My process started with a phone screen with another PhD, and the conversation was heavily focused on statistics and math. We worked through probability and statistics questions, and I got the sense that the interviewer wasn’t especially enthusiastic about the role. I asked directly and learned that the position wasn’t very flexible. New hires were initially assigned to teams somewhat randomly, and the interviewer felt that people sometimes ended up in groups that weren’t a good fit.
The next day, I began the virtual onsite with two technical rounds. One was a statistics interview led by a statistics PhD. The other focused on machine learning and was led by someone with a background close to mine. I appreciated that the machine learning discussion matched my area instead of pulling me into a completely different lane.
Overall, it was a difficult, academic-style process with a lot of emphasis on reasoning rather than casual discussion, and it ended without an offer. The strangest part wasn’t the difficulty. It was realizing so early that the team placement and role structure might not match how I had been thinking about the job.
Location: Berkeley, CA. Overall feedback: Neutral. Offer status: No offer.
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