NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mechanical Engineer Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 24 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Candidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mechanical Engineer
Mid Average Positive experience Decline offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Presentation Onsite
Interview formats
Technical Presentation Behavioral
It was a really technical interview process with a bunch of rounds. Started with a recruiter call to get to know me. Then, I talked to some of the lead engineers on the team. They asked technical stuff, but not super deep like beam deflection, more about how I think creatively and innovate. The last part was a technical presentation and then more chats with managers and other important people.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- Considering space manufacturing and exploration, what challenges do you foresee, and what innovative solutions can be proposed?
- What are your ideas for improving space manufacturing and exploration?
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mechanical Engineer
Entry Average Positive experience Accept offer 5 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Presentation Onsite Background check Offer
Interview formats
Technical Behavioral Presentation
I first sent in my resume after going to an on-campus info session. Then I had two interviews at the school, one was with a group of people and the other was just me and an interviewer. They asked technical stuff and behavioral questions, and also some things from my resume. They called me back about a week later to come to JPL for an on-lab interview, which I set up for a month from then. They paid for my flight, hotel, and getting around. The on-lab day started with me giving a 30-minute presentation about my past work to about 20 engineers there. They asked me a couple of questions about the projects. After that, I had two separate one-on-one interviews with different supervisors. The first one was really technical, covering structure and design. The second one was mostly about my past experiences and resume. Then I had lunch with an engineer from the division, and we chatted about different projects and experiences. We then took an hour-long tour of JPL. To wrap things up, I had two more one-on-one interviews with supervisors from different sections. The first one focused on the group's projects, GD&T, beam theory, stress, and failure. The second one was more hands-on, like 'what can you tell me about this part?', 'which is stronger?', and 'what material is this?'. Two days after that, I got a call offering me the job unofficially. The official offer came from HR about a week after that.
Confirmed questions7 questions
- Regarding an ice cube melting in a cup of water, what changes occur to the volume?
- Tell me about your resume.
- Discuss your experience with structure and design.
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mechanical Engineer
Senior Difficult Negative experience No offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Presentation Onsite Background check
Interview formats
Presentation Technical Behavioral
It was an all day interview that started off with meeting with the Director of the department and his deputy. Afterwards I gave a 1 hr presentation on my work and then had 1 hour interviews with members from each of the groups within the department. I was told I would hear back within 2 weeks. 4 months later I have heard nothing and none of my calls have been returned and I was not reimbursed for baggage fees and parking for my trip.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Given a photo, can you identify where the wheels on the curiosity rover are cracking and explain the reason for this issue, considering they are failing earlier than anticipated?
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mechanical Engineer Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory interview reports.
“Regarding a bike pedal at the bottom of its rotation, if a string is tied around it and pulled backward, will the bike move forward or backward?”
Read reports →“Regarding an ice cube melting in a cup of water, what changes occur to the volume?”
Read reports →“What is the composition of this material?”
Read reports →“Can you explain the volume of a basketball without using any math?”
Read reports →“What factors need to be considered when designing an object for space?”
Read report →“Which of these items exhibits greater strength?”
Read report →“Given a photo, can you identify where the wheels on the curiosity rover are cracking and explain the reason for this issue, considering they are failing earlier than anticipated?”
Read report →“How would you shift passengers in a tipping airplane to correct the imbalance?”
Read report →“Given these three bolts, what can you tell me about them?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 24 NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory interview reports.