Research Associate applicants have rated the interview process at Institute for Defense Analyses with 3 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty) and assessed their interview experience as 100% positive. To compare, the company-average is 76% positive. This is according to Glassdoor user ratings.
Candidates applying for Research Associate roles take an average of 44 days to get hired, when considering 8 user submitted interviews for this role. To compare, the hiring process at Institute for Defense Analyses overall takes an average of 41 days.
Common stages of the interview process at Institute for Defense Analyses as a Research Associate according to 8 Glassdoor interviews include:
Group panel interview: 23%
Phone interview: 23%
One on one interview: 23%
Background check: 8%
Presentation: 8%
IQ intelligence test: 4%
Drug test: 4%
Personality test: 4%
Skills test: 4%
Here are the most commonly searched roles for interview reports -
I applied online and was asked to come in for an interview about a month later. Everyone was very nice and professional by email. They flew me out and put me up in a hotel. I started with an HR interview, which was pretty basic and the HR person was nice and relaxed. I then had a panel interview. Most of the researchers were very nice, polite and asked good questions. One of the researchers was oddly aggressive and outright rude several times. He repeated questions that had already been asked and seemed very uninterested and annoyed. With the exception of this individual, I did find everyone to be professional and cordial, but it was a red flag and a few comments made by other interviewers along the way led me to suspect there are some tensions within the office. After the interview, I never heard from them again and accepted an offer somewhere else.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
The interviewers asked standard interview questions. Nothing particularly difficult.
I applied online. I interviewed at Institute for Defense Analyses (Alexandria, VA) in Apr 2026
Interview
First was an HR phone screening (30 mins), then the next week came a 2-person technical zoom screening (45 mins). After which point they contacted all of my references, and the final step was a full-day on-site with individual and group interviews with a lot of different people + an hour-long presentation panel (which you give) and lunch.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Why are you interested in working at IDA? What draws you to the National Defense Space?
I applied online. I interviewed at Institute for Defense Analyses (Alexandria, VA) in Apr 2026
Interview
3 rounds. HR Screen, virtual interview with a division manager, and a full-day in-person round. Each round was very conversational and relatively stress-free, including the in-person day. In-person interview had multiple blocks meeting with other Associates, Analysts, and Directors. Hardest part was the technical review section of the writing sample you submitted, but they were still nice. Overall positive experience, though I wish I had been informed of their decision more promptly – I had to reach out to HR to find out my standing.
Odd. Only one panel interview, no discussion about what research projects I’d be on. At the end of the panel interview the HR person showed me all the benefits IDA offers - which I was not interested in before getting an offer.