Materials Scientist
$30–95/hr
Remote science contract with SME Careers, $30–95/hr, open to people in Australia, Austria, Belgium and 24 more countries. First seen Oct 28.
$30–95/hr
Apply on SME CareersIs this job worth applying to?
- Pay
- About typicalTops out at $95/hr. The typical top rate across 106 priced science listings is $90/hr.
- Getting in
- Some screening~30 min: profile + 15-min AI interview. Credentials in your field.
- Steady work
- Work is patchyProjects can end a placement for quality issues.
- Payout record
- Pays on timeSchedule: weekly. Paid via Deel.
- Freshness
- No post dateSME Careers doesn't publish post dates. First seen Oct 28, 2026; still listed Nov 6, 2026.
- Where you live
- Named countries onlyOpen in Australia, Austria, Belgium and 24 more.
The job description
In this hourly, remote contractor role, you will work as a Materials Science Expert (SME) to review AI-generated materials science content and/or create high-quality materials science reference content, evaluating scientific accuracy, engineering reasoning, terminology, and step-by-step explanations while providing precise written feedback. You will assess outputs for correctness, clarity, physical plausibility, unit consistency, microstructure-property reasoning, experimental context, and adherence to the prompt; identify errors in crystal structure, phase diagrams, mechanical properties, polymers, ceramics, metals, composites, nanomaterials, processing methods, and characterization; fact-check claims when needed; write high-quality rewrites and model answers that demonstrate best practices in materials science explanation; and rate and compare multiple AI responses based on correctness and overall quality.
This role is with SME Careers, a fast-growing AI Data Services company and subsidiary of SuperAnnotate, delivering training data for many of the world’s largest AI companies and foundation-model labs. Your materials science expertise directly helps improve the world’s premier AI models by making their materials, engineering, and applied-science outputs more accurate, practical, and clearly explained.
Responsibilities
- Develop AI Training Content: Create prompts and gold-standard materials science answers across topics such as metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, phase diagrams, heat treatment, mechanical testing, corrosion, nanomaterials, and characterization.
- Optimize AI Performance: Evaluate and rank AI outputs to improve scientific accuracy, engineering logic, terminology, structure-property reasoning, clarity, and relevance to the user’s prompt.
- Ensure Model Integrity: Detect misleading materials claims, hallucinated properties, flawed processing recommendations, incorrect diagrams, unsafe design assumptions, and overconfident interpretations; validate reliability across materials science use cases.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Metallurgy, Polymer Science, Nanotechnology, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- Strong professional proficiency in English, minimum C1, to follow guidelines and provide detailed feedback in English.
- 3+ years of experience in materials science research, materials engineering, laboratory work, manufacturing, teaching, technical writing, academic review, or related scientific/engineering work.
- Deep understanding of structure-property relationships, crystal structures, phase diagrams, mechanical behavior, heat treatment, polymers, ceramics, metals, composites, corrosion, and characterization techniques.
- Ability to evaluate materials explanations, calculations, diagrams, experimental interpretations, and engineering recommendations for accuracy and clarity.
- Comfortable identifying hallucinated material properties, incorrect processing claims, flawed microstructure reasoning, unsafe engineering suggestions, or unsupported performance claims.
- High attention to detail when reviewing units, material terminology, test methods, process conditions, assumptions, and design tradeoffs.
- Reliable, self-directed, and able to deliver consistent quality in an hourly, remote contractor workflow across time zones.
- Prior experience with AI data training/annotation, scientific QA, engineering QA, academic QA, technical content review, or rubric-based evaluation is strongly preferred.
How do you apply to SME Careers?
Apply on SME Careers
The Apply button opens this post on SME Careers's own site. You apply with them, not with Rubric. Budget about 30 min: profile + 15-min AI interview.
Get through screening
What SME Careers asks for after you apply:
- Do the ~15-minute English AI video interview on a desktop (up to 3 attempts)
- Take any written or video qualification exam
- Sign the Deel contract and join Discord
- Wait for a project offer by email
Start work and get paid
Pay schedule: weekly. Paid via Deel. You're paid for the work they hand out, not a fixed salary.
SME Careers also needs
- Credentials in your field
- Desktop with webcam
- Deel account
Red flags
None on record for SME Careers. A real platform never asks you to pay for training, equipment or a "starter kit".
What is SME Careers like to work for?
SuperAnnotate's expert-hiring site, which places credentialed specialists on hourly AI training contracts paid through Deel.
| Advertised pay | $20–130/hr |
|---|---|
| Getting in | Some screening |
| Application takes | ~30 min: profile + 15-min AI interview |
| How you get paid | Weekly, via Deel |
| Payout record | Pays on time |
| Countries | Hires in nearly 90 countries, including India, Nigeria, Kenya, Pakistan and the Philippines; sanctioned countries are excluded and some projects set region or language rules. |
Listings show only an 'up to' rate: about $20/hr for generalists, $60/hr software, $90/hr healthcare and $110/hr legal; your actual rate depends on credentials and location.