Computational Engineering Researcher (Task Author)

$100/hr

rate as listed

Workload: ~15h/week
Engagement: Project-based
Location: Worldwide
Field: STEM and Coding

Author research-grade AI evaluation tasks from engineering simulations, models, or solvers you have implemented and validated yourself. Each task includes a defined problem, connected subproblems, a Python reference solution, and tests.

The work

You will turn computational work from your own engineering research into self-contained evaluation tasks for AI models. Relevant areas include computational mechanics and finite-element methods, computational fluid dynamics, aerospace numerical modeling, chemical and reaction engineering, biomedical and physiological modeling, civil and structural computational mechanics, environmental modeling, and computational electromagnetics. Day-to-day work includes defining the problem, writing connected subproblems, preparing a reference solution and tests, selecting evaluation metrics, and revising submissions after structured review.

What the screen assesses

The platform is looking for evidence that you have written and debugged code for an engineering model or solver, rather than only operating commercial software such as ANSYS, COMSOL, or Abaqus. Expect detailed questions about numerical methods, assumptions, boundary conditions, convergence, verification, validation, and failure modes from a project you actually completed. Python is preferred, but the central requirement is hands-on implementation or validation of computational engineering work in your own code.

Task and review structure

A strong submission must be reproducible, scientifically well specified, and difficult because of the engineering reasoning rather than missing information. You may also review other experts' tasks against a short rubric, checking scientific correctness, reference implementations, tests, and scoring metrics.

Logistics

This is flexible independent-contractor work with no fixed weekly schedule. Tasks are described as typically taking about two hours, and work proceeds through submission, review, and revision rather than scheduled shifts. The listing does not explicitly state whether the contract is remote, and accepted experts must complete standard background and identity verification.

Pay band: $100/hr

What they look for

Computational research in an eligible engineering discipline
Hands-on implementation or validation of engineering models and solvers
Numerical-method verification, convergence analysis, and scientific validation
Programming for scientific computing, with Python preferred
Reference-solution and automated-test design
Clear specification of engineering assumptions, metrics, and expected outputs

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 experience is traceable to a specific implementation, rather than limited to coursework summaries or use of commercial simulation software.
A strong answer: Identify the engineering problem, your exact coding contribution, the numerical method, representative inputs and outputs, and how you established that the implementation worked. Mention a thesis, paper, repository, lab role, or reproducible result if one exists.
Where people lose it: Candidates lose points by speaking only about what their research group built or by describing an ANSYS, COMSOL, or Abaqus workflow without identifying code they wrote themselves.

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

STEM AND CODING on Sidequest

What stem and coding AI work pays

Rates by specialty, the platforms hiring, and every open role in this field.