Boehringer Ingelheim Data Scientist Interview Questions
& Process

It was a streamlined process overall. Started with a vendor screening, then a phone screening. This was followed by multiple rounds of phone screens which felt like they were geared towards a consulting role. Then there was a panel interview and finally a face-to-face interview. Some training questions were also included. This was for a consulting role, and I was told there were no benefits. Supervisors asked typical questions about dealing with tough colleagues, meeting strict timelines, and managing capacity.

The interview process involved a phone interview followed by a technical discussion. Data Scientists use programming code combined with statistical knowledge to derive insights from data, incorporating skills from computer science, statistics, information science, mathematics, data visualization, information visualization, data sonification, data integration, graphic design, complex systems, communication, and business.

This was one of the more frustrating interview processes I've experienced outside of management consulting. It began with a phone interview that was basically an hour of probability theory questions. While the questions themselves weren't too difficult, it was a very one-sided conversation. They didn't discuss the role, my background, or my interests. Following that, they asked me to spend 2-3 weeks full-time on a 'Business Case' in my own time, which was challenging given my current long work hours. I then had to present my findings to a group of data scientists and business managers. They also included a standard brain teaser quiz. The hiring decision seemed to be based solely on the business case. Notably, my scientific interests, management experience, past accomplishments, or career aspirations were never discussed. The work environment appeared quite hierarchical, with decisions coming from the top down rather than through consensus, and I didn't observe much teamwork. Managers dictated, and their reports executed. The data scientists were intelligent, but there was a lack of 'fun,' passion for their work or the science itself, and many interactions felt one-way and authoritarian. It definitely didn't feel like a US company. I wasn't offered the position, and looking back, I'm relieved. The employees seemed bored and tired, their software skills appeared weak, and career advancement opportunities seemed limited.