Mace Interview Questions
& Process

The first interview was with the recruiter for a basic intro about my background and qualifications, but salary and job modality details weren't fully clear. The second interview was with the hiring manager, which was overall positive but ended fast, so I didn't get to ask many questions. The third interview was a technical panel with two team members and the hiring manager. They asked relevant questions and were professional and respectful. I was told to expect follow-up, but after waiting 40 days with no updates, I got a generic rejection email.

The hiring process was good and wrapped up in about 2.5 weeks from first contact to the offer. It consisted of three main parts: First, a 45-minute Phone Interview with the hiring manager to discuss my background, my understanding of the company, and mutual expectations. Then, a 1-hour Panel Interview via Teams with four people from the Life Science team, where we delved deeper into my experience and discussed technical aspects and how I'd approach various scenarios. Lastly, a 2.5-hour in-person Dinner Interview with the project's team lead, covering in-depth technical topics as well as questions about my personality and emotional intelligence. It was a challenging but engaging process.

Recruitment is unprofessional, dishonest. I talked to a Mace recruiter in Dubai, about a job in the region. She and I agreed that I looked to be a real good fit, but there was a little lack of clarity with regard to my visa eligibility. The recruiter said -- unambiguously -- that she would check with HR and let me know about the visa issue. I was told that I would hear from here in 7-10 days. I heard nothing, got an automated rejection letter one month after our conversation. If you want to deal with people who cannot be trusted, Mace is the place.

The application process was pretty straightforward. It started with a video interview, then an assessment centre, which was conducted online and had three parts. The first part was a group exercise where male and female candidates were separated. Two team members kept their cameras off while we discussed a topic for a presentation. This lasted about 15 minutes. The second part involved an interview with one of the people who was observing the group exercise. They asked about how I thought I performed and some typical STAR method questions. I also got to ask them questions. There were roughly 40-minute breaks between all stages. We also had a chance to meet current Mace grads and ask them questions. The third part was a final case study. We had 40 minutes to read through it and decide on a project. Then, there was a 10-minute individual presentation to a senior team member about why I would choose that project. I could also ask questions afterward. After that, there was a debrief, and the day concluded. The recruiter/HR person I first spoke with wasn't the friendliest, which really set a cold tone for the assessment centre. They mentioned that overtalking, which you're usually told to avoid in assessment centres, seemed to mean you should contribute more here. I didn't get why male and female candidates were separated in the group exercise; if you're assessing teamwork, it should be realistic and mix genders. I don't think the process considered neurodivergent individuals well, as everyone was assessed on the same criteria. It should be a priority for HR to hire people who can bring different perspectives, not just be the same. Feedback, both positive and negative, came via phone, and the recruiter/HR person seemed to rush off the phone quickly after delivering the bad news. Given the time and effort put into the interviews, I'd expect more compassion. The overall interview felt cold, and perhaps it would have been better in person where candidates could relax.