

• Experience with multiple astrophysics or cosmology tools and domains
• Benchmark or AI evaluation design
• Scientific teaching or problem-set design
• Computational reproducibility
• Containerized environments

Why This Work Matters

Modern AI systems depend on carefully prepared examples and expert review. By translating advanced scientific workflows into precise evaluations, you will help measure whether AI can reason through specialized computational problems with the depth and reliability expected in research settings.

AI training and data-labeling work is a rapidly growing part of the technology industry. It offers specialists the opportunity to contribute directly to how state-of-the-art systems are built while developing experience in an emerging technical field.

Apply Through OpenTrain

If you have the astrophysics, cosmology, scientific Python, and research-workflow experience described above, create a free OpenTrain account and apply. OpenTrain helps contributors discover AI training opportunities, build a credible profile, and grow specialized work into a lasting portfolio.

• Review the requirements and confirm your availability
• Create or update your free OpenTrain profile
• Showcase relevant research, software, and scientific problem-design experience
• Apply for this remote contract opportunity through OpenTrain