I applied online. I interviewed at Bio-Rad Laboratories (Hercules, CA)
Interview
Since 2013, I have applied for several PM positions in various areas. About 90% of the time I am contacted for an interview and go through the entire process:interview with recruiter, hiring manager, then panel with participants ranging from HR to Director.
Every single time I go through this process, I am not offered because the job goes to an internal. This is not an assumption, I am told directly by the hiring manager or recruiter.
I currently work for a large biotechnology company in SSF double the size of Bio-Rad, I have been promoted, and in the top 5% or performance at this company. Apparently my proven track record and experience, knowledge of Bio-Rad and repeated applications are of no consequence. My impression is that the company does not want to hire externals (that might have fresh ideas or unique experiences to contribute) and that the culture is such that there is punishment for failure and does not want to invest in a little training that would be required for an external. So hiring managers play it safe and hire someone internally so they don't have to train and perceived risk is minimized.
I would advise anyone to avoid this company. They are not even in the top 10 of their industry, hiring and interview practices are questionable, and the people putting you through the process have no qualms about wasting your time.
I applied online. I interviewed at Bio-Rad Laboratories
Interview
The interview process began with an initial HR phone screen, followed by an online technical questionnaire. Next, I had separate 30-minute interviews with the hiring manager and the role's director. The final stage was an on-site interview that included a 45-minute presentation and a panel interview with five separate interviewers. Overall, the entire process took about two months. Unfortunately, despite completing all stages, I never received a final decision.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Describe a software product you owned or significantly influenced. How did you define the roadmap, prioritize features, and ensure alignment between customer needs, engineering constraints, and business objectives?
I applied online. I interviewed at Bio-Rad Laboratories (Hercules, CA) in Aug 2025
Interview
After applying, I had an initial call with a recruiter, then a follow up call with the recruiter after I reached back out. I was then sent a questionnaire to fill out with hiring manager type questions, both technical and behavioral.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Please describe a moderate to complex life science product development project you’ve led from concept to commercialization. What was your role, and what was the outcome?
I interviewed at Bio-Rad Laboratories (Hercules, CA)
Interview
I had individual interviews with the manager and a week later I was schedule to meet with other leaders. Not long after that, a couple of weeks, I was offered a position.