Okay, let’s tackle this. So Collin has a mix of skills that are in demand, but not extremely rare. Matlab and Mathematica are popular in research, but not super high-demand outside academia. His experience in optics and experimentation suggests he might be working in a niche field. Location is Sammamish, WA, which is a relatively affluent area. Considering his skills and location, I'd estimate his rate to be around $125 per hour, which is somewhat below average for a software developer in the US, but still reasonable given his niche expertise and location.