Codexis Scientist Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 9 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Candidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Codexis.
Codexis
Scientist
Entry Average Positive experience Accept offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Presentation Onsite
Interview formats
Technical Presentation Behavioral
Due to COVID-19, everything was done online and it was pretty fast, about a month from applying to getting an offer. First, HR called to check my resume. Then, I had a 30-minute technical chat with a senior scientist. Finally, there was an all-day session with a presentation and meetings with many scientists and directors. It was long with tons of questions, but everyone was really nice and genuine.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you share an instance where you developed a method or assay, and describe how you handle situations when experiments are not yielding the expected results?
Codexis
Scientist
Mid Average Negative experience No offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Onsite Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Presentation
The interview started with a phone screen where we talked about my past experience that fit the job description. Then there was an onsite interview which had a research seminar and interviews with a panel of staff, starting with HR and finishing with the hiring manager. This is pretty standard for a Scientist role. The phone interview went well. I think the seminar was well received and the panel interviews went great. The panel was really nice and easy to talk to. The whole thing from first contact to the decision took about a month, which felt a bit long. In the end, they told me they decided not to hire a Scientist (PhD level) but an Associate (non-PhD). It felt like a waste of time because they didn't even know what staffing they needed. I would've been less annoyed if they had just picked someone else for the Scientist job instead of saying the job didn't exist anymore.
Confirmed questions5 questions
- What are your long-term career aspirations?
- Can you describe your most difficult task and how you managed it?
- Have you experienced workplace conflict before, and if so, how did you resolve it?
Codexis
Scientist
Mid Average Negative experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen
Interview formats
Behavioral
I had a phone interview with the hiring manager. They really liked my background and experience, saying I'd be perfect for the job. They said they'd get back to me in a few days about the next steps. However, I didn't hear back for a month, and then they finally said the team wasn't on board with my background, even though they never actually interviewed me.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you tell me about your experience?
Codexis Scientist Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from Codexis interview reports.
“In what ways could you enhance enzyme activity?”
Read reports →“Can you share an instance where a colleague's actions eroded your trust?”
Read reports →“Tell me about your experience mentoring younger students and scientists.”
Read reports →“Can you share an instance where you developed a method or assay, and describe how you handle situations when experiments are not yielding the expected results?”
Read reports →“Can you tell me about the organisms you have worked with previously?”
Read report →“What are your long-term career aspirations?”
Read report →“Do you see yourself taking on mentorship roles here?”
Read report →“How would you tackle a specific past problem to find a solution?”
Read report →“Have you experienced workplace conflict before, and if so, how did you resolve it?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 9 Codexis interview reports.