Southwest Research Institute Interview Questions
& Process

I had worked for another space science org that was in partnership with SwRI for the development of a NASA research satellite. I interviewed for a remote position with SwRI with the recommendation of my employer at that time. I flew into San Antonio and began an all-day interview process that consisted of many informal 'get to know you' conversations. I had spent the previous two weeks getting ready for the interview from a technical standpoint, so when the conversation turned technical I was able to continue the conversation. Most of the interviewers seemed enthusiastic, including the hiring manager. The interview process went wrong when I was interviewed by the department lead who had not reviewed my resume and was not aware I was coming until his subordinate - the hiring manager - poked his head in. I appreciate the professional courtesy he showed in interviewing me but I was clearly a distraction. I still left feeling optimistic since he seemed to indicate an offer would be forthcoming within a couple of weeks. Instead about a month passed before getting a 'Dear John' letter saying I was not being given an offer. This was one of my greatest professional disappointments as I both felt strongly about the work and felt good about the interview process. Instead I got back on with the company that had laid me off three years earlier, with a nice pay raise.

The first round was a 30-minute phone screen. Then, they flew me out to San Antonio, covering hotel and rental car. The interview day started with security and HR sign-ins, followed by a facility tour with an interviewer. I had a panel interview with about 12 people and also a technical presentation. After that, I went through 5 one-on-one interviews, and we had a group lunch. They asked some follow-up questions, and I waited for feedback for round 3, but then I got an automated HR rejection email instead.

I had an HR meeting with the recruiter for about 30 minutes. She wants to move on to the next round with the hiring manager. She scheduled a meeting for the next day without consulting me during a time I was unavailable. I had to scramble to reschedule other things to make time for it. The hiring manager was rude and didn't ask any relevant questions. It felt like a waste of time. They also have a strange interview window.

The hiring process at SwRI can be quite lengthy if you're expecting a quick turnaround. My application for this role took about three months to get a response from a recruiter. The department wasn't very flexible in scheduling the interview. Before the main on-site interview, I had a chat with an HR recruiter who talked about benefits and the company culture. They mentioned I could reach out with any questions before or after the on-site. The hiring manager was late for the on-site interview he scheduled. I even heard someone mention he's often not around at the times he sets. I gave a presentation and answered questions related to the job, plus some general interview questions. After the interview, it was almost two months before I heard anything, even though I was told I'd hear back in a couple of weeks. I tried contacting the HR recruiter as suggested, but got no response. The whole process felt very slow, and the lack of communication is concerning for a company that says they want to hire quickly. While I wasn't offered the job, the role and department seem interesting based on the work described. Talking to the engineers and scientists sounded like it could be a good career step.