What the work actually involves

You write engineering problems that a frontier model is expected to solve, then you build the answer yourself so there is something defensible to grade against. In practice that means a full task package: a problem statement with stated inputs, assumptions, constraints and operating conditions; a golden artifact (a VSP geometry, an XFLR5 polar, a JSBSim aircraft config and flight case, an OpenRocket design, or a QGroundControl mission plan); and objective acceptance criteria with tolerances that a reviewer can apply without reading your mind. The other half of the job is scoring — opening files a model produced, checking whether the geometry, route or airframe is actually flyable and physically consistent, and writing a rationale that distinguishes a wrong answer from an unconventional but valid one.

Expect a lot of analytical sanity checking: does the CL reported match the planform and Reynolds number, does the trim solution hold, is the static margin plausible, does the mission plan violate climb rate or endurance limits, are the units and reference areas consistent. Peer review is explicit in the scope — you will review other engineers' submissions for technical correctness and completeness, and yours will be reviewed the same way. Documentation of methodology is part of the deliverable, not an afterthought.

What the screen looks for

  • Real depth in at least two of the named tools, at the level of file formats, solver limitations and known failure modes — not tutorial familiarity.
  • Five or more years in aerospace or flight dynamics, with specifics you can describe: airframes, regimes, what you were responsible for.
  • Scripting ability, since task generation and batch checking are not done by hand.
  • Judgment about grading: whether you can turn a design question into criteria with numeric tolerances and defend where you drew the line.
  • Availability that matches the posting: 40 hours a week, four hours overlapping PST, immediate start.

Logistics

Fully remote, contractor assignment with no medical or paid leave, five-week initial duration with immediate onboarding. Working hours are flexible around the required PST overlap window. Turing does not disclose a rate for this listing; observed rates on Turing's expert engineering tracks vary widely by domain and seniority, and the band should be confirmed directly with the recruiter before you commit to a full-time-equivalent week.