Applied Formal Methods Researcher (Lean 4)
Posted 1 day ago by Alignerr
Negotiable
Undetermined
Remote
Oxford, England, United Kingdom
Summary: The Applied Formal Methods Researcher role focuses on translating informal mathematical proofs into machine-verifiable Lean 4 proofs, emphasizing clarity and correctness. This fully remote contract position is ideal for mathematicians passionate about formal verification and mechanized mathematics. The role involves collaboration with researchers to enhance formal verification pipelines and develop reproducible proof scripts. Candidates should possess a strong mathematical background and experience with proof assistants, particularly Lean.
Key Responsibilities:
- Translate informal mathematical proofs into Lean 4 with an emphasis on clarity, structure, and correctness.
- Analyze both generic and domain-specific proofs, identifying gaps and formalizable sub-structures.
- Construct formalizations that test the limits of existing proof assistants.
- Collaborate with researchers to improve formal verification pipelines.
- Develop highly readable, reproducible proof scripts aligned with mathematical best practices.
- Provide expert guidance on proof decomposition and structuring techniques.
- Formalize classical proofs and compare machine-verifiable structures against textbook arguments.
- Investigate breakdowns in automated provers and articulate reasons for failures.
- Create Lean proofs that reveal deeper patterns or generalizations in original mathematics.
Key Skills:
- Master's degree or higher in Mathematics, Logic, Theoretical Computer Science, or a related field.
- Strong foundation in rigorous proof writing across various mathematical areas.
- Hands-on experience with Lean (Lean 3 or Lean 4), Coq, Isabelle/HOL, Agda, or similar systems.
- Deep enthusiasm for formal verification and mechanized mathematics.
- Able to translate informal mathematical arguments into structured formal proofs.
- Mathematically mature and comfortable with advanced formal verification concepts.
- Prior experience with data annotation or evaluation systems (nice to have).
- Familiarity with type theory and proof automation tools (nice to have).
- Strong communication skills for explaining formalization decisions.
Salary (Rate): £140.00 hourly
City: Oxford
Country: United Kingdom
Working Arrangements: remote
IR35 Status: undetermined
Seniority Level: undetermined
Industry: IT
About The Role
What if your deep mathematical training could directly shape how AI understands and reasons about formal proofs? We're looking for Applied Formal Methods Researchers to translate rigorous human mathematics into machine-verifiable Lean 4 proofs — working at the very edge of what automated reasoning can do today. This is a fully remote, flexible contract role for mathematicians who are passionate about formal verification, proof assistants, and the future of mechanized mathematics. 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 Lean 4 (and related proof systems) with an emphasis on clarity, structure, and correctness
- Analyze both generic and domain-specific proofs — identifying gaps, hidden assumptions, and formalizable sub-structures
- Construct formalizations that test the limits of existing proof assistants, especially where tools struggle or fail entirely
- Collaborate with researchers to design, refine, and evaluate strategies for improving formal verification pipelines
- Develop highly readable, reproducible proof scripts aligned with mathematical best practices and proof assistant idioms
- Provide expert guidance on proof decomposition, lemma selection, and structuring techniques for formal models
- Formalize classical proofs and compare machine-verifiable structures against textbook arguments
- Investigate where automated provers break down — articulating why (complexity, missing lemmas, insufficient libraries, etc.)
- Create Lean proofs that reveal deeper patterns or generalizations implicit in the original mathematics
Who You Are
- Hold a Master's degree or higher in Mathematics, Logic, Theoretical Computer Science, or a closely related field
- Have a strong foundation in rigorous proof writing across areas such as algebra, analysis, topology, logic, or discrete mathematics
- Have hands-on experience with Lean (Lean 3 or Lean 4), Coq, Isabelle/HOL, Agda, or comparable systems — Lean strongly preferred
- Deeply enthusiastic about formal verification, proof assistants, and mechanized mathematics
- Able to translate informal mathematical arguments into clean, well-structured formal proofs
- Mathematically mature and comfortable working at the frontier of what formal verification can express
Nice to Have
- Prior experience with data annotation, data quality, or evaluation systems
- Familiarity with type theory, the Curry-Howard correspondence, and proof automation tools
- Experience with large-scale formalization projects such as Mathlib
- Exposure to theorem provers where automated reasoning frequently requires manual scaffolding
- Strong communication skills for explaining formalization decisions, edge cases, and reasoning strategies
Why Join Us
- Work on cutting-edge AI projects alongside world-leading research labs
- Fully remote and flexible — work when and where it suits you
- Freelance autonomy with meaningful, intellectually rigorous work
- Contribute directly to how next-generation AI systems reason about mathematics
- Potential for ongoing work and contract extension as new projects launch