The work

Each task starts from something you have actually done: a failure analysis on a weld, an RF front-end that wouldn't meet its noise figure, a pressure vessel calculation that hinged on which code edition applied, a CFD case where the mesh was hiding the answer. You reconstruct it as a self-contained problem — the prompt, the data room (spec sheets, micrographs, test reports, drawings, measurement logs, standards excerpts), and a grading rubric that a second expert could apply and reach the same score.

Then you attack your own task. You run it against the model, read the output closely, and diagnose what happened: did it pick the right failure mode for the wrong reason, quietly assume a material property, skip a unit conversion, cite a standard that doesn't govern? Most first drafts are too easy or too vague, and the iteration — adding a distractor, removing a hint, forcing a numeric answer — is where the value sits. You'll also spend time with the project lead and other experts arguing out what counts as a correct answer in your subdomain, because scope and standards are still being set.

What the screen looks for

  • Depth that survives follow-up. Expect to be pushed a level past your first answer on your named specialty.
  • Specificity of experience: which alloys, which instruments, which codes, which solvers, on what projects.
  • The ability to articulate why a plausible wrong answer is wrong — this is the core skill of rubric writing.
  • Tolerance for undefined work. Candidates who need a fully specified brief tend not to enjoy this.

Logistics

Remote and largely asynchronous, contractor engagement, hourly. Observed band for this listing is $60–90/hr, set by depth and subdomain rather than negotiated — not guaranteed. Most contributors work in blocks of a few hours and commit 10–20 hours a week; daily onboarding sessions and several office hours a day are available if you want live help. Task authoring is deliverable-shaped, so you choose when in the day you write, but expect to be reachable for review threads.