I interviewed for this position several months ago in Albuquerque, NM. It started with the recruiter reaching out asking for my availability for the recruiter screening. The hiring team was prompt to set up the next stage of the interview process the very next week - virtual screening with the hiring team that included the hiring manager and some other engineers in the same team. That was followed by an onsite interview by the end of the month (3 weeks from the recruiter screening). I was pretty impressed by how fast we were progressing through the interview steps.

The onsite interview was a lengthy one which included a 1 hour presentation followed by 4 interview panels and a site tour. I was a bit bemused when a couple of engineers in the interview panel asked me if I am sure about moving to ABQ (I had strong reasons to move to ABQ which I had already stated at the beginning of the interview process and also during different stages of the interview process).

Despite all that, I felt like I did a good job of presenting myself at the interview and I genuinely thought I had a strong chance of being hired even more so when the hiring manager reiterated several times that I have a strong relevant background and experience for the job and they have another similar opening which they would consider me for in the off chance they find another strong candidate. So I left ABQ feeling excited and hopeful.

Three weeks later the recruiter emails me asking if I have time the next day for a chat (I don't understand why they send a vague email like that instead of stating the reason for this follow-up call). By this point I already started interviewing elsewhere as Rocket Lab was moving slowly and did not seem to show the same enthusiasm they had in my profile as they had in the beginning.

The next day during the call the recruiter reiterated that the team is overly excited about me, but they are still interviewing other candidates and they need another two weeks to compare all their notes and come to a conclusion. I was transparent and informed the recruiter than I am interviewing elsewhere and I would most likely accept the first offer that comes my way (as long as they meet all my primary requirements). Another two weeks go by and I already finished my final round of interviews at the other place (we went through all rounds of interviews in under two weeks with this employer), and the recruiter from Rocket Lab emails me again asking for my availability the next day for a quick phone call.

He basically repeats the same story that the team is aligning internally before they make the final decision. Two days later I get the offer from the other employer and I accept it and then I send a short email to the recruiter saying I am withdrawing my candidacy from Rocket Lab and instead going with this other employer. By that point it had already been over two months since the recruiter call (and over 1.5 months since the onsite interview) and they still cannot make up their mind.

They asked me scientific questions on the presentation I did.