Candidate is comfortable with ambiguity and can work independently.

Nope, Sorry. The thing about ambiguity is, at a certain level, no matter how ambiguous or exploratory your project is, what you are asking people to do in it should not be. It is your job to make it clear what you are trying to learn or accomplish. You should be able to provide context and clarity in the face of ambiguity. You don't get to shovel it downhill.

[Mental blocks](https://www.fastcompany.com/90993354/managers-tackle-employee-struggle-mental-block) are a dark-force and this type of behavior creates them.