CFD Engineer

$50–150/hr

rate as listed

Workload: ~15h/week
Engagement: Project-based
Location: Worldwide
Field: Sciences

micro1 is contracting CFD engineers to write, solve, and grade advanced computational fluid dynamics problems used to train and evaluate AI models. Work is remote, output-based (paid per accepted task), with a weekly minimum submission requirement and onboarding measured in days rather than weeks.

What the work actually looks like

You will spend most of your time on two kinds of tasks. The first is authoring: constructing CFD problems with defensible reference answers — a mesh-independence study, a turbulence model selection argument for a separated flow, a boundary-condition specification for a conjugate heat transfer case, a multiphase setup where the interface treatment determines whether the answer is physical. The second is adjudication: reading an AI-generated solution or explanation and deciding whether it is correct, plausible-but-wrong, or right for the wrong reason. The last category matters most. Models frequently produce answers that look like textbook CFD — correct y+ targets, correct model names — while quietly mis-specifying an outlet condition or ignoring that a RANS closure cannot resolve the physics being asked about. Your written justification for the grade is part of the deliverable, not a footnote to it.

What the screen is looking for

micro1's screening is AI-led and follow-up heavy. It probes whether your CFD knowledge is procedural or physical: not "which turbulence model would you use" but "why does that model fail here, and what would you see in the residuals or the field that tells you it failed." Expect questions on RANS versus LES/DES trade-offs, near-wall treatment, mesh quality metrics and their consequences, convergence versus grid convergence, and verification and validation practice — ASME V&V 20, AIAA guidelines, ITTC procedures if you come from marine. Named solver experience (Fluent, STAR-CCM+, OpenFOAM, COMSOL, Converge) is a plus but does not substitute for being able to explain physics without a GUI in front of you. No AI or ML background is required or expected.

Logistics and pay

Fully remote, asynchronous, contractor engagement — you choose your hours within the weekly minimum.
Compensation is per accepted task, not hourly; the $50–150/hr band is what contributors have observed once throughput settles, not a guaranteed rate. Early tasks are slower while you calibrate to the rubric.
Rejected or rework-flagged submissions are unpaid effort, so pace matters less than first-pass acceptance.
Roles are typically filled within about 48 hours, and first tasks are expected within 24–48 hours of onboarding. If you cannot start that quickly, say so during the screen rather than after.

What they look for

3+ years hands-on CFD simulation and validation experience
Deep grounding in Navier-Stokes, turbulence modeling (RANS, LES, DES), and near-wall treatment
Meshing strategy, mesh quality assessment, and grid-independence practice
Verification & validation methodology (ASME V&V 20, AIAA, ITTC or equivalent)
Commercial or open-source solver experience (Fluent, STAR-CCM+, OpenFOAM, COMSOL, Converge)
Clear technical writing in English — explaining why an answer is wrong, not just that it is

Before you apply

Would you pass this screen?

Drawn from what this listing actually requires. Answered in your browser — nothing is sent to us, and we do not store your answers.

Do you have at least 3 years of hands-on experience conducting and validating CFD simulations?
CFD experience · required
Have you personally performed mesh generation, turbulence model selection, and solver setup on production simulation work?
Core competency areas · required
Do you hold a bachelor's degree or higher in mechanical, aerospace, chemical or a related engineering field with a fluids/thermofluids focus, or equivalent practical CFD experience?
Degree or equivalent · preferred
Have you used ANSYS Fluent, STAR-CCM+, OpenFOAM, COMSOL, or Converge in a professional or research setting?
Solver software · preferred
Have you worked with formal verification and validation practices such as ASME V&V 20, AIAA CFD V&V guidelines, or ITTC procedures?
V&V standards · preferred
Can you begin submitting tasks within 24–48 hours of completing onboarding and meet a weekly minimum submission requirement?
Start availability · required

0 of 6 answered

Included with this listing

Interview prep — 10 questions

Matched to what this platform's screening actually measures. Answer each out loud in 60–90 seconds: claim → concrete example → implication.

What it tests: Whether you have personally driven a full simulation workflow or only operated one stage of someone else's pipeline.
A strong answer: A single named project with the physics stated (Reynolds number regime, compressibility, phases), the meshing decisions and why, the turbulence closure and why, and how the result was checked against experimental or analytical data — including where it disagreed.
Where people lose it: Describing the software steps rather than the engineering decisions. 'I meshed it in Fluent Meshing, set k-omega SST, ran to convergence' tells the screener nothing about judgment and invites a follow-up you may not survive.

Summary, eligibility guidance and screening preparation are prepared by Sidequest from the platform's posting. Check the source listing before applying.