NIH Legal Operations Interview Questions
& Process

I applied for the job on USA Jobs, and the application had typical questions to check if candidates met the certification requirements. About two weeks after the posting closed, I got a call for an interview. It was an on-site interview at NIAID with two interviewers who asked me questions from a prepared list. They literally read the questions, asked them, and then wrote down my answers. I felt like I answered well and my conduct was good, but the interviewers seemed to be just going through the motions. I didn't get the job; they hired someone internal. It felt like a formality and the job was already decided.

I applied on USAjobs.gov, and they got back to me about 2 months later by email. The interview was about an hour long and really focused on my contracting experience, asking questions specific to the job title. The interviewer explained the role in a lot of detail, actually talking more than I did. I also had to send in a writing sample before the interview.

I went to their office in Rockville for the interview. Two individuals, who were the branch heads for their divisions, met me. We were in an office, and it was a formal setting. They asked me about 10 to 12 questions. The questions weren't the usual interview questions; they were more informal, asking about my experience, my skills, and what I expected. It felt pretty easy.