MITRE Security Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

The interview itself was very smooth and academic, focusing on customer problems and potential solutions. Three of the four interview panelists were people I know from the past with current customers. I was told by the senior panel member at the conclusion it would be 10-14 calendar days before hearing back from them. All indications were the interview went well, and I have the skills and experience they seek. They ghosted me -- no contact at all. No response from the recruiter, the employee who referred me, anyone. I'm a hiring manager with my current company, and we always call candidates back, even if we don't intend to hire them, and provide candid feedback, etc. Ghosting me just left me speechless.

I'm a recent college grad with a Master's in Cybersecurity and almost done with a Computer and Networking Technology degree. I saw Mitre had a new grad position and thought it would be a good fit. I got a call from a recruiter who was really positive about the company and even sent me benefits info and relocation details. Then I had a phone interview with a director who asked about my background, goals, and future aspirations. A few days later, the recruiter called back and said the director liked me and wanted to schedule an in-person interview. I was really excited about the possibility of working in Cybersecurity. This interview was different though. They asked me to create and present a PowerPoint on a topic of my choice, which was new to me, but I figured it was a chance to show my passion. Mitre even offered to cover my travel expenses to their Bedford, MA office. I worked really hard on the presentation, with help from my IT instructor and a practice run in front of my class. I arrived at the campus and was escorted to a conference room. My presentation was set up, and I waited about 40 minutes before a group of around 8 people came in, along with the director joining via speakerphone. I introduced myself, and despite being nervous, I started my presentation. During the presentation, a woman kept interrupting me with very in-depth, technical questions, like how to detect a virus, what it would look like, how to identify it, and what commands to use. These questions felt more suited for a senior engineer with years of experience, not a recent grad. I could only answer so much, as I lacked hands-on experience and hadn't memorized specific Linux commands. The constant interruptions made me lose focus, and I felt embarrassed. After my presentation, the woman discussed the grad program, and I questioned how it could be entry-level given the difficulty of the questions. The director then stepped out to speak with her privately, and I figured that was a bad sign. The interview continued with several smaller sessions, each about 45 minutes with two people, asking more highly technical questions that required digging into college textbooks. It didn't make sense to me why they'd expect a recent grad to have such advanced knowledge and experience. I felt like I wanted to leave. The final part was lunch with two interviewers, which they said was to get to know me. I talked about my career change into IT/Cybersecurity, but I was so upset that I could barely eat. The interview concluded, and I was eager to leave. I cried for the entire three-hour drive home, knowing I didn't get the job because they wanted someone with technical experience. Now I'm working for a major health organization, starting entry-level with no experience and becoming a top IT Security Analyst. Don't give up, recent grads, there's hope out there, just maybe not at Mitre unless you have a decade of experience.

MITRE starts with a casual chat with a program lead in a relaxed virtual setting. They'll ask things like "Do you see yourself tackling several projects at once or focusing on one?" "What do you know about us?" and "Why do you want to work here?". If you make it past that, you'll give a presentation on a topic you pick to about 4 professionals, then answer some technical questions, and finish with a casual chat. The interviewers were really nice and professional.