Computational Chemistry Researcher (Task Author)

Turn computational work from your own chemistry research into paid evaluation tasks for AI models. Open to research-track Bachelor's students, Master's and PhD students, postdocs, and recent graduates.

AfterQuery is building a network of researchers to author and validate research-grade scientific-computing tasks for AI models.

A strong task is a real piece of computational work from your own research, something you've actually run and debugged: an electronic-structure or molecular-dynamics workflow, a kinetics model, a spectroscopy fit, or a thermodynamics calculation you implemented and validated. Each task has a main problem, a few connected subproblems, a Python reference solution, and tests that check the result. The difficulty should come from the chemistry itself, not from withheld information.

We're looking for researchers in: quantum chemistry and electronic structure; molecular simulation and statistical mechanics; chemical kinetics and reaction dynamics; spectroscopy and photochemistry; electrochemistry; catalysis and surface chemistry; chemometrics and analytical modeling; biophysical chemistry; atmospheric and environmental chemistry; and chemical thermodynamics.

Requirements

• Education: A Bachelor's student on a research track or with research experience (such as an REU, a thesis, or an RA or lab role), a Master's or PhD student, a postdoc, or a recent graduate in chemistry, chemical physics, chemical engineering, or a closely related field.
• Technical: Hands-on experience writing your own code, preferably Python, to set up, run, and analyze chemical calculations or models. Running standard packages (such as Gaussian or VASP) without your own scripting isn't enough.
• Work authorization: Must be able to work as an independent contractor without visa sponsorship. Students on F-1 visas (including OPT/CPT) are not eligible.

Contract and pay

Flexible, independent-contractor work: $200 per approved task, about 2 hours each, with no cap on how many tasks you take on. Tasks go through review, and you may also review other experts' tasks against a short rubric.

All accepted experts undergo standard background and identity verification.

Responsibilities

• Design and author original research-grade evaluation tasks based on your own computational work
• Specify the metrics a strong solution should be judged by, without publishing the exact passing thresholds
• Revise tasks based on structured review feedback until they're approved
• Optionally review and calibrate tasks submitted by other experts in your domain

Requirements

• Bachelor's student on a research track or with research experience, Master's or PhD student, postdoc, or recent graduate in chemistry, chemical physics, chemical engineering, or a closely related field
• Has written their own code, preferably in Python, to set up, run, and analyze chemical calculations or models
• Able to turn your own computational research into a well-specified task with a reference solution and tests
• Able to work independently and manage your own time. This is flexible, task-based work with no fixed weekly schedule

Preferred Qualifications

• Research experience in chemical kinetics, spectroscopy, electrochemistry, or catalysis modeling
• Public code, a thesis, or papers that show your computational work
• Prior experience in data annotation, data labeling, or AI/ML evaluation work

Why Apply

• Work on your own schedule: task-based, not a fixed hourly commitment
• Contribute directly to how AI models are evaluated on real, expert-level scientific work
• Paid, flexible work: $200 per approved task (about 2 hours each), no cap on how many you take on