Physics Expert (Condensed Matter / Magnetic Materials)

$80–160/hrrate as listed

micro1 is contracting condensed matter physicists with magnetism expertise to write and review technical material on magnetic space groups, neutron diffraction, and magneto-optical signatures for AI training. Work is remote, project-based, and paid hourly in an observed $80–160/hr range depending on depth of specialization.

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'll produce and audit expert-level content in magnetic structure physics: constructing problems around propagation-vector analysis, calculating magnetic structure factors, classifying AFM/FM/ferrimagnetic and canted orders, and cross-checking magnetic space group assignments against BNS notation and MAGNDATA entries. A second strand of the work connects experimental observables — neutron diffraction intensities, birefringence, MOKE loops — back to the underlying symmetry and spin arrangement, and asks you to judge whether a model's reasoning about that chain actually holds.

Day to day this usually means a mix of authoring original questions with fully worked solutions, reviewing model outputs for physics errors, and writing rationales that explain why an answer fails rather than just flagging it. Tasks arrive through a platform queue; you'll often be asked to catch subtle failures — a k-vector that doesn't reproduce the reported propagation, an OG-to-BNS label mismatch, a structure factor that ignores the magnetic form factor or the neutron polarization factor.

What the screen looks for

Verifiable depth. Expect follow-ups that go a layer past your first answer — if you cite MAGNDATA experience, you'll be asked what a specific field in an entry encodes.
Working fluency, not recall. Can you reason about a Shubnikov group's implications for allowed magnetic reflections without looking it up?
Evaluation judgment. Whether you can distinguish a confidently wrong derivation from a correct one written in unfamiliar notation, and write feedback a non-specialist reviewer could act on.
Clear technical writing. Solutions are read by other physicists and by annotation pipelines; ambiguity is a defect.

Logistics

Fully remote, fully asynchronous, contractor status. No AI or machine learning background is required. Most contributors work part-time — commonly 10–20 hours per week — and project volume fluctuates with client demand, so this is best treated as supplemental rather than sole income. The $80–160/hr band reflects rates observed on this platform for physics specializations; actual offers depend on assessment performance, subspecialty, and project tier, and are not guaranteed.

What they look for

Physics
magnetic structure factor calculations
propagation-vector analysis
magnetic space group identification (MAGNDATA)
AFM/FM phase classification

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 PhD in physics, materials science, or a closely related field, or can you demonstrate equivalent peer-reviewed research experience (e.g., 5+ years as a postdoc or industry research scientist focused on condensed matter)?
PhD or equivalent research experience in condensed matter physics · required
Have you personally classified magnetic space groups or assigned BNS notation to materials in your own research or professional work, beyond coursework or textbook exercises?
Hands-on experience with magnetic space group classification and BNS notation · required
Have you designed, performed, or analyzed neutron diffraction or neutron scattering data from a major facility, or worked regularly with published neutron datasets to study magnetic structures?
Neutron scattering experience · preferred
Have you consulted or worked with the MAGNDATA database in your research to validate magnetic space group assignments or propagation vectors?
Familiarity with MAGNDATA · preferred
Are you able to work remotely as a contractor on a flexible, task-based schedule, and do you have reliable internet access and a quiet workspace for detailed technical analysis?
Availability and remote work readiness · preferred

0 of 5 answered

Included with this listing

Interview prep — 10 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, current experience with the core task (magnetic space group classification) and understands the verification workflows that prevent errors in high-stakes assignments.
A strong answer: A strong answer names a specific material or system, identifies the experimental or computational data used (neutron diffraction, magnetization, susceptibility), explains the symmetry analysis or reference to MAGNDATA/BNS notation applied, and describes at least one independent check (e.g., comparison to literature, consistency with propagation vector, or optical signatures).
Where people lose it: Candidates often describe only the textbook rules for classification without anchoring to a real example, or they skip the verification step—suggesting they know the categories but not the rigor required to publish or trust the result.