Question Overview: Design engineers must have the ability to work well with clients. The ideal candidate will be able to explain how they handled a situation where the client wanted something that wasn't feasible. Were they able to compromise? Did they find a way to make the design work?
Sample Answer: I would explain to the client why the design wouldn't work if it was built the way they wanted it. I would then offer a few alternatives that would work better.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will be able to work well with others. Focus on what the applicant did to help the team succeed. Did they take on a leadership role? Did they help other team members with their tasks? Were they able to work well with other leaders?
Sample Answer: I was not the leader of my team when I was working on a project for a client. I took on the role of a project manager and helped my team members stay on track. I was able to delegate tasks and make sure that everyone was working on the right things.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have a clear understanding of what value means to the role. They should be able to explain how they will add value to the company. Focus on how the applicant will add value in the role. Is it through their education, experience or personality?
Sample Answer: I will add value to this role by using my education and experience to create a design that is both innovative and cost-effective.
Question Overview: The body effect is a phenomenon that occurs when a design engineer's body is in the way of their work. It's important to identify if the applicant has experienced this before and how they handled it. Did they find a way to move around their body? Did they find a way to move their body around the work?
Sample Answer: The body effect is when your body is in the way of your work. I have experienced this before and I was able to move my body out of the way so that I could continue working.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have a clear vision of where they want to be in the future. Focus on what the applicant's career goals are. Is the applicant looking to move up in their current position or move into a different industry?
Sample Answer: I see myself in a management role in five years. I'm confident that I will be able to take on a leadership role at my company and continue to grow as an engineer.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have a good understanding of the company's values and mission. They will also be able to explain why they are a good fit for the company. Focus on the applicant's answer to see if they are a good match for your company.
Sample Answer: I want to work for your company because I have heard great things about it. I know that you are a great company that cares about its employees and clients. I am a hard worker who is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that your clients are happy.
Question Overview: Rolls-Royce is a global brand that specializes in aerospace and defense. The company has been around for more than a century and is known for its luxury cars and engines. The ideal candidate will have a basic understanding of the company's history, products and services.
Sample Answer: I know that Rolls-Royce is a global brand that specializes in aerospace and defense. I know that they have been around for over a century and are known for their luxury cars and engines. Answer: I know that Rolls-Royce is a global brand that specializes in aerospace and defense. I know that they have been around for over a century and are known for their luxury cars and engines.
Question Overview: Design engineers must be able to work well with others. The ideal candidate will explain how they work in a team. Do they prefer to work alone or with a group? What is their leadership style? Do they prefer to be the leader or the follower?
Sample Answer: I enjoy working in a team because it allows me to bounce ideas off of others. I like to be the leader of the group because I enjoy being the one to come up with new ideas.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have many strengths. Focus on what the applicant is best at and how it relates to the position. Is the applicant a critical thinker? Are they a good communicator? What are their strengths in relation to the position?
Sample Answer: I'm best at communicating with others. I'm able to break down complex engineering ideas for clients and colleagues.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of basic engineering concepts. Focus on their answer and how they explain the difference between the two materials. Is the applicant able to give you a detailed explanation?
Sample Answer: Steel and wood have different properties. Steel is a much stronger material than wood, so it will be able to handle more stress than wood. Answer: The stress in both will be different. Wood is a material that is more flexible than steel. Steel has a higher tensile strength than wood. Answer: The stress in both will be different. Wood is a material that is more flexible than steel. Steel has a higher tensile strength than wood.
Question Overview: A 1-hot MUX is a circuit that has one input and multiple outputs. Each output is connected to a different input. The ideal candidate will be able to explain the process of designing a 1-hot MUX. Focus on the steps they took to design the circuit, as well as their level of expertise with the topic.
Sample Answer: I would begin by writing out all of the inputs and outputs for the 1-hot MUX. Then, I would create a diagram of the circuit and begin to lay out the inputs and outputs. I would then begin to wire up the circuit and test it out.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will be able to explain how they would handle a situation like this. Focus on how they would troubleshoot the motherboard. Did they have a backup plan? Did they have to reach out to a client or supervisor for help?
Sample Answer: I would first try to find the reason why it's not booting up. I would then try to fix the motherboard by replacing parts and testing it. If that didn't work, I would try to find a backup motherboard and replace it.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will be honest about their weaknesses. This question is a great way to see how the applicant handles criticism. Do they have a tendency to blame others or make excuses? Focus on any weaknesses that are similar to the job description. For example, if you're hiring for a design engineer position, you'd want to know if the applicant has trouble with CAD software.
Sample Answer: I have trouble with CAD software. I'm not as familiar with AutoCAD as I am with CATIA. I've been working on improving my CAD skills and have been taking online courses.
Question Overview: This is a common question in engineering interviews. The ideal candidate will have a good understanding of how a ring oscillator works. They should be able to explain the oscillation process and how it relates to the design. Focus on the candidate's ability to explain the process in layman's terms.
Sample Answer: A ring oscillator is a circuit that uses a ring of capacitors and inductors to create an oscillation. The ring oscillator is used in many different applications, such as radio transmitters and radar systems.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have a list of projects that they've contributed to in their previous job. They should be able to detail their contributions and innovative ideas. Focus on what the candidate's role was in the project and how they were able to contribute to the final product.
Sample Answer: I was able to contribute to the design of a new product by creating a 3D model of the product. I was also able to create a 3D model of the product's packaging.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have a weakness that is easily overcome. Focus on the steps the candidate took to improve upon their weakness. Did they work with a mentor or manager to improve? Did they take a class to help them overcome their weakness?
Sample Answer: I used to be very shy when I first started my design engineering career. I worked with my manager to overcome this weakness by taking public speaking classes and joining a local Toastmasters club.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate should be able to draw a stress-strain curve for a steel. The curve will show the relationship between stress and strain. Focus on the steps the candidate took to draw the curve. Did they use a computer program? Did they use a calculator? Did they use a pen and paper?
Sample Answer: I used a computer program called ABAQUS to draw the stress-strain curve for the steel. I first inputted the data into the program and then I was able to draw the curve.
Question Overview: Design engineers must have the ability to know when a project is finished. They must be able to identify when a design is complete and ready for the next step. The ideal candidate will explain how they determine when a project is complete. Is it based on a timeline? Is it based on a checklist?
Sample Answer: I like to make sure that I have all of the necessary information for a project before I consider it complete. I like to have a checklist of all of the steps that I need to complete before I can move on to the next phase.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have a background in electrical engineering. Focus on their ability to explain the steps they took to increase the current matching for a given current mirror. Did they have to change the current mirror's design? Did they have to change the circuit? Did they have to change the environment?
Sample Answer: I would increase the current matching for a given current mirror by increasing the surface area of the mirror. I would do this by adding more copper to the mirror's surface.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have a creative and logical answer to this question. The answer should be short and sweet, but also show that the applicant has a great sense of humor.
Sample Answer: I would open the refrigerator door, put the elephant inside and close the door.