1. How would you deal with a user who produced a steady stream of valuable answers, but tends to generate a large number of arguments/flags from comments?

This is the perfect case for contacting the user in private. This can be done through direct messages or a private chat. Usually this is happens when someone is very passionate about the quality of the questions and answers on the site. This passion is great and just needs to be redirected in directions that support the whole community.

2. How would you handle a situation where another mod closed/deleted/etc. a question that you feel shouldn’t have been?

Moderators have a private chat room that is frequently used for discussion just like this. Usually everyone is professional and understands that things look different when you are directly involved versus when you are looking in from the outside.

3. In your opinion, what do moderators do?

Moderators handle the typical daily tasks to make sure that the flags are handled quickly. This is the benefit of being a moderator; you can act quickly without waiting for multiple votes to be recorded on issues. This is a power that should be used lightly.

4. A diamond will be attached to everything you say and have said in the past, including questions, answers and comments. Everything you will do will be seen under a different light. How do you feel about that?

I have been living that for the past 4 years, so this isn't an issue.

5. In what way do you feel that being a moderator will make you more effective as opposed to simply reaching 10k or 20k rep?

It gives a more direct way to clean up issues on the site so that fewer visitors have to see them.

1. How would you deal with a user who produced a steady stream of valuable answers, but tends to generate a large number of arguments/flags from comments?

IF I spot a trend, probably, the first thing I would try is to chat them in private and try to a) understand their perspective and b) try to see if they are aware that some of their comments have the potential to be inflammatory. From my -limited- experience in Engineering SE this is rarely required.

2. How would you handle a situation where another mod closed/deleted/etc. a question that you feel shouldn’t have been?

My experience with Engineering SE is that this has never occurred (I've never been a moderator though). I have the trust that the other moderators (if past electees were any indication), will be people reasonable that I may be able to discuss things through in private.

3. In your opinion, what do moderators do?

IMHO, moderators should be close to invisible in the day to day operation of the Engineering SE. In the scenario (a generally well behaved site like Engineering SE) they should only help to edit some posts for clarity (like other users). In some rare cases, they can delete some inflammatory comments and stop rude behaviour in its tracks.

4. A diamond will be attached to everything you say and have said in the past, including questions, answers and comments. Everything you will do will be seen under a different light. How do you feel about that?

I've never been a moderator and it took me a while (a long while) to understand that the diamond is for moderators. So, I'd operate remembering that the diamond won't mean anything meaningful to most people that visit the site.

Additionally, I came to to respect the current Engineering SE moderators from their posts and online behaviour, before I understood they were moderators, So I'd try not to embarrass what that diamond stands for and --if possible--live up to those high standards.

5. In what way do you feel that being a moderator will make you more effective as opposed to simply reaching 10k or 20k rep?

Having already reached the 20k mark, I want to be helpful in other ways in the Engineering SE.

1. How would you deal with a user who produced a steady stream of valuable answers, but tends to generate a large number of arguments/flags from comments?

Engineering.SE thankfully has a pretty solid community of people who are passionate about asking good questions and giving excellent answers. We rarely have unmitigated toxic behavior. However, sometimes users do need to be reminded to "lay off the snark". This can usually be best solved by deleting harmful comments and either leaving a nudging comment or a private message.

2. How would you handle a situation where another mod closed/deleted/etc. a question that you feel shouldn’t have been?

I'd ask them for their rationale in the moderator chat. I've often found people make good choices and I just need some additional context to understand them.

3. In your opinion, what do moderators do?

Moderators are the janitors responsible for ensuring the site is in prime condition to best fulfill its purpose. The vast majority of the time that simply means clearing a few flags here and there, burninating the rare spam post, etc.

4. A diamond will be attached to everything you say and have said in the past, including questions, answers and comments. Everything you will do will be seen under a different light. How do you feel about that?

As a current moderator, I'm pretty used to it by now.

5. In what way do you feel that being a moderator will make you more effective as opposed to simply reaching 10k or 20k rep?

It empowers me to more effectively take out the trash as the need arises.

1. How would you deal with a user who produced a steady stream of valuable answers, but tends to generate a large number of arguments/flags from comments?

I would talk to them, and remove content if it breaks the rules, but if their contribution was overall positive I'd let them be. Nobody is perfect.

2. How would you handle a situation where another mod closed/deleted/etc. a question that you feel shouldn’t have been?

I'd probably open it back up. But if they insisted it stay closed I wouldn't turn it into a power struggle. I accept that people won't always agree, so as long as the other mod is acting with good intentions I don't intent to step on anyone's toes.

3. In your opinion, what do moderators do?

They intervene at times when a sites voting and automated management is not sufficient, and some kind of problem has resulted.

4. A diamond will be attached to everything you say and have said in the past, including questions, answers and comments. Everything you will do will be seen under a different light. How do you feel about that?

Don't really care.

5. In what way do you feel that being a moderator will make you more effective as opposed to simply reaching 10k or 20k rep?

It seems like this community is in need of moderators, and I wouldn't mind doing it. I've found the additional abilities you unlock with higher rep are rarely needed. Upvoting, commenting, and voting to close are sufficient 99% of the time.