Physics Expert (AMO / Optical Properties of Materials)

$80–160/hrrate as listed

micro1 is contracting AMO physicists to review and critique atomic-structure and polarizability calculations — including ab initio configuration interaction work on Yb-171 and Yb-174 — as training input for AI models. Screening is a spoken, adaptive AI interview, and the observed band is $80–160/hr depending on depth and project fit.

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

This is domain-consulting work aimed at a specific customer project on atomic and optical physics, not general-purpose data labeling. Expect to read model-generated derivations and explanations, judge whether the physics is actually correct, and write up why it isn't when it fails. Typical tasks include walking through ab initio configuration interaction treatments of static and dynamic polarizability, checking atomic-structure calculations for ytterbium isotopes (Yb-171 with its hyperfine structure, Yb-174 without), distinguishing sigma from pi transitions and explaining the selection rules and geometry behind the distinction, and flagging the subtle errors — wrong sign conventions, dropped core-valence correlation, misapplied Wigner-Eckart factors — that a model will produce confidently and incorrectly.

Much of the value you add is in the reasoning trace, not the final answer. Reviewers who simply mark items right or wrong tend not to be renewed; the useful contribution is a clear account of where the argument broke and what the correct physical chain of reasoning looks like.

What the platform screens for

micro1's intake is an adaptive spoken AI interview: one question at a time, follow-ups generated from what you just said. It is built to detect surface familiarity. If you claim CI-based polarizability work, expect probing on basis-set choices, truncation, and how you validated against measured lifetimes or magic wavelengths. Practical notes:

Prepare two or three concrete projects you can describe in detail and are legally free to discuss — no NDA-covered or unpublished proprietary material.
Speak in specifics: codes used, isotopes, transitions, discrepancy magnitudes, what you did about them.
No AI or ML background is required or assessed.

Logistics

Fully remote, contractor engagement, largely asynchronous once onboarded. Volume is project-driven rather than a fixed schedule — contributors commonly report 5–20 hours per week with some variability as the customer project ramps. The $80–160/hr range reflects rates observed for this listing; actual offers depend on credential depth, assessed interview performance, and the specific workstream you're routed to, and nothing here is guaranteed.

What they look for

Physics
ab initio configuration interaction for polarizability
atomic-structure calculations for Yb-171 / Yb-174
sigma vs pi transition identification

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 Master's degree, PhD, or equivalent research credential in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, or a field directly involving atomic, molecular, or optical physics?
Advanced Physics degree · required
Have you personally set up and executed ab initio configuration interaction calculations on atomic systems using quantum chemistry software?
Hands-on ab initio CI experience · required
Have you conducted measurements, calculations, or analysis on the atomic or optical properties of ytterbium, or closely related AMO systems?
Ytterbium or AMO atomic-structure work · preferred
Do you have access to published papers, open research, or contractual materials you can discuss in detail without breaching confidentiality or intellectual property restrictions?
Shareable technical work · required
Are you available to participate in recorded, asynchronous spoken interviews over the coming months?
Remote interview availability · required

0 of 5 answered

Included with this listing

Interview prep — 15 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 you have hands-on experience with ab initio CI approaches—not just textbook knowledge—and whether you can articulate the computational steps and assumptions that matter for accuracy.
A strong answer: Name a specific system you worked with, identify which CI method you used (CIS, CISD, multi-reference CI), explain what polarizability tells you about that system, and describe one key choice in the calculation (basis set, active space, truncation) that affected the result.
Where people lose it: Describing polarizability in only abstract terms ('response to external field') without naming the computational code, method, or isotope, or glossing over which CI variant you actually used—screeners will probe whether you've run the calculation yourself or just read about it.