Santa Cruz Biotechnology Research Interview Questions
& Process

My interview was ages ago, and it was for lab support with the Facilities manager who has since retired. After working full-time in a different department for a few years, I was tasked with conducting all the phone interviews and sitting in on the in-person interviews with my manager. My advice: if you know anyone at the company, give them your resume. Hard copies, especially from employees we liked, were pretty much guaranteed an interview and viewed more favorably. Interviews vary wildly by department. Some are super intense with up to 10 interviewers. Our department was laid-back and casual, with just one interview unless we thought a candidate might fit another department, in which case we'd pass them along. We figured most people could do this job; we just wanted someone we could get along with. The questions weren't hard. My advice: relax and match the interviewer's energy. If they're all business, present yourself as a hard worker who's not easily distracted. Some managers value that. We were friendly and looked for someone more social who still had their act together. It's mostly about personality fit and who seems like a better fit for a somewhat boring job. Don't take it personally if it doesn't work out; I saw a candidate who was incredible but wasn't hired by two different managers simply because she had a master's degree, even though she knew and accepted the pay and understood the work from a friend there. It was absurd! She would have been a great employee, and whoever hired her must not have regretted it. To put it in perspective, most candidates were fresh out of college, and most interviews weren't great. Almost everyone was extremely nervous (shaking, twitches, etc.). We didn't mind this; too much confidence with no experience was a bigger red flag. Once you have valuable skills, you gain interview confidence. So don't worry if you seemed too nervous!

First, I had a phone interview with a manager in a department I wasn't ultimately hired for. This manager asked me about my background and what I planned to do in the future. When I mentioned considering grad school in a few years, the manager said they don't hire people planning on grad school because it's a waste of training resources. I called the manager back and clarified that grad school wasn't definite, and they agreed to reconsider my application. A few weeks later, a manager from a different department reached out and invited me for an interview. I then interviewed individually with two managers and the head of the department. They asked about my past lab and research work, my working habits (whether I prefer working alone or with others, and if I'm more social or focused on tasks), and my ideal work setting. Every interviewer asked if I was willing to do repetitive tasks. Most departments here want someone dependable who will focus on work and stay for a significant period. If you're thinking about further education, it's best to frame it as a possibility and emphasize that you're seeking work experience right now.

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.