Computational Materials Science Researcher (Task Author)

What you'll do

You rebuild computational materials work you have already validated as an evaluation task for AI models. The ad's examples are a phase-field or CALPHAD model, an atomistic simulation, a microstructure or diffraction analysis, or a transport calculation. Each task has a main problem, connected subproblems, a Python reference solution and tests, and the difficulty is meant to come from the materials science, not hidden information.

You also set the metrics a strong solution should meet (without publishing the exact thresholds), revise after structured review feedback, and can optionally review other experts' tasks.

AfterQuery lists these research areas: electronic and quantum materials; semiconductors and optoelectronics; metals, alloys and computational metallurgy; polymers and soft materials; ceramics and glasses; mechanical behaviour and structural materials; thermal transport and lattice dynamics; battery and energy materials; surfaces, interfaces and nanomaterials; and materials informatics.

Who fits

• A research-track Bachelor's student (REU, thesis, RA or lab role), Master's or PhD student, postdoc or recent graduate in materials science, physics, chemistry, mechanical engineering or a closely related field
• Hands-on experience writing your own code, preferably Python, to model materials or analyse materials data; running standard packages without your own scripting is not enough, according to the ad
• Able to turn your research into a well-specified task with a reference solution and tests, and to work independently
• Preferred: phase-field or CALPHAD modelling, crystal plasticity, phonon transport or energy materials; public code, a thesis or papers; prior annotation, labelling or AI/ML evaluation work
• Independent contractor without visa sponsorship; F-1 students (including OPT/CPT) are not eligible

What it pays

The board headlines $100/hr. The ad's actual terms are $200 per approved task, about 2 hours each, with no limit on how many tasks you take. Tasks are reviewed before approval, so revision time counts against the effective hourly rate.

Payment terms such as payout timing are not published in the ad; the AfterQuery company page describes how AfterQuery pays.

What applying involves

Required form fields: institutional affiliation(s), current degree programme, year and field, a link to research code you have written, work authorization, and a calculation from your research that could become a task. Accepted experts undergo standard background and identity verification.

Worth knowing

Good:

• Task-based, flexible and uncapped
• Open to research-track undergraduates through postdocs
• The ten listed areas span metals, polymers, ceramics, semiconductors and energy materials

Less good:

• Per-task pay depends on approval
• Your own modelling code is required
• F-1 students (including OPT/CPT) are excluded, and there is no visa sponsorship
• The application asks for code and a worked calculation before you hear anything back

About this listing

Read from the AfterQuery Experts board on 18 October 2026; posted on the board 16 October 2026. Pay and eligibility are AfterQuery's own text. See AfterQuery.