Ultragenyx Interview Questions
& Process

I had an initial interview with a recruiter, who was super helpful throughout the process. After that, I interviewed with the hiring manager, and that went really well. The next step was meeting with two directors, one after the other. Sadly, the roles were eliminated before I could move forward.

My interview with Ultragenyx was terrible and lasted over two months. Communication was bad from the start - my first recruiter went on vacation without telling me, and the next one did too. Then I had seven interviews where most people seemed unprepared and didn't know the role. One person kept interrupting me, and another asked really specific questions about stuff not even listed as a requirement. When I said I didn't know it but was willing to learn, they said that wasn't okay and it was my job to convince them. One interviewer asked super inappropriate questions about my company's legal issues and my vacation plans, even asking why my boss was letting me go. After all that, the recruiter said they were worried about my commitment because I haven't stayed at jobs for more than two years, which felt out of touch since I only graduated five years ago. They asked for references at the end, which seemed weird. The offer was way lower than the initial range. When I asked for a small raise and a title change, they rescinded the offer, calling me 'too risky' and unable to meet my 'expectations'. This whole thing felt unprofessional and like a waste of time. They seem more focused on hiring fast than finding good talent, and the current employees in the role seem stuck with no growth. They value compliance over innovation and employee development.

Had a 45-minute phone call with HR, which felt like a screening. We had a really good talk about the job, and they were very clear. After that call, I got an email saying the process would be delayed and they'd get back to me later, but it wasn't clear if there were more steps or if it was over. I didn't hear anything for 2-3 weeks, so I had to email them to see if my application was still being considered. They finally replied four days later to say the hiring manager was making an offer to someone else. I'm really disappointed with how this hiring process went and the impression the company gave.

The recruiter reached out after I applied. We had an introductory video call, then a video interview with a manager who seemed interested. The recruiter confirmed the positive outcome. A different recruiter then took over, setting up five more video interviews right before the company's holiday break. It's now February, and I haven't heard anything back or received any follow-up, which is disappointing after putting in several hours for something that ended without a conclusion. Everyone I spoke with was nice, and the company seemed to have a good culture and is growing.