Quantitative Research Consultant (Short-term)

Role: Quantitative Research Consultant (Short-term) Duration: A few hours (with potential for follow-on work) Rate: Competitive, commensurate with experience Location: Remote About Prolific Prolific is not just another player in the AI space – we are building the biggest pool of quality human data in the world. Over 35,000 AI developers, researchers, and organizations use Prolific to gather data from paid study participants with diverse experiences, knowledge, and skills. About the project We are building a benchmark to evaluate how well frontier AI models handle hard, original reasoning problems in quantitative fields — including computer science, statistics, mathematics, physics, and engineering — in partnership with a leading technology company. The benchmark draws on recent research (papers from late 2024 onward) and is designed to surface problems that today's strongest models cannot reliably solve. We are looking for a small group of subject-matter experts to design and work through these problems before we scale to full evaluation. What you’ll bring

• PhD or equivalent in a quantitative STEM field (computer science, statistics, mathematics, physics, mechanical engineering, AI/ML, or related); postdoctoral or faculty level preferred
• Deep quantitative expertise and the ability to reason through complex, technical problems
• Up-to-date knowledge of current research in your area
• Comfort narrating your thinking out loud
• Bonus: experience with AI systems, model evaluation, or machine learning

What you’ll be doing

• Read a recent research paper in your field and craft an original, exam-style reasoning question based on it
• Work through the problem yourself, narrating your reasoning as you go
• Screen-record your approach so we can capture the full solution trajectory
• Provide brief notes on the problem's difficulty, with opportunity for follow-up discussion

Why Prolific is a great platform to join as a Participant Joining our Expert Network will give you the chance to influence the AI models of the future using your professional expertise. Once you pass our assessment, you can join Prolific in just 15 minutes and start enjoying competitive pay rates, flexible hours, and the ability to work from home. We've built a unique platform that connects researchers and companies with a global pool of participants, enabling the collection of high-quality, ethically sourced human behavioural data and feedback. This data is the cornerstone of developing more accurate, nuanced, and aligned AI systems. We believe that the next leap in AI capabilities won't come solely from scaling existing models, but from integrating diverse human perspectives and behaviours into AI development. By providing this crucial human data infrastructure, Prolific is positioning itself at the forefront of the next wave of AI innovation – one that reflects the breadth and the best of humanity. Links & Privacy Website Youtube Privacy Statement By submitting your application, you agree that Prolific may collect your personal data for recruiting and global organisation planning. Prolific's Candidate Privacy Notice explains what personal information Prolific may process, where Prolific may process your personal information, its purposes for processing your personal information, and the rights you can exercise over Prolific's use of your personal information.