Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Experts | $84/hr Remote
Overview
Mercor is helping a frontier AI research lab find seasoned experts in atomic layer deposition and thin-film processing. In this remote role, you'll turn your specialized knowledge into high-quality training and evaluation data that teaches AI models to reason accurately about materials, deposition chemistry, and semiconductor manufacturing. It's a long-term, hourly consulting engagement that pays $84 per hour.
What You'll Do6
- 1Use your hands-on ALD expertise to design, structure, and generate scientific data that captures process development, precursor chemistry, and thin-film characterization.
- 2Assess AI-generated scientific explanations for accuracy, identify subtle errors, and suggest improvements to the model's technical reasoning.
- 3Create and solve expert-level problems in ALD and semiconductor processing that challenge the model and reveal gaps in its knowledge.
- 4Score and rank model outputs against clear scientific criteria, documenting your rationale in precise written English.
- 5Convert technical knowledge — process parameters, recipes, and characterization results — into clean, well-organized data that models can learn from.
- 6Consistently deliver high-quality work within set deadlines while managing an ongoing workload of up to 40 hours per week.
Requirements6
- 1Proven, hands-on experience developing, fine-tuning, or debugging ALD processes.
- 2Deep familiarity with thin-film deposition methods used in semiconductor manufacturing or advanced packaging.
- 3Solid understanding of precursor chemistry and surface reaction mechanisms.
- 4Experience with materials characterization tools such as XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, or ellipsometry.
- 5A PhD or master's degree in materials science, chemistry, chemical engineering, or physics — or equivalent hands-on experience.
- 6Excellent written English and the ability to articulate technical reasoning clearly and precisely.
Who Should Apply
You're the right fit if you've spent years in the trenches of ALD and thin-film R&D, and you can speak fluently about everything from process recipes to precursor chemistry. You enjoy knowledge work at the frontier of AI, and you can critique a model's scientific reasoning as easily as you'd review a colleague's. You're reliable, detail-obsessed, and comfortable working remotely on a flexible but ongoing schedule.
Salary Insight
The role pays $84.00 per hour. With an engagement of up to 40 hours per week (minimum 10), potential weekly earnings range from roughly $840 to $3,360 depending on hours worked.
Location
Required Skills
Application Tip
Before you apply, pick one AI-generated explanation of an ALD process, write a few specific critiques of it, and include those notes in your application to demonstrate how you evaluate scientific reasoning.
See NearSkill jobs more often in your search
How your application is processed
1Application received
Your resume and details are logged the moment you apply.
2ATS + eligibility screening
We check your profile against the role’s skills, seniority, and requirements.
3Employer sees qualified profiles only
Only candidates who clear screening move forward.
Similar open positions
Explore active roles that match your skills and interests.
Mercor
VerifiedInorganic Materials, Semiconductor & Superconductor Experts
Mercor is looking for hands-on experimental scientists and engineers with deep expertise in inorganic materials, superconductors, or semiconductors to support an AI research lab focused on materials science. You'll apply your specialized scientific knowledge to create, organize, and assess the data that trains advanced models — directly influencing how those models reason about materials and devices.
Mercor
VerifiedAtomistic & Surface Modeling Experts (Computational Materials & Catalysis)
Mercor is looking for computational scientists with deep expertise in atomistic and surface modeling to support a frontier AI research lab focused on materials science and physical sciences. In this hands-on hourly role, you'll apply your specialist knowledge to build, structure, and evaluate the scientific data that trains AI models, directly influencing how these systems reason about materials, surfaces, and chemical processes. The engagement is long-term, remote, and open to US-based experts.
Micro1
VerifiedChemistry Expert
micro1 is looking for experienced Chemistry professionals to lend their expertise to an exciting project: training the next generation of AI systems. In this remote contract role, you'll apply your deep knowledge of chemical theory and lab techniques to help models learn and reason more effectively. No prior AI experience is necessary — your domain expertise is what truly matters here.
Micro1
VerifiedMaterials Science Expert for AI‑Driven Engineering
A remote contractor role for a Materials Science Expert focused on advancing AI-assisted materials engineering. You’ll apply deep domain knowledge to help train next‑gen AI systems, guiding models on materials selection, failure analysis, testing, and process development. Expect to review AI-generated technical work for accuracy and deliver clear, practical feedback to support model learning. Strong communication and precise technical reasoning are essential as you collaborate with a distributed team.
Mercor
VerifiedMaterials Science Domain Expert
You will work directly with a leading AI lab's research and program management teams, applying your materials science expertise to improve how frontier models reason about real engineering work. Your main activities are validating materials knowledge tasks, writing instruction specs and golden solutions, and designing benchmarks that track model progress. Cincinnatus LLC employs you full-time on a W-2 basis, and you will operate inside the client's own tools with client-issued equipment. The role demands a PhD-level specialist with 4+ years of research or industrial R&D experience. The position is hybrid and based in the Bay Area, so you must live locally and be available on-site several days per week.
Micro1
VerifiedSemiconductor Devices and Microelectronics Expert
A remote contractor role focused on semiconductor devices and microelectronics. You’ll apply deep domain knowledge to support a customer project that advances semiconductor technologies and provides high-quality input for AI model training. Your expertise shapes how models learn, reason, and perform, without requiring AI experience. You’ll analyze device physics, discuss fabrication methods, and critique materials used in fabrication to inform real-world outcomes. Bold technical areas to highlight include semiconductor device physics, microfabrication techniques, and reliability methodologies.