Brooks Automation Interview Questions
& Process

I went through 4 virtual interviews that went well, then a 2-hour onsite visit, followed by a final in-person meeting. In total, there were six meetings. Even though I was told most of them went very well, I was ultimately rejected due to not having enough experience, which they knew from the start. It's frustrating to put in so much time and effort only to be turned down for something that was apparent from the beginning. I don't recommend applying here and think Brooks should be more respectful of candidates' time.

It started with an HR screening, then the hiring manager, followed by two interviews with business stakeholders, and finally a round with the group VP. The interviews themselves weren't super tough, but they went deep and they asked a lot of questions, and I got to ask them stuff too. Things seemed to be going well. But then HR stepped in. The job was advertised as a full-time employee position, but at the very end, I was told it was actually a contract-to-hire role. That was strike one. When I asked about the pay, they said I'd have to accept the offer before they'd tell me the salary. Strike two. This back-and-forth took two weeks, even though I did all the interviews in one. Not long after I started, I brought up my contract and mentioned that because of the workload and weekend hours, I'd be exceeding 40 hours and should be paid 1.5x my hourly rate, as per the contract. My manager then implied I shouldn't log those extra hours, saying, 'I thought you were exempt.' Strike three. Do with this info what you will.

It was for a Software Developer I role at Brooks Life Sciences in Indianapolis. First, there was a quick phone chat with HR about the job and my salary expectations. Then, I had an in-person interview with five team members. Three were in the room, and two were on a call. The team lead asked most of the questions. I had to rate my tech skills on a 1-5 scale and do a short 15-minute coding problem (palindrome check). The interviewers were chill, and it felt like a good team fit. I heard back in about 4 days with an offer, but the salary was lower than I expected. I countered and am waiting to hear back.

The job ad and description for the PC Programmer role were appealing but brief. I got an invite for the first interview quickly, but the second one was a bit delayed due to holidays. My scheduled interview had to be postponed last minute because of a business trip. Both interviews happened in the reception area, by an open staircase, because the office is really cramped. This job required 4-6 international trips a year, each lasting 2-4 weeks, sometimes on short notice. During these trips to Asia and America, 60-hour work weeks are normal, potentially reaching 80 hours. 15 of those hours are covered by salary, the rest are paid extra. The position was initially for 2 years because they wanted to be sure the new hire could handle the workload and travel. This fixed term wasn't in the ad. I couldn't see my workspace during the first interview for security reasons. In the second one, I was led through the employee kitchen (which doubled as a meeting room) to a very small office in the development department. To make space for me, another employee would have to move. They're planning renovations by the end of 2016 to create a 15-person open-plan office for development. The salary would've been okay for a standard 40-hour week. The work itself was really interesting and would have been a dream job, but the conditions were too poor, so I decided not to take it after thinking it over. After I declined, they offered to remove the fixed term and give me an open-ended contract. Believing that both the applicant and the company introduce themselves, I stuck to my decision. The position is now advertised again, exactly as it was for me, and still without mentioning the fixed term.