Materials Engineer & Python Expert - Freelance AI Trainer

Mindrift connects specialists with project-based AI opportunities for leading tech companies, focused on testing, evaluating, and improving AI systems. Participation is project-based, not permanent employment.

• Degree in Material Science or related field.
• 2+ years of research, applied, or teaching experience.
• Python proficiency for writing reference solutions.
• Fluency with or strong willingness to independently learn at least one scriptable package: ObsPy, instaseis, pyrocko, MITgcm, xmitgcm, flopy / MODFLOW, or GeoPandas.
• Ability to design problems that genuinely require a specialized solver.
• Strong written English (C1+).
• No prior experience with the listed tools is acceptable if ready to learn independently and start quickly.

• Pick an anchor tool and design a problem that hinges on its waveform-processing kernels, geophysical inversion routines, sub-surface flow solvers, or community-validated data pipelines.
• Write a Python reference solution, supply input files and model or domain definitions where needed.
• Decide the numerical answer and how close the model needs to get — with a domain-appropriate tolerance — to count as right.
• Test the problem against the model in batches of parallel attempts, tuning the problem difficulty until the agent only succeeds in a small number of attempts.
• Once the task scores within range, it goes to a senior reviewer in your subfield for feedback to ensure task quality is high.
• Tune the problem against batches of parallel runs of the agent, aiming for a pass rate in the 10–30% band by rewriting waveform scenarios, tightening inversion parameters and solver tolerances, and observing agent behavior.

Please submit your CV in English and indicate your level of English proficiency.