Urban Science Associate Interview Questions
& Process

I found the job on LinkedIn and the recruiter, Laura, reached out. I had a few phone calls with her about the job and the company. She was super nice and professional. I asked her tons of questions and she gave me a lot of info about what the job would be like, what skills you need, and the company's background. Since I didn't live nearby, she let me do all my interviews over the phone and Skype. I talked to the recruiter, the team I'd work with, and then did a quick logic test. The whole thing was really well-organized and only took a few weeks. Laura even sent me some stuff about Long Beach and SQL resources, which was awesome. I got an offer and accepted, partly because the interview process was so great.

The recruiter I spoke with at Urban Science was great – super friendly, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic about the company and roles. However, the rest of the interview process was pretty draining and not as exciting as I'd hoped, especially considering what I'd read on GlassDoor. The interviewers themselves were nice and seemed to get along well, but they asked a lot of questions. Some were standard behavioral questions like dealing with a difficult boss or a leadership situation. Others were challenging brain-teaser type questions that I actually enjoyed, but you should be prepared for them if you don't like puzzles. My advice is to be confident and think out loud – they appreciate a clear thought process. The interviews were engaging and fun, with medium stress. The tests felt a bit excessive but not mentally taxing. Honestly, the whole process felt a little too pretentious for the company's rating. They ask Microsoft/Google-level questions, but the job and company don't seem to match that caliber. They asked for my transcripts really early on, even before the first phone screen, which was weird. Then, after several interviews, they suddenly paid attention to my college grades, which I actually brought up myself because I wanted to be upfront. It's ironic they scrutinized my old grades when their own employees rate them so low. They seem to want smart, creative people but don't seem to give them much autonomy, which defeats the purpose of hiring them.

First, I had a phone call with a recruiter. We talked about my background and experience, and then they set me up to talk to someone more senior. That next interview was also over the phone. It was pretty tough for me as a new developer because I really wanted to be able to write on a whiteboard.