Fermilab Interview Questions
& Process

I interviewed via Zoom with a group of researchers leading the project, it wasn't a one-on-one thing. It was short, mostly asking about past experiences. I made sure to prepare some questions for them about the research projects and the facilities. They seemed really interested in my coding abilities and any previous work I'd done with different software and programming languages. Just a heads up, getting an interview doesn't guarantee you'll get the job.

The interview was on Zoom. I felt a bit nervous, so I don't think it went as well as it could have. This was the only interview round; I didn't even have a phone call with the recruiter. It was a panel interview with about 6 or 7 people, mostly engineers but at least one physicist. The first part involved a technical presentation on a topic related to the job requirements, which wasn't too hard and didn't get many questions. The second part was behavioral, focusing on real-world experiences rather than hypothetical responses. I wasn't prepared for this and didn't have specific situations ready, which made it tough. They asked some technical questions that were challenging mainly because they were fundamental and required recalling college-level knowledge. The overall interview was quite difficult, and I didn't appreciate the formal, round-robin format with pre-written questions. It felt more like an interrogation than a conversation, with little spontaneous discussion.

I submitted my application online and heard back a few weeks later to set up a phone interview. This call lasted about 20-30 minutes and included three managers who introduced themselves, talked about their roles at the lab, and the potential projects I'd work on. I noted their names to send thank-you notes. The main questions were about my motivation for the role and details on my senior engineering project. I asked some questions, thanked them, and the call concluded. A few days later, I was contacted to schedule an on-site interview. Fermilab handled my travel and accommodation. I was also asked to prepare a 20-minute presentation on my senior engineering project. On the interview day, I was picked up from my hotel and taken to Wilson Hall HR. After receiving my schedule, I met with the HR representative who had initially called me. The rest of the day involved 30-minute to 1-hour interviews with various engineers and managers in a relaxed atmosphere. My presentation was scheduled for mid-day in a conference room. Despite it being a long day, I made sure to record everyone's name to send thank-you emails the next day. A few days post-interview, I received a job offer from one of the managers.

This was a Zoom panel interview for a procurement specialist position. It was set up with four panelists, but a HR rep joined too on the day. The focus here is on two panelists. They acted improperly and were intolerant. Whenever someone spoke, their video showed up center screen. Right after I finished answering, and before either of the two would talk, I saw them laughing, smiling, rolling heads, eyes darting around. They were clearly texting, messaging, or emailing each other while I was talking. Who does that in a formal interview?