Brookhaven National Laboratory Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 51 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Which role are you interviewing for?
18 roles · 51 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Student Assistant
Intern Average Positive experience Decline offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen
Interview formats
Behavioral Presentation
I had an interview that lasted for an hour with three researchers, and before that, there was a recruiter call. They mostly asked about the school projects I listed on my CV. They also inquired if I had a PowerPoint prepared for a self-introduction.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- Can you discuss a project you worked on during school?
- Were you prepared with a slide deck for introducing yourself?
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Entry Difficult Positive experience Accept offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Phone screen Onsite Presentation
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Presentation
First, there was a phone interview where the PI asked about my graduate research and then described the projects I would be working on. After that, I had a full day onsite interview. I met with several scientists I would work closely with and gave a presentation. The onsite involved technical questions about my previous research and skills, as well as about the ongoing projects.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- Can you discuss your previous research and skills?
- Tell me about the research you did during graduate school.
- What are the projects you will be working on?
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Project Engineer
Mid Difficult Neutral experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
I sent in my application online. The Lead recruiter, Deborah, got in touch with me. The whole process took a while, like 2 months just to set up the interview and then a few more months to join BNL if I got it. Apparently, it's all because of government red tape, not the recruiter or HR. The hiring manager for NSLS-II was super professional and seemed really excited during the interviews. I was there for a full day, from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, and met with over 14 people. The recruiter, Deb, was really nice and professional the whole time, always responding quickly. She was even really understanding when I asked for an update on the decision. She tried her best to speed things up. I didn't get the job in the end, but the recruiter and hiring manager made it a good experience for me. I'm grateful they were so kind and treated me with respect.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- Tell me about your experience.
- What is your understanding of Earned Value Management?
- What makes you want to work at BNL?
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Research Associate
Entry Easy Positive experience Accept offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Presentation Onsite Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Presentation Technical
Applied online, then got a request for a phone interview after about a month. After another 3 weeks, I was invited for a one-day on-site visit. I had to give a 1-hour presentation on my PhD thesis. Then there were several 30-minute meetings with all the PIs about the proposal. You should know Brookhaven National Lab is in a rural area. The evening before your onsite, the only food option is a vending machine at the Guest Center, which might be out of stock if you're there on a weekend. The research group likely covers dinner for the onsite visit, but if not, consider getting takeout from the airport. I was the first candidate they interviewed, and they were still scheduling two others. So, it took about 2 months from the first phone interview to get the offer.
Confirmed questions1 question
- What are your career aspirations, for example, in academia or industry?
Brookhaven National Laboratory Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from Brookhaven National Laboratory interview reports.
“In a beam, what is the location of the highest stress?”
Read reports →“Could you explain the difference between absolute and gauge pressures?”
Read reports →“Can you explain what a finite state machine is?”
Read reports →“Can you describe how a dilution He3/He4 refrigerator operates?”
Read reports →“Could you explain the 7 layers of the OSI model?”
Read report →“Can you identify as many vacuum components on the chamber as you can?”
Read report →“Can you describe the business structure of a National Laboratory?”
Read report →“Can you explain how to implement Monte Carlo Integration?”
Read report →“What do you know about magnetism from a technical standpoint?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 51 Brookhaven National Laboratory interview reports.