[Hiring] Analytical Chemist @the Opportunity

Role Description

We are seeking experienced analytical chemistry and chemical safety professionals to evaluate advanced AI systems on technically complex, potentially dual-use questions. The goal is to assess whether an AI model can distinguish legitimate professional chemistry requests from requests that could enable harmful misuse. You will help determine whether a model provides appropriate technical assistance, limits its response, or refuses a request when necessary.

This work requires practitioners who understand both the legitimate applications of analytical chemistry and the boundaries where technical information could create safety concerns.

What You’ll Do

• Develop challenging, single-turn analytical chemistry prompts representing three categories: benign, dual-use, and adversarial.
• Evaluate AI-generated responses against established safety and quality standards.
• Determine whether the model handled each request appropriately.
• Develop reference answers that describe what a technically accurate and appropriately scoped response should look like.
• Provide clear technical reasoning supporting your evaluations.
• Assess whether responses demonstrate appropriate understanding of analytical chemistry, chemical safety, and potential misuse concerns.

Qualifications

• Deep practical knowledge of analytical chemistry.
• Experience with chemical detection and identification.
• Strong scientific and technical reasoning.
• Careful judgment around safety and potential misuse.
• The ability to explain complex technical decisions clearly in writing.

Requirements

• Detection and identification of hazardous compounds using techniques such as GC-MS, LC-MS/MS, IR, or NMR.
• Analytical method development and validation for trace-level analysis.
• Environmental, occupational, or emergency-response sampling and analysis.
• Reference standards, spectral libraries, and unknown identification.
• Laboratory accreditation, QA/QC, and proficiency testing.
• Analytical chemistry research involving chemical identification, characterization, or measurement.
• Prior experience with AI evaluation or red-teaming is useful, but strong analytical chemistry expertise and sound professional judgment are the primary qualifications.

Benefits

• Compensation: $65–$75 per completed task.
• Work arrangement: Remote.
• Engagement: Independent contract work.
• Schedule: Flexible, based on available assignments.
• Scope: Specialized analytical chemistry and AI safety evaluation work.

Professional Boundaries

The work will not require or permit the use of:

• Classified information.
• Export-controlled information.
• Confidential information covered by an NDA.
• Material subject to prepublication review obligations.

If you have existing confidentiality or publication-related obligations, you may still be a strong fit. Please disclose them during the application process so the scope of the work can be appropriately defined.

Who Should Apply

This opportunity is well suited to analytical chemists and related scientific professionals who can combine:

• Deep practical knowledge of analytical chemistry.
• Experience with chemical detection and identification.
• Strong scientific and technical reasoning.
• Careful judgment around safety and potential misuse.
• The ability to explain complex technical decisions clearly in writing.

Skills

• GC‑MS
• LC‑MS/MS
• IR
• NMR
• Analytical method development
• Validation
• QA/QC
• Chemical safety
• Technical writing
• Red‑team evaluation
• AI safety assessment