u/zorotank007

TL;DR: I have a full-day interview for a postdoc position at a mid-sized pharma, including a research presentation and meetings with scientists, a Senior Director, and a VP. I’m comfortable with the technical part but unsure what to expect from the one-on-one conversations with senior people. Would really appreciate hearing about others’ experiences and any advice on what to ask or prepare.

Hi everyone,

I’ve been invited to interview for a postdoc position at a mid-sized pharma company, and the interview will be a full day.

I’ll be giving a presentation on my research, which I’m comfortable with, but I’m a bit unsure about the rest of the day. I’ll be meeting people from different departments that I would potentially work with, spending about an hour with a Senior Director I’ve already spoken with, and also about an hour with a VP who is the head of a department.

I really like the position and the company, and I feel that I’m technically well suited for the role, so I’d like to prepare properly.

For anyone who has experience interviewing for pharma/scientist positions: what are these full-day interviews usually like? What do senior people such as VPs and Senior Directors typically want to discuss, and what kind of questions should I ask them?

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences, especially from anyone who has been through a similar interview or has been on the interviewer side.

Thanks!