Sequenom Interview Questions
& Process

I had an initial HR call where they asked me some basic questions. Then, three days later, I had a phone interview with the team. It was a very technical interview, split into three sections: Biology, computer science (covering topics like Unix, data structures, programming, and algorithms), and statistics (focusing on machine learning). The interview panel consisted of three people: a manager, a computer scientist, and a statistician. I found the interviewers to be somewhat rude and very direct, which made for a not-so-great experience.

I drove 180 miles round trip for this interview. There were five people I met with over about two hours. First, I got a tour of the lab and met the team. Then, I had a technical interview about my background. After that, I had a personality and behavioral interview. Next, I spoke with HR, which was more about personality. The last interview was a casual chat to get to know me better, a "look-see". The lobby and lab areas were clean and organized. Everyone seemed friendly and chill. The dress code was casual, no suits. One thing that came up was age, they mentioned that everyone else is young. I was told I'd hear back in about a week. I did get a call for references, and then HR called a week after that to say they were moving forward with other people.

I went through two phone interviews first. Then I had a 360 interview which lasted 4 hours with 5 people. It felt similar to interviews I've had elsewhere. The hiring team seemed nice but disorganized; they all mentioned not having the questions with them. Many complained about the department being extremely busy and feeling frustrated. Lunch was provided but not offered to me. An HR rep went over benefits and asked some unusually tough personality questions. I put a lot of effort into preparing, but the lack of preparedness from the team was discouraging. Perhaps they're too busy to properly interview candidates.

I had an initial 15-20 min phone call with the hiring manager, which was professional and nontechnical since they didn't have a science background. The following week, I had a 20 min phone interview with the lead scientist. It was a great chat about life goals and their career path, very warm, and they mentioned I might be a bit overqualified. A week later, I went in for an in-person interview with the hiring manager, scientists, and associates. The RAIIs seemed a bit disengaged, likely due to a busy workday, and lacked enthusiasm when asked about daily tasks, highlighting the routine nature of the job. They appeared unambitious, and the overall mood made it harder for me to respond comfortably. The RAIs were more professional and prepared, asking many questions that were essentially the same but worded differently. The lead scientist and hiring manager were professional. The follow-up was disappointing; despite having another offer lined up, I never received a call about the outcome.