Several weeks after applying for the position, I received a phone call in the evening asking if I was available for a phone interview the following day at 11am. I happily agreed and prepared accordingly, but didn't receive the call from my contact until about noon. At that time, she informed me her prior interview had run long and suggested we reschedule for 5pm that same day. It was clear she was in the midst of lunch hour (from the audible background noise) and she offered no apology, but given my strong interest in JPL, I was happy to reschedule. Come 5pm, my contact began the interview by misquoting the dates of my most recent employment. At her prompting, I then walked her through my resume noting the correct dates, highlighted how my work history qualified me for the Staff Assistant role, and called attention to several of my strengths/achievements. At several points during this overview, she interrupted to state, "I don't understand," and repeatedly pressed for information on why I left my former job. Her tone at this point became somewhat hostile, but I tried to answer honestly, articulate clearly and reiterate I'd left my former role on good terms, then direct her attention to the reasons I was highly interested in JPL. She seemed disinterested, and only briefly touched on the requirements of the role before rushing me to any closing questions. I asked about the day to day workflow, and how she liked working at JPL. She responded that she "had worked there for 10 years, so obviously liked it a lot." I thanked her for time and let her know I was happy to provide any other info needed. There were a number of red flags in the process, and from the onset, it was clear I was never going to be considered for the position. My contact was a senior member of the department I was interviewing for, not an HR professional, and my sense was she had already identified an internal candidate. That said, even if she was simply going through the motions of "good" hiring practices, it was one of the least professional interactions I've had to date. Not surprisingly, I never received any follow up or feedback.

The interview process was great. You get greeted by someone in the HR department, and then meet with the supervisors hiring for that position. Everyone was very nice, and easy to speak with. The campus/facility is amazing, and everyone there is very friendly. You have to be escorted by someone during the entire process because if you are not an employee you cannot walk in on your own.