Georgia Tech Research Institute Research Engineer interview questions

Phone interview followed by an in-person all day interview at the lab I was applying for. The culture is unique; almost 100% of employees don't leave or come back to GTRI after leaving. Their teams are fluid, so they work together often. The projects are very long-term, but they eventually do submit deliverables for their work. It's definitely different and many people enjoy that atmosphere.

Initially applied online, but absolutely no response. This is a place where the online submissions go largely ignored until you can get in contact with someone. In my case, I knew a couple of names from when I co-oped there. From initial phone call to actual interview took 4 months. A week before the interview, the admin manager sent me an interview schedule. Interview started with a benefits overview. I interviewed with all of the division chiefs, as well as senior staff (chief scientist/engineer/etc) and the lab director. In addition to typical interview topics, the lab director asked about current / desired salary. People asked about my experience, my graduate coursework. Went out to lunch and talked in a more casual setting. The next week I received a phone call stating that I had been turned down because of my work background not being the best fit. I was slightly miffed about this, as my work background is clearly stated on my resume. I would have loved to work there but they have very high standards for applicants. Graciously, the hiring manager did offer constructive criticism and at my request, agreed to pass my name on to a different lab where I might be a better fit.