STEM Expert – Chemistry & Computational Chemistry (PhD)

$45–90/hr

rate as listed

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

Review and develop chemistry problems, reasoning chains, protocols, and data analyses used to benchmark AI systems. The work suits PhD-level researchers with deep expertise in an experimental or computational chemistry subfield and the ability to document defensible scientific judgments.

The work

You will design, evaluate, and critique chemistry tasks used in AI benchmarking. Assignments may involve reaction mechanisms, synthesis planning, spectroscopy, experimental protocols, molecular simulations, electronic structure methods, cheminformatics, or materials chemistry, depending on your background. Day-to-day work can include checking reasoning chains, identifying unsupported conclusions, reviewing simulation parameters or software configurations, interpreting chemical data, and documenting corrections that another researcher can reproduce.

What micro1 screens for

The screening is likely to test whether you can support answers with verifiable research specifics, respond accurately to technical follow-ups, and distinguish a plausible chemistry response from a scientifically rigorous one. Applicants need a PhD in a relevant field, deep expertise in at least one named chemistry area, and either hands-on laboratory research or extensive simulation-heavy research appropriate to their subfield. Professional written and spoken English (C1 or higher) is required, along with Python and/or industry-standard tools such as Gaussian, ORCA, Psi4, GROMACS, LAMMPS, or RDKit.

Practical details

This is a remote, worldwide contractor role. The listing does not specify whether assignments are asynchronous, how many hours are typically available, or whether work follows a fixed schedule, so candidates should confirm those details with the platform.

Pay band: $45–90/hr

What they look for

Computational Chemistry
Structural Bioinformatics
Cheminformatics
Proteomics & Metabolomics
Documentation
Verbal communication
Biology
organic chemistry
physical chemistry

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 you can separate your own work from the broader project and defend it with concrete experimental or computational evidence.
A strong answer: Give a concise account of the research question, methods, your personal responsibilities, and the decisive results. Name relevant measurements, calculations, controls, validation steps, publications, or software outputs rather than relying on a broad thesis summary.
Where people lose it: Candidates lose points by describing the laboratory's research area without identifying what they personally designed, executed, analyzed, or validated.

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