DrugDev Interview Questions
& Process

The interview was set up like a roleplay of a data analyst, where I had to act as the bridge between the customer and the software developers, making sure I really understood what they needed and if it was doable. It started with a quick rundown of a part of the software and its main features. Then, I was passed to another person who pretended to be the customer. This 'customer' asked questions about the software and wanted some changes based on their specific needs. After that, I discussed these requested changes with a software developer. We had to figure out together how long the changes would take and I had to suggest some middle grounds or other options to keep both the customer and the developers happy. Finally, they checked how well I got the software's filters and functions.

The Quality Assurance Engineer job posting at TrialNetworks/DrugDev invited applicants who thought they had aptitude, even without experience. An initial exercise involved writing test cases for password validation. The interview process kicked off with a phone screen that had light and vague questions, like 'Tell me about yourself.' The interviewer mentioned liking my exercise answers because they were visually clear. I was then invited for a second round, termed a 'chat,' but it turned out to be a skills test. During a break, an employee demoed the product and showed me some data spreadsheets, instructing me to pay attention and ask questions, without detailing what would follow. When the interviewer returned, I was asked to pretend I was presenting the product to a customer and explain its usage. Subsequently, I was given a few scenarios. I had to use the product, the spreadsheets, and a set of criteria (4 rules, 3 variables) to identify any issues and explain their causes. The instructions were vague, only asking 'Why might this happen?', and I needed prompting to use the spreadsheets. Finally, I was given a printed table/spreadsheet and tasked with writing test cases based on the criteria from the prior exercise.

I was first contacted by HR and then connected with the UX Manager. After a two-step phone screening, I was invited for an onsite interview that included a presentation and a whiteboarding exercise. The interactions up to that point were good, clear, and expectations were well-defined. The onsite was to check for culture fit. The interview lasted 2.5 hours: a 10-minute presentation followed by a 45-minute Q&A with the UX and product team, then a whiteboarding exercise with a UX designer and systems analyst, and finally a 30-minute 1:1 Q&A with the UX Manager. I found the presentation time a bit short compared to the Q&A, but it was okay that mine went a bit longer. During my presentation, I noticed side conversations and personal chats among two employees, which felt unprofessional and awkward, although it might be their way of testing the culture. A friend had a similar experience during a UX interview at DrugDev.

So the first step was a phone call with the recruiter, and after that went well, I got invited for an in-person interview. I got there a little early, went up to the 5th floor, signed in, and got a quick tour. After that, I was taken to a conference room where I met with six different people for about 30 minutes each. They all had different roles and had been with the company for varying amounts of time. We talked about my background, what I'm interested in, and what I thought I could contribute. They also presented some hypothetical scenarios and asked how I'd handle them. After the last person, I was shown out. Everyone was really friendly and seemed excited about the possibility of me joining.