Four separate interviews:

1. Phone interview - HR asked general questions.

2. Phone interview - The hiring manager discussed the specific position and its necessity. The resume was generally reviewed, though mine was not as I spoke for 35 of the 40 minutes. It was not too technical.

3. Onsite interview - A previously prepared PowerPoint presentation was sent to HR and then presented to a team of five individuals, including the onsite director. Following the 15-20 minute presentation, technical questions were asked, relating to the presentation, current company issues, and potential future problems that do not currently exist. Afterward, a site tour was given, introducing me to more workers who asked for on-the-spot ideas and fixes for current issues. I do not believe this is common.

4. Onsite interview - The final set of interviews took place at the main facility in Hawthorn, with four separate 30-minute interviews. The first was with my HR contact, who gave a tour of the "mega awesome" facility and discussed pay expectations. The second interviewer was very technical and immediately began discussing a rocket launch quick-release mechanism. I had to redesign a full mechanism and describe its operation, with new parameters added during the process to assess quick and accurate on-your-feet reactions. They also speak softly at times, just loud enough to be heard and responded to if you catch on (e.g., "This rocket went 1000 meters in the air... whatever that is in feet..."). Responding to these statements is part of the interview process. The third interview was more relaxed, primarily focusing on the resume. It is important to be able to explain any detail on your resume in depth. The fourth interview was with the VP of propulsion and another individual not previously mentioned. This final interview was also very technical. We instantly began discussing I-beams: their purpose, the reason for their design, equations (which I contributed), and why there have been no design changes. I was then asked about pressure vessels and the factors needed to determine finite element stresses in the pressure vessel wall. Afterward, the two interviewers discussed something related to my resume. I quickly responded, surprising them with more advanced knowledge than what I had written down. They asked me to explain, and once I did, they were very pleased.

Everyone was very kind, very smart, and fun to talk to.