Infineum Interview Questions
& Process

I got invited for an on-site interview and could pick my dates. First, I gave a short presentation about myself and a topic I was given. Then, I had a competency-based interview. After that, I did the technical interview in another room. The whole thing took about 1.5 hours, and it finished with a quick tour of the place.

I got a very last-minute heads-up for this interview and the whole thing felt pretty disorganized. I didn't even know who was going to interview me. They didn't seem interested in my past experiences at all, and honestly, it was just an unpleasant experience overall.

You'll have a two-part interview. First, an HR competency interview where you'll give a 10-minute presentation about yourself, and then another 10-minute presentation on one of three science topics. This HR interview will finish with questions about your experience and skills. Second, there's a technical interview with two chemists who will test your knowledge of basic chemistry learned in your degree and your lab experience.

The process kicked off with me shooting over my CV and cover letter to their recruitment email. About two weeks after that, I got an invite to their place in Milton Hill, Oxfordshire for the interview day. They told me I needed to prep a presentation for the competency interview, covering my interests, background, and why I wanted to work there and would be a good fit (10 mins). I also had to do a 10-minute presentation on an industry-related question, mine was about high and low fuel viscosities, using 3 slides. The other part of the interview was a technical one. Getting there is easiest by train to Oxford, then the ST1 bus which stops near their campus and recommended hotels if you stay over. They covered all travel and overnight costs. Once I got there, I watched a quick safety video, then was taken to a building to give my presentation with another candidate. After my presentation, they asked me questions, followed by 7 or 8 competency questions from an HR person and a chemist. Then, I had a technical interview, which involved a worksheet with questions in a conversational style, and then I was read out a practical procedure which I had to write down and then answer questions about. They asked me about a polymerisation mechanism, surfactants, and an esterification procedure. It was a good experience overall, everyone was super nice and welcoming. Current placement students gave us a tour of the site after the interviews.