PPD Research Scientist Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 11 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Candidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at PPD.
PPD
Research Scientist
Mid Average Negative experience Accept offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Onsite Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral
So, first I had this call with HR where they told me about the company and the job, and asked about my salary expectations. Then, there was another, more casual call with a senior manager to talk about my experience. The main interview was done online using Microsoft Teams and was with three managers, one after another. Each interview part was about 45 minutes long. They asked only behavioral questions about past experiences and how I handled them. The STAR method is the way to go for these. The people interviewing were really nice. The HR let me know I got the job a couple of days after, and the official offer came a bit later. Overall, it was a good experience, though it would be good to practice beforehand.
Confirmed questions5 questions
- Can you share an instance where you went above and beyond for a customer?
- Tell me about a time you had to persuade your manager to accept an idea they initially disagreed with.
- What makes you interested in this opportunity?
PPD
Research Scientist
Senior Easy Positive experience Decline offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Presentation
Interview formats
Behavioral Presentation
HR called first. Then the lab manager called and asked me to give a brief introduction about my work. Then I'm waiting for the onsite presentation. They told me how to do the onsite presentation, 20 minutes talk, focus on how to do troubleshooting.
Confirmed questions1 question
- How would you approach troubleshooting?
PPD
Research Scientist
Entry Easy Negative experience Decline offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Other
I applied to PPD and had a phone interview scheduled the same day I applied. The questions and conversation during the phone interview were very straight forward, easy, and friendly until the discussion of salary expectations. After much research into CROs and local salaries for similar positions/experience (a lot of it on Glassdoor!), I was quoted a salary range at least 20K below any salary I had seen for similar experience, even lower than some reported salaries for PPD itself on Glassdoor. It was insulting and clearly PPD salaries are at least 10 years behind where they should be. At the same time, I know a number of people who have left, likely for greener pastures due to the poor compensation. I turned down an in person interview unless they could come closer to my salary expectations.
Confirmed questions1 question
- What makes you want to apply for this job?
PPD Research Scientist Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from PPD interview reports.
“Could you explain the distinction between an intra-assay control and an inter-assay control?”
Read reports →“Would you be open to relocating?”
Read reports →“Can you answer technical questions related to inhalation and analytics?”
Read reports →“What makes you want to join PPD?”
Read reports →“How would you approach troubleshooting?”
Read report →“What is prompting your transition from academia to industry?”
Read report →“Have you ever made mistakes? Can you give an example of when you realized you made an error and what steps you took to fix it?”
Read report →“What are your future plans”
Read report →“Can you share an instance where you went above and beyond for a customer?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 11 PPD interview reports.