Inorganic Chemistry & Synthesis Expert

$84/hr

rate as listed

Workload: 10+ hrs/week
Engagement: Project-based
Location: Worldwide
Field: Sciences

Evaluate AI-generated reasoning about inorganic chemistry, materials synthesis, and experimental characterisation. The work includes checking synthesis pathways, diagnosing technical errors, and writing rigorous reference answers.

The work

Day to day, you would review complex problems in inorganic and solid-state chemistry, assess AI-generated synthesis routes and explanations, and produce technically defensible reference answers. Tasks may involve precursor selection, reaction conditions, mechanisms, phase formation, materials stability, and interpretation of characterisation results from XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, or thermal analysis.

What the screening is likely to examine

Expect detailed questions about materials you have personally synthesised and characterised. The screen will look for verifiable experimental specifics, command of crystallography, phase diagrams, bonding, thermodynamics, and kinetics, plus the judgment to distinguish a plausible answer from one that is chemically or experimentally unsupported.

Practical details

The stated commitment is a minimum of 10 hours per week, with the possibility of up to 40 hours per week. The listing does not specify whether scheduling is asynchronous, what hours are typical, or whether any location restrictions apply, so candidates should confirm those points with Mercor.

Pay band: $84/hr

What they look for

PhD in Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Solid-State Chemistry, Materials Science, or a closely related discipline, or an MSc with extensive research experience
Hands-on inorganic or materials synthesis experience
Crystallography, phase diagrams, chemical bonding, thermodynamics, and reaction kinetics
Interpretation of materials characterisation data
Critical assessment of scientific literature and experimental methods
Scientific writing and independent technical evaluation

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 synthesis experience is grounded in a traceable project with clear ownership rather than general familiarity with a research group's work.
A strong answer: Use one concrete material system and identify the target composition or structure, synthesis route, variables you controlled, characterisation evidence, and resulting conclusion. Separate your own decisions and experiments from collaborators' contributions.
Where people lose it: Candidates lose credibility by naming a broad research area without giving a composition, synthesis conditions, characterisation result, or personally owned decision.

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