The Ultimate Guide to Adaptive Biotechnologies Interview Questions

Interviewing at Adaptive Biotechnologies? You’ve come to the right place. With insights from current and former employees, this comprehensive guide will walk you through what to expect during the Adaptive Biotechnologies interview process and how to prepare.

About Adaptive Biotechnologies

Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Adaptive Biotechnologies is a biotechnology company focused on using the immune system’s natural biology to develop diagnostic tests and therapeutic products. Their core technology platform, immune medicine aims to map T-cell and B-cell receptors to understand the human immune response to diseases like cancer.

Adaptive Biotechnologies went public in 2019 and has seen tremendous growth, expanding from just over 100 employees in 2016 to over 800 today. They’ve established partnerships with companies like Microsoft, Illumina, and Genentech to advance their immunosequencing technology.

Adaptive Biotechnologies is changing the landscape of diagnostic testing and drug development. But with growth comes hiring challenges. That’s why many candidates wonder: what will Adaptive Biotechnologies interviews be like? Let’s find out.

Adaptive Biotechnologies Interview Process

The Adaptive Biotechnologies interview process typically follows these stages

1. Initial Phone Screen
2. Technical Phone Interview
3. On-site Interview (4-5 interviews in one day)
4. Reference Checks
5. Offer

The initial phone screen aims to assess basic qualifications and fit. A hiring manager or recruiter will spend 30 minutes reviewing your resume and asking questions about your background.

If successful, you’ll advance to a 60-minute technical phone interview focused on assessing your skills and experience relevant to the role. Software engineering candidates can expect coding questions.

The on-site loop consists of 4-5 back-to-back interviews over the course of a day at Adaptive’s Seattle headquarters. Each interviewer will assess a different competency through behavioral and technical questions. On-sites are demanding, so come prepared.

Once references are checked, Adaptive Biotechnologies will extend an offer to top candidates. The entire process usually lasts 2-4 weeks.

Adaptive Biotechnologies Interview Questions

Let’s look at some of the most common Adaptive Biotechnologies interview questions and how to best approach them:

Technical Questions

As a biotech leader, Adaptive looks for strong technical aptitude in engineering and scientific roles:

• For software developers: Expect coding questions in your preferred language focused on algorithms, data structures, object-oriented design and architecture. Brush up on computer science fundamentals.

• For bioinformaticians: Be ready for scenario-based questions testing your skills in areas like next-generation sequencing, immunosequencing analysis, statistics, and machine learning. Know your technical capabilities inside and out.

• For scientists: Review key techniques like PCR, cell culture, flow cytometry, and immunology assays. Prepare to talk through your thesis and research experiences in detail.

• For technical program managers: Have examples of successfully delivering complex projects with cross-functional teams. Discuss your approach to scope, schedule, risk, and communication management.

Behavioral Questions

Adaptive Biotechnologies behavioral interviews will assess your soft skills and cultural fit:

• Tell me about yourself. Keep it concise and focused on your most relevant experience.

• Why do you want to work at Adaptive Biotechnologies? Show your passion for their mission of decoding the genetics of the immune system.

• Describe a time you faced a challenge. How did you approach and overcome it? Share a story that highlights resilience, critical thinking, and results.

• Tell me about a conflict you faced working on a team. How was it resolved? Demonstrate emotional intelligence and collaboration skills.

• When have you gone above and beyond for a customer or stakeholder? Prove you’ll deliver an incredible customer experience.

• Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Present realistic growth goals aligned with Adaptive’s vision.

• What questions do you have for me? Ask insightful questions that show your interest in and understanding of the role and company.

Leadership Questions

For management and executive interviews, also prepare for questions that assess strategic thinking and leadership abilities:

• How would you describe your leadership style?
• What do you look for when building a team?
• How do you motivate, develop, and empower your team members?
• How do you make difficult strategic decisions with limited information?
• When have you driven innovation or change at a company? What was the outcome?
• Where do you see opportunities for Adaptive Biotechnologies to improve or grow?

Interview Tips

With these common Adaptive Biotechnologies interview questions in mind, here are some top tips for acing your interviews:

Practice interviewing out loud – It’s not enough to think through your answers in your head. Practicing out loud will help polish your responses.

Brush up on your storytelling skills – Many Adaptive interview questions are behavioral. Craft compelling STAR stories (Situation, Task, Action, Result) highlighting specific examples and details.

Research the company thoroughly – Go beyond the careers page and really understand Adaptive’s products, technologies, mission, culture, competitors, and trends impacting the business.

Prepare technical questions – Compile a list of smart, thoughtful questions to ask each interviewer that demonstrates your passion for the role and company.

Review your resume – Be ready to elaborate on any points on your resume. Refresh yourself on key details of your background and project experience.

Get a good night’s rest – On-site interviews are mentally draining. Arrive well-rested, hydrated, and focused.

What Employees Say About the Adaptive Biotechnologies Interview Experience

To get the inside scoop on what Adaptive Biotechnologies interviews are really like, we combed through Glassdoor reviews from current and former employees. Here’s what we discovered:

• The interview process is thorough but also well-organized and efficiently run. Candidates appreciate the 1-day on-site format.

• The questions are mostly behavioral with some technical/role-specific questions mixed in. Come with plenty of examples and stories.

• Interviewers are intelligent and ask thought-provoking questions, but also friendly and aim to set candidates at ease.

• While challenging, the questions are seen as fair assessments of candidates’ capabilities. The bar is high, but the process feels transparent.

• Interviewers seek to understand candidates’ motivations, problem-solving abilities, technical skills, communication style, and cultural fit.

• Preparation and confidence are key – know the space and your own experience inside and out.

• The process allows candidates to get a sense of Adaptive’s mission-driven culture and collaborative environment.