Engineering Interview Questions & Answers

After submitting my application online I immediately received an email acknowledging receipt of my application and advising me of the steps that would follow. A few days later I received another email inviting me to complete two online psychometric tests (numerical and inductive reasoning) and I was given 7 days to complete them. The website used for the tests was very well laid out and provided very clear instructions, as well as providing several practice tests. Once I had completed the psychometric tests I received an email telling me that I had passed and that my application had been passed on to senior management for consideration.

After this I did not hear anything for about a month, and then I had an email asking me to attend an assessment centre in Filton in a weeks time. Rolls Royce covered all of my travel costs and put me up in a four star hotel and spa the night before the assessment centre.

There was a competency interview involving a 5 minute presentation and standard questions about my CV and different skills. After that there was a skills interview which focussed on my engineering knowledge. It was a mixture of questions from different areas of engineering, and as long as you have a decent grasp of the operating principle of a gas turbine and revise your first year notes you shouldn't have a problem.

- What would you bring to Rolls Royce?

- The turbine entry temperatures in modern engines are often above the melting point of temperature sensors. How would you go about measuring the temperature in these regions.

- I was given a component of a jet engine and asked to identify what it was, the material it was made from, how it was manufactured and what the various features of it did.

- Make sure you know the operating principle of a gas turbine engine
- Revise your lecture notes
- Make sure you know the latest facts and figures of Rolls Royce
- Do not mention Rolls Royce cars in the interview! (Rolls Royce cars are part of BMW nowadays).

The assessment centre itself was well organised and had a friendly atmosphere with about 12 other candidates also attending. There was another numerical test to verify the results from the online tests,

Finally there was a group task which was to build as high a tower as possible with paper and plastic cups. All the groups failed to build anything that withstood any sort of load, but it was quite a relaxed atmosphere and they were more interested in seeing how well you work with other people.

The most important message I got from the assessment centre was that the interviewers aren't there to intimidate you or catch you out, and that the skills interview is the most important part of the day. One interview hinted that if you do badly in the skills interview then you're unlikely to get the job.

Within 24 hours of the assessment centre I received a call from HR telling me that I had been successful and had got the internship. From this point the contracts were sent out very quickly and security checks were commenced.

The interviews comprised of a short phone interview, this was to gain an understanding of the applicant and the employer and was quite refreshingly informal. was a perfectly friendly conversation about the candidate and the employer. It was a 30 minute conversation about my cv and about the company. Once this was completed the company was very prompt in giving an invitation to the graduate assessment day, prior to the assessment day candidates were required to do a short online test to get a view of basic numeracy/logic/visual/memory skills.

Describe a situation where you have been faced with great difficulty and overcome it.

Do your research on the company, its that simple. the company is very forthcoming with its core values and principles, if you feel you match the company then just be yourself. the interview process is very informal and actually enjoyable which helps with any potential nerves.

The assessment day itself was very informal and very entertaining, a couple of group projects and a face to face interview with breaks in between for networking. Final interview to come, information was again provided very promptly.

Split into three groups, rotating between a CSR task, a management task and a face to face interview. there were no right or wrong answers in the two assessments. more looking at how you function as a team.

During the interview for myself, I was asked about my work expeirnce, what I learned from it, how I had put some of the skills I have learned from it to use, location preferences, if i could use excel and word very well and AutooCAD, what my career goals are, if i see myself as a more technical or managerial person.

WHat other parties are there, apart from the CDM co-ordinator to CDM regukations?

Be relaxed and comfportable and be yourself. They can sense when you're not comfortable and if you're relaxed and comfortable, it makes it a more enjoyable experience for both you and the interviewer, because it would just be like you were having a chat.

at the start of the day, there was a presentation about the ocmpany and the projects that it has underatken and what they were involved in.
Then, we had an ice breaker exercise, which wasn't assessed, to do a one minute presentation about ourselves using a poster that we had created in 10 mins. It helped relax all of us and made the day more enjoyable.
We then got the chance to hear from a recently chartered engineer and go to ask questions about the process and what it entailed.
Then we moved on to the group discussion, where we had three tasks to identify the stages, the assessment and data collection methods and the key stakeholders of a new road project.
We had thrity minutes to discuss among ourselves and then at the end, 10 minutes to present back to the panel.
Then we had a luch break for about 30 minutes and then after that, we had the order that we would go in for the interviews. While one person was getting intervbiewed, the rest of us took on the verbal and numerical reasoning tests.

Standard interview questions. Why Engineering? Explain a time where you have demonstrated willingness to learn ect...

Interview is based on the JLR competencies.

12 questions in 45 mins. 3 competencies where tested, 4 per competency.

Ive gone into more detail about what the day entailed further down in the review. The whole day was quite relaxed not as stressful as I first anticipated. The staff are enthusiastic as should you be.

No difficult questions.

The interview is the main thing that you can prepare for. Recap on work/projects that you have completed, try and find areas in you work that fit within the JLR competencies framework (because this is what the interview is based on) and know the company, it's markets, products ect. There was ample time to have a conversation with my interviewer about the company. Having done the research I was able to contribute and show my enthusiasm for the company.

2 groups of 12. One was the morning group and another (the group I was in) was the afternoon group. First course of action was an introductory presentation and general administrative stuff.
Next was a light lunch where we were able to talk to some of the current apprentices.
After lunch, straight into the interviews. Assessors introduced themselves before taking us off for a 1-on-1 interview. Standard interview, nothing to catch you out. Do your research have something to talk about both you and the company prepared.
Next, Fact finding mission. Given a document which details a problem. Based on information provided, I was tasked on asking a number of questions to determine the fault of a product. Immediately proceeding this the assessor asks me questions about what I've found out.
After that was a group exercise, They're looking at how you communicate with others ect.
Finally a practical assessment. I assumed the role of a test engineer, testing a procedure. As well as carry out the procedure I had to highlight any shortcomings in the document.

The interview was fairly intense. It lasted for one hour and consisted of 8 questions. The first question was the hardest which I have written down below. However, this question was tailored to the sector my interviewer was from in the company so they are all different. Overall a good experience. My advice would be:
Be yourself
Enjoy it
Smile!
Be nice
Don't be too serious

You are working for JLR. You are designing a software system for one of the jaguars, who is your customer?
Clue.. Not the purchaser of the car.

Be yourself! Don't go crazy on bigging yourself up in the interview,, after all its only words.. They want examples of what you have done that makes you a motivated person. In the group exercise, don't act like Billy big cock,, they will see right through it.. Listen to other people's opinions, have a good discussion and not be too quiet.

The assessment centre was a very relaxed but intense day. There were 2 groups of 12, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, I was afternoon. The centre consisted first of all of a group exercise. We were sat round a table in a group of six with 4 assessors sat in the corner making notes. We had to discuss which radio would be best for a new car. This lasted one hour and in my opinion was the hardest part of the day.
The second part was the interview as discussed above.
The third part was an 'in tray exercise' : multiple choice, we had to reply to emails with the correct response. In between these assessments we relaxed in a room with free coffee.. I just chatted to the other candidates. Overall I enjoyed the day

The interview started of with 2 senior engineers asking me about my personal interests and why I choose the course.
Then it was about the company and what the role was about and its challenges. Then I gave a presentation about a topic in my case a connecting rod. I was informed about this when HR contacted me to give me details about the interview.

After the presentation the engineers tested my knowledge about this product. This was followed by an in depth technical interview about connecting rods. I was shown some parts and asked about what I would do to improve the design. I was shown some failed parts and asked what's the cause.

After this lengthy interview I was introduced to a junior engineer who showed me the office and the factory.

The most challenging question was about a new part and I was asked what can be done to optimize the design. Since it was new and not a failed part it was difficult to say what exactly was the problem in the first place without any knowledge about its design.

Get the basics right and don't just focus on the role. Getting the fundamentals of engineering brushed up will help a lot as it will be tested not just software and IT skills.

For Engineering related roles you will have to give a presentation on a topic related to some engine part. Focus on it and learn everything you can about it. Then the systems surrounding it or support systems which depend on it. Simple questions which we think won't be asked will be asked. Like hand calculations- Free body diagrams, bending moments will be asked. So focus on real engineering skills like 2D engineering design on paper.

Presentation, personality or situational judgement test and technical questions

The 1st stage interview consisted of 4 assessments, a spacial awareness test, pattern recognition test, mechanical test and numerical test. Successful completion of these got me onto the 2nd stage interview.

The 2nd stage was a practical mechanical test, where i had 15mins to resemble what was built in front of me. It was more fiddly then difficult. After that i had the interview with the Engineering Manager and HR.

The interview was pretty straight forward asking me about my previous experience and why I should be chosen for this position etc. Nothing too complicated.

"why should we choose you for this role?"

Do some background work. Know about the company and what they do because they will ask. Having some relative previous experience would also benefit you as they asked me about my previous experience and work.

4 test and a practical mechanical test.

There were two interviews at the assessment centre, one consisting of a presentation about yourself and then situational questions, the other was a technical knowledge interview. In the first you essentially had to describe who you are, why you want to work for the company and how you think you would be good at the company. In the second you were asked to describe various things as if to a member of the general public not knowledgeable in the field and also to explain how various things worked from technical diagrams.

Primarily about the technical side as I wasn't very experienced with technical diagrams.

I would ensure that you are knowledgeable about the internals of turbine engines and the general direction that the company is moving in. I would also look into recent developments as well as old ones such as the use of cooling within the turbine blades. I would recommend taking any opportunities that you get to have practice interviews, although they won't realistically put you under the pressure that you'd feel in the real interview, you can find out how you come across and if you need to do anything differently.

Firstly another test similar to those done on-line in the application process was given, a group exercise was also done, as well as a written managerial test.

The process is the same worldwide...
In the BHE I attended we were 19 of whom 10 was selected to join the company

DAY 1
the day begin at 6:30 am with a brief introduction to the event and the assessors then you will be told to introduce yourself by draw a picture that reflects you and explain why next you will be divided into 2 groups and each one had a poster of the company history and departments core values expansion and each one of us had to talk about something he noticed and then we were given some cards that represent company departments and product lines (7 departments and 11 product lines )to read them and get the basics of each one and then we went to breakfast where the assessors joined us so seem sociable with everyone next we were given several presentations . Listen carefully, because they give important information which you will need to recall in a presentation you are going to give on the second day. One thing to pay extra careful attention to and embed within your head are the core values within BH. This is emphasized upon by the employees a lot, so remember them and use them where possible.

next you will attend 2 tests each 45 mins the first one is maths test (also called IQ or Logical test) it is about Mayan numbers so make sure you know about them before this it include transformation of Mayan numbers to English and vise verse and also addition subtraction multiplication of Mayan numbers take care that when asked to write arabic numbers they actually mean english ones (12345.....the next one is a case study about some safety situation be ware safety comes firstyou will read long passage and answer 9 questions

next you will have to do 5 experiments each of 10 mins

1-Measure the pH of Coke and Coffee You'll be given 3 cups. One has coke, one has coffee and the other have distilled water. You have litmus paper. Using the litmus paper measure the pH of the coke and coffee and record your results you have to dip the paper in each cup for to seconds and then use the legend on the papers' holder to identify PH You now have to record your results of pH using an electronic pH meter. Remember to calibrate it using the distilled water so that the pH of the meter is at 7. There will be an instruction manual for the meter if you don't know how to use it. Use the gloves provided and wear the goggles

2- Measure the values of 4 resistors
You have a piece of equipment that allows you to measure the resistances you will measure 3 of them by the device the last one by the legend

3- Assemble a model
Different parts with labels will be put on the table with a set of assembling instructions. Just follow the instructions and you'll be fine. Remember to wear the goggles provided.

4- Assemble a drill part
Again this is similar to above, just follow the instructions and remember to wear the goggles.

5- Measure the diameter and depth of a model using a Vernier Calliper You'll be given a model of a drill bit for which you have to find several properties, e.g. outer diameter, inner diameter, depth etc using a vernier calliper. Again remember to read the instruction manual thoroughly and quickly. This can be a bit tricky to use if you haven't used one before.

Then we were split into groups again and this time we had to build a rig from a given set of equipment (paper, straws, sellotape) and imaginary money. There are 3 different rig options you can choose. It was a timed session, we had about 45 minutes to build, then each about 5 minutes to present why we chose the materials, rig etc. There are limited materials, so it's based on first come first serve, so don't waste too much time deciding what rig you want to build and what materials you need. Be spontaneous.

Remember this is all about how you work as a team. So make sure you communicate effectively and give everyone a chance to do something they are judging individually so if your team fails its not the end a panel interview at the end of the day with each one of you. You will be asked 3 questions why you want to join BH ? why you want to be field engineer ? and what are your concerns?

day ended at 7 30 pm

DAY 2

At 7:30 AM it began with another presentation for an hour followed by a break. At 8 AM we were given a debating exercise to do. You'll be shown a scenario followed by a number of possible reactions from which you have to choose one Once you've chosen what you'd do, people who picked the same as you will be grouped up and you then have to debate and encourage the other group to come over to your side and why you are correct and they are wrong. They are judging your ability to communicate and persuade. so remember safety honesty and teamwork when you choose

This exercise lasted about an hour and was then followed by another group exercise. Again we were split into groups of 5, this time we had to prepare a 10 minute presentation to give imagining that we are BH employees giving a presentation to University students at a careers fair encouraging them to apply for us. Try and be innovative in your approach. Different groups did different things. Remember to include the core values of BH and how Safety is of paramount importance. You have 15 minutes to prepare, with 10 minutes to present, followed by 5 minutes of questions.

. A panel interview with all the BH staff that were present on the day. Each person was given a different question (typical interview questions)

After this panel interview was the hardest part, waiting for the answer. They tell you a yes or a no on the day.

mention a situation when honesty is not a good value ?
if you have a family commitment and critical work at same time what do you choose ?

check review

very good

My day began with three short 15 minute aptitude tests. The first one was series forming (40 questions). The second was pattern recognition (30 questions). The last one was simple numerical problems (25 questions).
This was followed by three longer tests (30 min, 30 min, 25 min), each with a question that required detailed analysis. The first was to develop an algorithm for a communication example. The second involved the dry run of a simple code. The last was a logic development for a card game. No programming knowledge was necessary; they were simply testing the strength of logic.
At the end, there was an interview to discuss my answers to each of the long questions (mainly 1 and 3) and to identify loopholes in my logic. It went on to include questions about my academic and professional background and future career plans.

The dry run of the program was difficult, simply because it involved about 13 variables, a lot of if-then-else loops, procedure calls and there wasn't enough time.

Practice pattern recognition and dry run of codes.
Make sure your logic holds up against potential threats.

The interviewer seemed very open to various approaches to a problem and during the discussion kept egging me towards possible solutions. The atmosphere was positive and friendly.
The experience was more of a chat and less of an interview.