Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Experts

$84/hrrate as listed

Mercor is contracting ALD and thin-film process experts to build and grade the scientific data a frontier lab uses to train models on semiconductor processing. Work is remote, US-based, 10–40 hours per week, with pay observed at $84/hr.

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

What the work involves

You will spend most of your time writing and judging technical content rather than running tools. A typical block might mean authoring an expert-level problem on nucleation delay for a thermal ALD Al₂O₃ process on a hydrogen-terminated silicon surface, then producing a reference solution with the reasoning made explicit. Other blocks are evaluative: reading model-generated explanations of precursor decomposition pathways, ALD window boundaries, or GPC anomalies, marking where the chemistry is wrong or merely plausible-sounding, and writing a short rationale that a reviewer who is not in your subfield can follow. A third stream is structuring — taking process parameters, recipes, and characterization results and rendering them into clean, consistent, model-ready records.

Draft and solve problems spanning ALD process development, precursor selection, surface reaction mechanisms, and thin-film integration
Review AI-generated scientific reasoning for factual and mechanistic errors, not just tone or formatting
Rate and rank competing outputs against defined scientific rubrics with written justification
Normalize technical knowledge — temperatures, pulse/purge timings, saturation curves, characterization outputs — into structured formats

What the platform screens for

Mercor's screen is AI-led and interview-based, and it leans hard on specificity. Expect follow-ups that push past your résumé summary into what you actually did at the bench: which precursors, which reactor geometry, what failure mode you chased and how you diagnosed it. Vague process descriptions get probed until they either resolve into detail or don't. The screen also tests evaluation judgment — whether you can distinguish a wrong answer from an unconventional-but-correct one, and whether you can articulate why in writing. An advanced degree (PhD or MS) in materials science, chemistry, chemical engineering, or physics is the usual entry point, though equivalent hands-on industrial experience is considered.

Logistics

Remote and US-based, structured as a long-term ongoing engagement rather than a one-off project. Committed availability runs from a 10-hour weekly minimum up to 40 hours, and most work is asynchronous — tasks are pulled from a queue with defined turnaround windows rather than scheduled meetings. The $84/hr figure reflects rates observed on this listing; actual offers vary with credentials, screen performance, and task type, and are not guaranteed.

What they look for

Hands-on ALD process development, optimization, or troubleshooting
Deep knowledge of thin-film deposition for semiconductor or advanced-packaging applications
Working command of precursor chemistry and surface reaction mechanisms
Materials characterization experience (XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, ellipsometry)
PhD or MS in materials science, chemistry, chemical engineering, or physics — or equivalent industry experience
Precise technical writing in English

Before you apply

Would you pass this screen?

Drawn from what this listing actually requires. Answered in your browser — nothing is sent to us, and we do not store your answers.

Do you have either an MS or PhD in materials science, chemistry, chemical engineering, physics, or a related field, or equivalent demonstrated hands-on experience in ALD or thin-film process development spanning 5+ years?
Advanced degree or equivalent hands-on experience · required
Have you personally developed, optimized, or troubleshot atomic layer deposition or related thin-film processes (e.g., MOCVD, CVD) with hands-on involvement in parameter selection, execution, and characterization?
ALD or thin-film process development experience · required
Have you used at least two techniques from the following to characterize thin films or materials: XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, ellipsometry, AFM, or electrical property measurements?
Materials characterization experience · required
Do you have working knowledge of precursor chemistry and surface reaction mechanisms as they apply to ALD or thin-film deposition processes?
Precursor chemistry and surface reaction knowledge · preferred
Are you based in the United States and able to work remotely for an ongoing engagement of 10–40 hours per week?
US-based and available for remote work · required

0 of 5 answered

Included with this listing

Interview prep — 12 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: Whether the candidate has hands-on, iterative ALD process development experience—not just theoretical knowledge—and can articulate the decision-making loop between parameter selection, execution, and failure diagnosis.
A strong answer: A strong answer names a specific material or application (e.g., TiO₂ for photocatalysis, Al₂O₃ for semiconductor gate dielectric), states which precursors and co-reactants were used, describes at least two process parameters (temperature, precursor dose, purge time, number of cycles) and why they matter, and explains a concrete problem encountered and how the candidate diagnosed and resolved it using characterization data.
Where people lose it: Candidates often describe ALD conceptually or give a generic overview without naming specific precursors, temperatures, or cycle counts—or they mention a process they only read about or assisted with rather than led. Also common: listing characterization techniques without connecting them to the actual troubleshooting decision that followed.