Formal Verification Scientist (Lean 4 & Mathlib)

Formal Verification Scientist (Lean 4 & Mathlib)

About the Role

What if your deep mathematical training could directly shape how AI reasons about proofs — and push the boundaries of what machines can verify? We're looking for Formal Verification Scientists to translate complex mathematical arguments into precise, machine-verifiable Lean 4 formalizations for cutting-edge AI research.

This is a fully remote, flexible contract role designed for mathematicians who love working at the intersection of rigorous proof and computer science. If you find satisfaction in taking a dense, elegant argument and expressing it in a form a machine can understand — this role was built for you.

• Organization: Alignerr
• Type: Hourly Contract
• Location: Remote
• Commitment: 10–40 hours/week

What You'll Do

• Translate informal mathematical proofs into clean, structured Lean 4 formalizations with an emphasis on clarity, correctness, and reproducibility
• Analyze domain-specific proofs to identify gaps, hidden assumptions, and formalizable sub-structures
• Construct formalizations that test the limits of existing proof assistants — especially where tools struggle or fail
• Investigate where automated provers break down and articulate the underlying reasons (complexity, missing lemmas, insufficient libraries, etc.)
• Create Lean proofs that reveal deeper patterns or generalizations implicit in the original mathematics
• Collaborate with researchers to design, refine, and evaluate strategies for improving formal verification pipelines
• Provide guidance on proof decomposition, lemma selection, and structuring techniques for formal models

Who You Are

• Holds a 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 comparable systems — Lean strongly preferred
• Able to translate informal mathematical arguments into precise, well-structured formal proofs
• Genuinely enthusiastic about formal verification, proof assistants, and the future of mechanized mathematics
• Detail-oriented, methodical, and comfortable working independently in an async environment

Nice to Have

• Experience with large-scale formalization projects such as Mathlib
• Familiarity with type theory, the Curry-Howard correspondence, and proof automation tools
• Exposure to theorem provers where automated reasoning frequently fails or requires manual scaffolding
• Prior experience with data annotation, data quality, or evaluation systems
• Strong communication skills for explaining formalization decisions, edge cases, and reasoning strategies

Why Join Us

• Work on cutting-edge AI research projects alongside leading AI labs
• Fully remote and flexible — work when and where it suits you
• Freelance autonomy with the structure of meaningful, intellectually stimulating work
• Contribute directly to mapping the frontier of what formal verification can express, capture, and automate
• Potential for ongoing work and contract extension as new projects launch
• Collaborate with a global team of researchers and mathematicians pushing the limits of AI and formal reasoning