Ace Your Verily Life Sciences Interview: The Top 15 Questions and How to Tackle Them

Landing an interview at Verily Life Sciences is an exciting milestone on your career path. As a subsidiary of Alphabet focused on using technology to better understand health, Verily is at the cutting edge of healthcare innovation.

However, with innovation comes complexity. Verily’s interview process is known to be rigorous, with multiple rounds of technical and behavioral interviews

Luckily being prepared can help take the stress out of interviewing. In this article I’ll share the top 15 most commonly asked interview questions at Verily and provide tips on how to craft winning responses.

1. Walk Me Through Your Experience Developing Healthcare/Life Sciences Software

With its focus on healthcare tech, Verily wants to ensure candidates have relevant experience Be ready to discuss projects where you

• Applied healthcare/life sciences domain knowledge
• Navigated regulations and protocols
• Developed user-friendly interfaces
• Ensured security and compliance

Focus on how your skills directly translate. For example:

“In a past role, I worked on a telehealth platform that required deep knowledge of healthcare workflows and privacy regulations. I led the design of intuitive patient and clinician portals, and implemented role-based access controls aligned with HIPAA.”

2. How Do You Lead Cross-Functional Teams?

Innovation requires aligning diverse groups. Discuss experiences where you:

• Facilitated collaboration between departments
• Resolved conflicts
• Set clear goals and managed accountability
• Ensured transparency and open communication

Share examples like:

“As project manager on a medical device launch, I led engineering, quality, regulatory, and marketing teams. Weekly check-ins kept all informed, while a shared task board provided visibility. This cross-functional approach enabled us to deliver within budget and on schedule.”

3. Explain Your Approach to Designing/Testing Medical Device Hardware

Medical devices demand rigorous design and testing. Be ready to discuss:

• Researchingrequirements and risks
• Iterative prototyping and feedback
• Extensive functional and reliability testing
• Adhering to industry regulations and standards
• Thorough documentation at every stage

For example:

“When designing medical hardware, patient safety is the priority. I conduct extensive requirements gathering upfront, then rapid prototyping cycles to test assumptions. Rigorous validation testing ensures the device performs as intended under diverse conditions, meeting regulatory standards.”

4. How Do You Ensure Code Quality On Large Projects?

Highlight your expertise in:

• Coding standards and code reviews
• Modular, maintainable architectural patterns
• Thorough unit testing
• Source control and branching strategies
• Automated testing and CI/CD pipelines

For instance:

“I enforce consistent coding standards and conduct peer reviews to share knowledge and avoid defects. I emphasize unit testing and integrate CI/CD to catch issues early. For large teams, I divide work into decoupled modules with clearly defined interfaces to enable parallel development.”

5. Discuss Your Experience Analyzing Complex Data with Machine Learning

Verily tackles immense healthcare datasets. Be ready to discuss:

• Statistical modeling and machine learning techniques used
• Types of data analyzed
• Preprocessing methods like handling missing data
• How models generated insights to drive decisions
• Libraries and tools used (e.g. Python, R)

For example:

“I have experience building random forest models to analyze clinical trial data. After preprocessing to address missing values, I used techniques like cross-validation to prevent overfitting. The final model identified key biomarkers linked to treatment responses, which researchers incorporated into revised inclusion criteria.”

6. How Do You Collaborate Across Functions to Build New Products?

Product development requires aligning strategy, design, engineering, and marketing. Share examples where you:

• Worked cross-functionally to bring a product to market
• Balanced diverse perspectives
• Adapted product design based on team input
• Prioritized rapid iteration and feedback

For instance:

“As part of a wearables team, I worked closely with industrial designers and software engineers to develop a smartwatch. By embracing agile processes, we rapidly iterated based on user feedback to create an award-winning product that met our business goals.”

7. Walk Me Through a Research Project You Led

Be ready to discuss an end-to-end research project:

• The research objectives and hypotheses
• How you designed experiments
• How data was collected and analyzed
• The statistical tools used
• Your key findings and their implications

For example:

“My PhD involved developing machine learning models to predict patient outcomes. After completing an extensive literature review, I designed a retrospective study using deidentified EMR data. Rigorous preprocessing and model validation were key before applying ML algorithms. The model identified factors associated with readmission risk, suggesting areas for intervention.”

8. How Do You Troubleshoot Issues with Lab Processes or Equipment?

Scientific roles require technical aptitude and problem-solving skills. Discuss your approach to:

• Systematically isolating issues
• Leveraging knowledge of equipment and lab processes
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams
• Documenting issues to prevent recurrence

For example:

“As an owner of lab equipment, I’ve learned the importance of proactive preventative maintenance. When issues inevitably arise, I methodically run diagnostics to isolate the problem, review equipment logs, and confer with technicians before attempting repairs. I document every issue to build institutional knowledge.”

9. How Do You Validate New Assays or Methods?

Highlight your understanding of techniques to:

• Assess accuracy and precision using controls
• Evaluate factors like sensitivity and specificity
• Perform robustness testing under diverse conditions
• Follow regulatory guidelines and protocols
• Thoroughly document procedures and results

For example:

“When validating a new method, I first optimize procedures using designed controls. I conduct ruggedness studies to prove reliability across anticipated variables. I statistically verify performance metrics like sensitivity meet pre-set criteria. Finally, I work closely with quality assurance to ensure compliance with applicable regulations before approving the method for routine use.”

10. How Do You Stay Current on Trends in Life Sciences?

Demonstrate passion for lifelong learning. Discuss:

• Reading scientific publications, blogs, and forums
• Attending conferences and trainings
• Participating in professional organizations
• Following thought leaders and influencers
• Taking online courses on emerging topics

For example:

“I commit to learning daily through journals like Nature Biotechnology. I find immense value in conferences for gaining insights from the brightest minds. Within my company, I participate in industry working groups and mentorship programs. This multi-pronged approach allows me to stay abreast of both cutting edge initiatives and real-world implementation challenges.”

11. What Experience Do You Have with Agile Methodologies?

Agile is key to fast-paced innovation. Be ready to discuss experiences:

• Implementing agile frameworks like Scrum
• Facilitating iterative development sprints
• Managing dynamic backlogs and priorities
• Driving continuous integration and delivery
• Conducting retrospectives to improve

For example:

“In a previous role, my team adopted Scrum to develop medical software. Sprints enabled us to adapt to evolving regulations, while retrospectives uncovered process improvements. Code reviews and continuous integration enhanced quality. This agile approach empowered us to release high-value increments rapidly.”

12. What Factors Must Be Considered When Developing Medical Devices?

Highlight both:

• Design considerations for safety and usability
• Rigorous verification, validation, and regulatory approval processes

For example:

“User safety is the priority when designing medical devices. We conduct hazard analysis and risk assessments, then implement mitigation measures into the product design and manufacturing processes. Extensive validation testing and regulatory reviews ensure we meet the highest quality and safety standards before market release.”

13. What Experience Do You Have with Cloud Infrastructure in Life Sciences?

Discuss your experience with:

• Cloud platforms like AWS, GCP, or Azure
• Deploying solutions for big data analysis
• Maintaining data security and privacy

For example:

“I spearheaded migrating genomic pipelines to the cloud at a previous biotech company. AWS enabled our algorithms to scale computing power on demand, accelerating insights. I engineered security controls like encryption, IAM, and VPCs to safeguard sensitive datasets. The cloud reduced costs and time-to-market for our assays.”

14. How Do You Explain Complex Topics to General Audiences?

Strong communication is key. Share how you:

• Avoid jargon and use layman’s terms
• Use analogies and examples to simplify concepts
• Supplement explanations with visuals
• Confirm understanding through collaboration

For example:

“I take a learner-focused approach to explaining complex science. I limit jargon and use analogies people relate to. Simple charts help convey complex relationships. Most importantly, I encourage people to ask questions so I can clarify anything confusing. This collaborative approach makes even esoteric topics accessible.”

15. How Did You Handle a Challenge on a Data-Driven Project?

Data science is iterative. Discuss challenges you