Interviewed Oct 2008 in Hillsboro, OR (took 2 days)

The process began with an on-campus interview, which was followed by an invitation to come out to Hillsboro. The on-site interview lasted two days and began with a technical presentation on my previous work. There were roughly 15 attendees, who asked pointed and direct questions. Following the presentation came one-on-one interviews, which lasted for two days. During the process I met with members of three groups in the process development group, namely (1) defect metrology, (2) thin film deposition, and (3) metallization. All interviews were with technical members of the group, no HR-specific personnel.

Interview styles varied greatly. I was asked to explain how a laser works, with many follow-up questions on the details. I was asked to explain my Ph. D. research in great depth. One interviewer intentionally asked questions outside my expertise, to gauge thinking ability. Some examples: (1) what are the magnets for in a magnetron sputtering system, and (2) how can you measure the flow rate of a gas through a pipe.

Overall, I would say that the process is not a problem if you are sharp and know "what you know," but also "what you don't know." Be direct, confident, and expose your thought process.