Physics Expert (Condensed Matter / Quantum Information)

$100–170/hrrate as listed

micro1 is contracting condensed matter and quantum information physicists to build and audit a research-level benchmark on the PXP model, Rydberg blockade, and quantum many-body scars. Work is hands-on numerics — symmetry-resolved exact diagonalization at L ≥ 26, typically in QuSpin — paired with written analytic reports on the results.

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 are producing and reviewing frontier physics problems that current models mostly fail. In practice that means writing exact diagonalization code for constrained spin systems, exploiting translation and reflection symmetry to reach system sizes of L ≥ 26, and constructing block-diagonalized subspaces you can actually work in. A typical task chain: define a PXP or Rydberg-blockade Hamiltonian, resolve it into momentum and parity sectors, diagonalize, compute overlaps of eigenstates with the Z2 Néel state, and then explain what the overlap structure says about scarred dynamics and ergodicity breaking. The written interpretation matters as much as the numerics — reports need to be tight enough that another physicist can reproduce and disagree with them.

Contributors are slotted as Solver, Auditor, or Adjudicator depending on subfield fit, hands-on methods depth, and seniority. Solvers generate the reference solutions; Auditors check numerics, symmetry-sector bookkeeping, and physical reasoning; Adjudicators resolve disputes between the two. No AI or ML background is required, and micro1 states this explicitly — the screen is about physics.

What the platform screens for

Whether you have personally run symmetry-resolved ED at scale, not just read about it. Expect follow-ups on basis construction, sector dimensions, and where memory actually breaks.
QuSpin fluency specifically, or a defensible account of your own ED stack and why it is equivalent.
Conceptual command of quantum many-body scars, the Rydberg blockade constraint, and what distinguishes weak ergodicity breaking from integrability or MBL.
Ability to say when a numerical result is an artifact — finite-size effects, wrong sector, unconverged Lanczos — rather than a physical claim.
Clear technical writing under a rubric, since deliverables are reports and assessments as much as code.

Logistics

Remote, contractor, and largely asynchronous — tasks are picked up from a queue rather than scheduled in meetings. Observed pay for this listing is $80–160/hr, banded by role tier and depth of methods expertise; the rate is what has been posted, not a guarantee for any individual offer. Most contributors treat this as part-time alongside a research position, with weekly commitments in the 10–20 hour range, though throughput expectations tighten if you take an Auditor or Adjudicator seat. Expect an AI-led screening interview before any project access.

What they look for

Physics
exact diagonalization with translation + reflection symmetries (QuSpin preferred) for L >= 26
subspace block-diagonalization
overlap with Z2 state analysis

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 a PhD in physics, condensed matter physics, quantum information, or a closely related field, or equivalent full-time research experience of at least 4 years in quantum many-body physics or quantum information?
PhD or equivalent practical research experience · required
Have you personally implemented or extensively used exact diagonalization code (whether QuSpin, custom code, or other) to simulate quantum many-body systems at system sizes L ≥ 20?
Exact diagonalization implementation · required
Have you conducted research on quantum many-body scars, Rydberg blockade, or constrained quantum dynamics, either as a primary or significant secondary focus?
Quantum many-body scars or Rydberg blockade research · required
Have you block-diagonalized Hamiltonians or exploited translation, reflection, or particle-number symmetries to reduce Hilbert space dimension in exact diagonalization or numerical simulations?
Block-diagonalization and symmetry exploitation · preferred
Have you written detailed technical reports, supplementary materials, or analytical write-ups (beyond peer-reviewed papers) explaining quantum many-body calculations and results for a research team or collaborators?
Written research reports and analysis · 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: Whether the candidate has hands-on mastery of exact diagonalization at scale, not just textbook knowledge, and whether they understand symmetry reduction as a practical tool rather than an abstract concept.
A strong answer: The answer should name a specific system (Heisenberg chain, Hubbard model, PXP model, etc.), state the symmetries used (translation, reflection, particle number, magnetization), cite the Hilbert space dimension or system size L, and explain briefly why those symmetries mattered—e.g., 'translation invariance let us work in momentum sectors, reducing the matrix size from 2^24 to ~10^6 per sector.'
Where people lose it: Candidate describes exact diagonalization in general terms without naming a concrete system or symmetry, or claims large system sizes without explaining what symmetries made them tractable—this signals they have read papers but not implemented the method.