Preparing for an interview at UCB requires a balanced strategy that addresses both your technical capabilities and your behavioral alignment with the company’s patient-focused culture.

Scientific & Technical Excellence – This is the foundation of your evaluation. You must be ready to discuss the precise mechanisms, methodologies, and outcomes of your past research. Your interviewers will look for a deep, intuitive understanding of your field rather than rote memorization of protocols. Be prepared to explain the "why" behind every scientific decision you have made.

Presentation & Defense of Data – The scientific presentation is a critical hurdle in the UCB process. You will be evaluated on your ability to structure a compelling scientific narrative, present data clearly, and defend your conclusions under questioning. Practice delivering your talk to colleagues who can ask challenging, unexpected questions.

Problem-Solving & Adaptability – In drug discovery, projects pivot and priorities shift. Interviewers will assess how you handle ambiguity, design workarounds for technical bottlenecks, and adapt when a hypothesis is disproven. Showing a resilient, solution-oriented mindset is highly valued.

Cultural Alignment & Collegiality – UCB places a high premium on teamwork and mutual respect. Throughout your interviews, you should demonstrate that you are a supportive colleague who values diverse perspectives. Be prepared to discuss how you contribute to a positive, collaborative lab environment.

The interview process for a Research Scientist at UCB is rigorous and multi-staged, designed to thoroughly evaluate your scientific depth and cultural fit. While the exact steps can vary slightly depending on the location (such as Slough, Brussels, or Boston) and the specific team, the overall structure remains consistent.

The journey typically begins with an initial screening. In some regions, this starts with a one-sided recorded video interview or a brief call with a Talent Acquisition representative to discuss your CV, basic qualifications, and career motivations. This is followed by a more detailed technical phone or video interview with the hiring manager, focusing on your alignment with the specific job description and your past lab experience.

If you pass the initial stages, you will progress to the final round, which is a comprehensive, multi-hour (and sometimes full-day) assessment. This stage can be conducted onsite or virtually. The centerpiece of this round is a 30-to-60-minute scientific presentation where you present your past research to a panel of scientists, followed by a rigorous Q&A session. The rest of the day consists of consecutive 1-on-1 or panel interviews with team members, senior scientists, and an HR representative, often concluding with a tour of the laboratory facilities for onsite candidates.

The timeline above illustrates the typical progression from your initial application to the final offer. Candidates should use this visual guide to pace their preparation, ensuring they allocate sufficient time to draft and refine their scientific presentation ahead of the final stage. While the early stages move relatively quickly, the final panel evaluation requires deep preparation and high energy.

To help you target your preparation, we have broken down the primary evaluation areas that UCB panel members focus on during the final round.

Scientific Presentation & Q&A Defense

The scientific presentation is your opportunity to showcase your expertise, communication skills, and intellectual rigor. The panel will not only evaluate the quality of your science but also how you handle the subsequent Q&A session.

Be ready to go over:

• Project Context – Clearly explain the clinical or biological problem your research aimed to solve.
• Methodological Rationale – Be prepared to justify your choice of assays, models, and analytical techniques.
• Data Integrity – Show how you validated your findings and addressed potential confounding variables.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Be ready for questions on translational feasibility, scaling up bench assays, or how your work could integrate into a broader drug discovery pipeline.

Example scenarios:

• "Explain the rationale behind choosing this specific animal or cellular model over other industry standards."
• "How would you pivot your research strategy if your primary target validation study yielded completely negative results?"

Technical Competency & Lab Methodologies

During the individual interviews, senior scientists will probe the depth of your hands-on laboratory experience. They want to ensure you can join the team and contribute immediately with minimal oversight.

Be ready to go over:

• Assay Development – Your experience in designing, optimizing, and troubleshooting novel assays.
• Equipment & Automation – Familiarity with high-throughput screening, specialized microscopy, or analytical instruments relevant to your field.
• Data Analysis – Your ability to process, interpret, and present complex scientific data using modern statistical tools.

Example scenarios:

• "Describe a time when you had to optimize an assay that was showing high background noise or low reproducibility."
• "Walk us through your experience with process operations and how you ensure quality control in your experimental workflows."

Behavioral Rigor & Decision-Making

The HR and managerial interviews focus heavily on your personality, work ethic, and career trajectory. UCB seeks scientists who make deliberate, thoughtful career choices and thrive in collaborative settings.

Be ready to go over:

• Career Decisions – A clear, logical narrative explaining the transitions between your academic and professional roles.
• Conflict Resolution – How you constructively handle scientific or personal disagreements within a research group.
• Handling Ambiguity – Examples of how you maintained progress when project goals or job responsibilities shifted unexpectedly.

Example scenarios:

• "Tell me about a time when you had to make a critical decision on a project with incomplete or ambiguous data."
• "Describe a situation where a project you were passionate about was cancelled by management. How did you handle the transition?"