Jobs · OTHR

Mathematical Formalization Specialist

Alignerr · Chicago, IL · 1 wk ago
RemoteRemoteOTHRContract

About the Role

What if your deep mathematical training could directly shape the future of AI reasoning? We're looking for mathematicians with hands-on experience in formal proof systems — particularly Lean — to work on some of the most intellectually demanding problems in AI development today.

What You'll Do

  • Translate informal mathematical proofs into Lean (and related proof systems) with precision, clarity, and structural rigor
  • Analyze domain-specific proofs to identify gaps, hidden assumptions, and formalizable sub-structures
  • Construct formalizations that probe the limits of existing proof assistants — especially where automation fails
  • Collaborate with researchers to design, refine, and evaluate strategies for improving formal verification pipelines
  • Develop readable, reproducible proof scripts aligned with mathematical best practices and proof assistant idioms
  • Provide expert guidance on proof decomposition, lemma selection, and formal modeling strategies
  • Investigate and articulate the reasons automated provers break down — whether due to complexity, missing lemmas, or library gaps

Who You Are

  • Must-Have:
    • Master's degree or higher in Mathematics, Logic, Theoretical Computer Science, or a closely related field
    • Strong foundation in rigorous proof writing across areas such as algebra, analysis, topology, logic, or discrete mathematics
    • Hands-on experience with Lean (Lean 3 or Lean 4), Coq, Isabelle/HOL, Agda, or a comparable formal proof system — Lean strongly preferred
    • Deep enthusiasm for formal verification, proof assistants, and the mechanization of mathematics
    • Ability to translate dense, informal arguments into clean, structured, machine-verifiable proofs
  • Nice to Have:
    • Familiarity with type theory, the Curry–Howard correspondence, and proof automation tools
    • Experience contributing to large-scale formalization projects such as mathlib
    • Exposure to theorem provers where automated reasoning frequently fails or requires manual scaffolding
    • Strong communication skills for articulating formalization decisions, edge cases, and reasoning strategies

Sample Work You Might Do

  • Formalize classical proofs and compare machine-verifiable structures against textbook arguments
  • Investigate where automated provers break down and document the underlying causes
  • Create Lean proofs that surface deeper patterns or generalizations implicit in the original mathematics
  • Help map the frontier of what formal verification can express, capture, and eventually automate

Why Join Us

  • Work on cutting-edge AI research projects alongside leading labs pushing the limits of machine reasoning
  • Fully remote and flexible — work on your own schedule, from anywhere
  • Freelance autonomy with the depth and challenge of genuinely frontier-level mathematical work
  • Contribute to a field that is reshaping the reliability and rigor of AI at its core
  • Potential for ongoing work and contract extension as new projects launch

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