Economics Expert (PhD)

$80–90/hrrate as listed

micro1 is contracting economics PhDs to write and review reference-quality answers to advanced economics prompts used in AI model training. Work is remote, output-based, and paid per accepted task, with observed rates in the $80–90/hr range.

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 be handed advanced economics prompts — the kind a strong graduate student or working researcher would struggle with — and asked to produce a complete, defensible answer. These become "golden responses": the benchmark output a model is trained toward. Expect to move between subfields: a comparative statics derivation one day, an identification critique of a difference-in-differences design the next, then a question on monetary transmission or bargaining models. Alongside authoring, you'll review other contributors' work and model outputs, flagging errors in reasoning, misapplied assumptions, stale methodology, or answers that are technically correct but pedagogically useless.

A large share of the value is in the write-up. You're expected to document why you answered as you did — which assumptions you invoked, where the literature disagrees, what a common wrong answer looks like and why it fails. Annotation leads and PMs will iterate with you on spec, and there are occasional remote workshops to align contributors on standards. micro1 states explicitly that no prior AI or annotation experience is required.

What the screening looks for

Verified credential. PhD in economics or a very close adjacent field; expect to name your institution, advisor, and dissertation topic.
Depth under follow-up. The AI interviewer will push past your first answer — vague or textbook-recited responses are the main failure mode.
Breadth across subfields. Comfort in at least two or three of micro theory, macro, econometrics, behavioral, labor, IO, or international.
Written precision. Evidence you've produced peer-reviewed papers, research reports, or teaching materials that others relied on.
Realistic availability. Minimum weekly task submission applies, and onboarding-to-first-task is 24–48 hours.

Logistics

Fully remote, contractor status, asynchronous. Compensation is per accepted task rather than hourly; the $80–90/hr band reflects observed effective rates for experienced contributors and is not guaranteed — slower workflows or heavy revision cycles pull it down. There is a weekly minimum submission requirement, so this suits people who can reliably carve out several focused hours a week rather than sporadic bursts. Roles are typically filled within 48 hours of application.

What they look for

economics
PhD
microeconomics
macroeconomics
attention to detail

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 hold a doctorate (PhD) in Economics, or in a closely related field such as Agricultural Economics, Environmental Economics, or Economic History?
PhD in Economics or closely related field · required
Have you authored or co-authored at least one peer-reviewed article, book chapter, research report, or educational economics material (e.g., course content, curriculum)?
Published or documented economics materials · required
Beyond your primary PhD research focus, can you confidently explain concepts in at least two other economics subfields (e.g., microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, behavioral, labor, international, public)?
Familiarity with multiple economics subfields · preferred
Are you able to begin your first tasks within 24–48 hours of completing onboarding and commit to meeting the minimum weekly submission requirements?
Ability to start within 24–48 hours · required
Do you have reliable internet access and the ability to work independently in a fully remote environment?
Remote work capability · preferred

0 of 5 answered

Included with this listing

Interview prep — 11 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: Establishing depth of domain knowledge across multiple economics areas and whether the candidate can articulate their own research contribution clearly enough to train an AI system.
A strong answer: The candidate names their dissertation topic, identifies 2–3 core subfields they studied deeply (microeconomics, macroeconomics, labor, etc.), and briefly explains how their research intersected those areas or built on foundational work.
Where people lose it: Vague description of research ("I studied economics broadly") or inability to connect PhD work to specific subfields; this signals the candidate may struggle to produce the depth and precision required for golden responses.