Clinical, Microbiome & Translational Research Scientist (PhD)

$45–90/hr

rate as listed

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

Design expert scientific problems and evaluate AI outputs across microbiome, metagenomics, clinical bioinformatics, and translational research. This remote contractor role requires a relevant PhD, hands-on research experience, and professional English proficiency.

The work

You would write challenging scientific problems with verifiable solutions, assess model responses for accuracy and reasoning quality, and develop reference answers and scoring rubrics. Assignments may involve 16S or shotgun metagenomics, host-microbiome and virome analysis, biomarker discovery, clinical genomics, or omics-driven precision medicine. Reviews require clear written reasoning grounded in primary literature and established methods.

What the platform screens for

The screening is likely to test whether you can discuss a real research project in verifiable detail, identify subtle methodological errors, and distinguish a plausible answer from a scientifically defensible one. Relevant depth may include QIIME2, Kraken2, MetaPhlAn, HUMAnN, MAG assembly and binning, virome analysis, TCGA, UK Biobank, survival analysis, EHR and omics integration, and statistics or machine learning for high-dimensional biological data.

Background and tools

A PhD in Microbiology, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Immunology, Epidemiology, or a closely related field is required, along with hands-on academic or industry research experience. Professional written and spoken English at C1 or higher is required. Python and/or R is required in practice, while Bash and workflow tools are preferred. Postdoctoral or industry research experience, relevant publications, wet-lab experience, and scientific reviewing or benchmarking experience are advantages rather than stated requirements.

Logistics

This is a remote, worldwide contractor role. The listing does not specify typical weekly hours, assignment volume, or whether all work can be completed asynchronously, so candidates should confirm those details with micro1. Compensation depends on the work offered and is not guaranteed.

Pay band: $45–90/hr

What they look for

computational chemistry
molecular simulations
python
gaussian
gromacs
lammps
amber
orca
psi4
cheminformatics
electronic structure methods
scientific software configuration
molecular dynamics
drug discovery
ai/ml-assisted chemistry workflows
quantitative analysis
analytical reasoning
scientific programming
written communication
verbal communication
documentation
problem-solving

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: This tests whether your claimed expertise is supported by a concrete project, identifiable data types, personal decisions, and defensible outcomes.
A strong answer: Give the biological question, cohort or samples, your exact responsibilities, analysis workflow, quality controls, statistical approach, and principal result. Separate your own work from collaborators' contributions and explain one decision that materially affected the interpretation.
Where people lose it: Candidates lose points by summarizing a laboratory's research area without naming the data, methods, decisions, or outputs they personally owned.

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