Pacific Biosciences Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 54 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
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24 roles · 54 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Pacific Biosciences.
Pacific Biosciences
Software Engineer
Senior Easy Negative experience No offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Take home
Interview formats
Technical Coding
I had a 30-minute phone screen with the director of Instruments for a software engineer role in San Diego, focused on C# equipment control. It seemed to go well. Then, I was given a coding project, which took me about 6 hours to complete. I didn't hear back about it, instead getting a generic rejection. When I asked for feedback on my code, HR said there was nothing wrong with it and it was a 'team/cultural fit' issue. It's strange how they decided that without meeting me, perhaps they found an internal candidate, changed their mind on the role, or even researched my age. I'll be very wary of doing unpaid work again.
Confirmed questions4 questions
- Tell me about the interfaces you've used with equipment, like serial, TCP/IP, USB, etc.
- Can you code a Snake game?
- Could you implement a BlackJack game?
Pacific Biosciences
Scientist
Entry Average Positive experience Decline offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Technical screen Presentation Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Presentation
The interview process was pretty standard. It started with a 30-minute phone screening with the hiring manager, followed by a 15-minute chat with HR. Then, there was a second round, a 45-minute video panel interview. Finally, I was invited for a virtual on-site interview which included a research presentation and some good technique questions. I really enjoyed the process. HR did a great job speeding things up due to my other pending offers with expiration dates.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- What sparks your interest in this role and what are your five-year career aspirations?
- Describe your approach to managing conflict situations.
Pacific Biosciences
Software Test Engineer
Mid Average Negative experience No offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Technical screen Panel
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
The interview process started with an initial phone screen, then an interview with an engineer to discuss my background. It seemed pretty standard until the panel interview with the team was scheduled. However, the day before the interview, I received an email saying it was canceled because hiring for the position was put on hold. A few days later, I found out they were hiring for the role again. We rescheduled, but just before the interview, they informed me they had decided to go with another candidate and needed to cancel again. This was very unprofessional and reflects poorly on the organization.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you introduce yourself and explain your interest in PacBio?
Pacific Biosciences
Research Associate
Entry Average Negative experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
It was a super awkward and depressing experience. I got an email inviting me for a phone interview with a scientist, which I was really excited about and prepared for. But then, on the call, they told me they had already offered the job to someone else and that my background wasn't what they were looking for, even though my resume is quite detailed. It felt like a waste of my time to be asked questions already on my resume and then be told I wasn't a fit, especially when I wasn't even really considered initially. It's frustrating when they play with people's hopes and waste their time and efforts.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Tell me about your favorite scientific interest or accomplishment.
Pacific Biosciences Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from Pacific Biosciences interview reports.
“What's the reason for using this Boolean string?”
Read reports →“Can you explain the meaning of this Boolean string?”
Read reports →“How would you determine which of two Hidden Markov Model designs is better for analyzing DNA sequencing data?”
Read reports →“Can you discuss the advantages and disadvantages of long-read versus short-read sequencing, including what kind of data each provides, their respective costs, and their error profiles?”
Read reports →“Can you explain C++ related to assembly understanding?”
Read report →“Could you describe your understanding of PacBio's SMRT technology?”
Read report →“What are your thoughts on bioinformatics file formats?”
Read report →“Would you be able to make a Bejeweled game, which is a tile matching game?”
Read report →“Could you tell me what you know about Pacbio?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 54 Pacific Biosciences interview reports.