Remote | Materials Scientist (Semiconductors & Molecular Modeling) — Up to $60/hour

We are sharing a specialised part-time consulting opportunity for PhD-level materials scientists with strong expertise in semiconductor materials, molecular modelling, scientific computing, and research-grade programming. This role focuses on designing original, executable computational problems based on authentic materials science research workflows. Selected experts will develop challenging coding-based tasks, create rigorous reference solutions and grading criteria, and test and refine problems until they require genuine research-level scientific and computational reasoning. Key Responsibilities Materials Science Problem Design Develop original research-level computational problems in materials science Build tasks from published papers, public datasets, open-source repositories, or independently designed scientific scenarios Create problems requiring multi-step scientific and computational reasoning Ensure tasks reflect realistic research workflows rather than standard textbook exercises Design problems with scientifically defensible and reproducible solutions Semiconductor Materials Develop computational tasks involving semiconductor materials and their properties Create problems requiring analysis of structure-property relationships and material behaviour Incorporate realistic modelling assumptions, physical constraints, and material parameters Design tasks requiring interpretation of simulation or experimental-style outputs Apply deep semiconductor materials expertise to task validation and difficulty calibration Molecular Modeling Create problems involving molecular and atomistic modelling Develop workflows requiring simulation, structural analysis, or quantitative interpretation Evaluate modelling assumptions, boundary conditions, parameters, and numerical outputs Incorporate realistic edge cases and computational limitations Ensure tasks require genuine understanding of molecular modelling methods Scientific Computing & Programming Write and validate scientific workflows using Python, R, or another relevant programming language Develop computational setups, reference calculations, and validation scripts Debug numerical, modelling, and implementation issues Build reproducible workflows suitable for automated evaluation Ensure code accurately implements the underlying scientific problem Research Task Development Source appropriate scientific material from papers, datasets, repositories, or original scenarios Translate complex research material into clearly specified computational tasks Define inputs, assumptions, constraints, and expected outputs Create assignments requiring both materials expertise and coding proficiency Ensure difficulty arises from scientific reasoning rather than unnecessary complexity Reference Solutions & Grading Criteria Produce authoritative reference solutions and supporting calculations Define clear criteria describing what constitutes a correct solution Identify essential scientific reasoning steps and computational outputs Develop grading logic capable of distinguishing correct solutions from plausible but flawed approaches Ensure evaluation standards remain precise and reproducible Testing & Difficulty Calibration Test tasks against advanced computational systems Analyse common scientific, numerical, and reasoning failure modes Refine prompts, inputs, constraints, and expected outputs based on testing Adjust difficulty while preserving scientific validity Finalise tasks only when they reliably require advanced materials science expertise Research Engineering Workflow Work through a Git/GitHub pull-request workflow Run and validate code within Docker-based environments Respond to automated quality checks and reviewer feedback Maintain clean, reproducible code and supporting documentation Collaborate effectively within structured scientific software workflows Ideal Profile PhD required in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Applied Physics, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field Demonstrated expertise in both semiconductor materials and molecular modeling Strong working proficiency in Python, R, or another scientific programming language Hands-on experience using scientific code for materials modelling, simulation, numerical analysis, or computational research Comfortable with Git/GitHub Experience running code in Docker or other containerised environments Strong understanding of reproducible scientific computing Ability to translate advanced materials research into clearly defined computational problems Peer-reviewed publications are highly valued Prior scientific software or research engineering experience is advantageous Strong written communication and ability to document scientific assumptions, methods, and solutions precisely Engagement Details Part-time independent contractor engagement Fully remote 20+ hours per week Initial duration of approximately 6 weeks Immediate start Compensation: Up to $60/hour Work includes materials science problem design, scientific coding, reference-solution development, grading criteria, testing, and task refinement Projects may be extended, shortened, or concluded based on project needs and performance Work must be completed without using confidential or proprietary information belonging to any employer, client, institution, or other third party H1-B and STEM OPT support is unavailable for this engagement About the Platform This opportunity is available through 24-MAG LLC. 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