Santa Cruz Biotechnology Interview Questions
& Process

It was a long process with 4 interviews total. The first two were phone calls, then a skype interview with two people, and finally an in-person one. This process felt too long and had repetitive behavioral questions from different interviewers. It seemed like they didn't have a clear reason for each interview except to ask random questions. The in-person interview included a case study about helping a client with difficult Western Blots.

The whole process for getting hired starts with a phone chat where they'll ask you some basic stuff like who you are, if you're in school, what you're studying, and what you like to do. After that, you'll have a second interview in person with one of the lab managers. This one is more in-depth, covering your classes and what really sparks your interest. They'll also hit you with some standard interview questions: 'What's the most rewarding project you've worked on?', 'What's your biggest weakness?', 'How would you feel about doing the same repetitive task a lot?', and 'Can you really focus on details, like writing down a bunch of numbers correctly?'. If they like you, a higher-up manager might even come by to ask more questions. They usually let you know within one to two weeks if you got the job after the in-person interview. It's generally a pretty chill hiring experience.

Applied online, then got a call for a phone interview. After that, I was called back for an in-person interview at their office. When I arrived, they had me fill out a long paper application on the spot, including references and job duties. It was an entry-level job, and I had more than enough experience. It seemed like they forgot about the interview; the head interviewer just grabbed random people to add to the panel as we toured. I got a call back a few days later telling me to call them back. I returned the call, and the woman asked if she could call me right back, but she never did. I called the next day and left two messages, but never heard back from them again. A few of my friends have worked there and have said they are the worst and pay nothing, so I’m glad I never had to work there.

I applied online. About a month later, I got a call with some follow-up questions. After that, I was offered an interview the next week, which I accepted. The interview itself felt pretty relaxed. They didn't ask any technical questions, and one interviewer barely spoke. They stepped out for about 10 minutes to find a third person to join, wondering if we had more questions, but came back without additional questions for me.