Home / Jobs / Researcher - Lean 4 & Formal Proof Systems
Researcher - Lean 4 & Formal Proof Systems
GlasgowSource: WhatJobs
£55,000–£117,000
Researcher – Lean 4 & Formal Proof Systems (AI Training)
About The Role
What if your deep mathematical training could directly shape how AI understands and reasons about formal proofs — advancing the frontier of mechanized mathematics for millions of future users?
We're looking for mathematicians and formal verification specialists to write and formalize advanced mathematical proofs in Lean 4 for cutting-edge AI research. This role sits at the intersection of mathematics and computer science, translating rigorous human arguments into precise, machine-verifiable formalizations that push the limits of what proof assistants can express and automate.
This is a fully remote, flexible contract role designed for researchers who love structure, precision, and working at the edge of what's formally possible.
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 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 automated tools struggle or fail
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 guidance on proof decomposition, lemma selection, and structuring techniques for formal models
Formalize classical proofs and compare machine-verifiable structures against textbook arguments
Investigate and articulate where automated provers break down — due to complexity, missing lemmas, insufficient libraries, or other factors
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 the future of mechanized mathematics
Able to translate informal arguments into clean, structured formal proofs with precision and care
A mathematically mature problem‑solver who finds satisfaction in expressing dense, elegant human arguments in a form a machine can verify
Nice to Have
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 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 projects alongside leading research labs and teams
Fully remote and flexible — work when and where it suits you
Freelance autonomy with the structure of meaningful, high-impact technical work
Contribute directly to advancing the capabilities of AI at the frontier of formal mathematics
Potential for ongoing work and contract extension as new projects launch
Collaborate with a global community of researchers tackling some of the hardest problems in formal verification
We use essential cookies to make this site work. With your permission we would also like to use the optional cookies below. Nothing optional is set until you choose, and you can change your mind at any time from "Cookie settings" at the bottom of every page. Cookie policy.
Essential — keep the site working and secure, and remember the choice you make here. Always on.