<< Back to question bank

Feb 2025

How to answer this Situational interview question about Equipment Troubleshooting for Senior-Level Laboratory Chemist?

What steps do you take to troubleshoot equipment malfunctions during an experiment?

A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.
Laboratory Chemist

Situational

Asked at

Merck

Difficulty :

Hard

A modern, rounded square webclip or app icon with a soft gradient background, representing a mobile-friendly shortcut or digital brand identity for quick access and visual consistency.
A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.

Explanation

This question assesses your problem-solving skills and ability to handle equipment failures in the lab without compromising the experiment. Recruiters are looking for candidates who can diagnose issues, minimize downtime, and ensure data integrity. A strong answer will include examples of troubleshooting techniques and preventive maintenance. Avoid failing to address documentation and collaboration.

A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.

Answer Example

I troubleshoot equipment malfunctions by isolating the issue, consulting equipment manuals, and performing basic checks like recalibration or software updates. For example, during an HPLC analysis, I identified pressure fluctuations caused by a clogged column, which I resolved by flushing the system. I also documented the issue in the maintenance log and coordinated with the technical support team for a long-term solution. This ensures minimal disruption and reliable data.

Also check out

A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.
Investment Banking

How would you approach creating a pitch book for a client considering an IPO?

Technical

Asked at

Credit Suisse

Difficulty :

Medium

A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.
Electronic Engineer

What steps do you take to ensure compliance with EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) standards in electronic designs?

Ethics and Integrity

Asked at

Siemens

Difficulty :

Medium

A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.
Journalist

Describe a time when you uncovered a major story through investigative journalism. What was your process?

Behavioural

Asked at

ProPublica

Difficulty :

Hard

A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.
Fintech Development Officer

How would you handle a situation where a fintech product you deployed has a critical bug impacting users?

Situational

Asked at

Revolut

Difficulty :

Hard

A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.
Compliance

What steps would you take to ensure compliance with client confidentiality policies during audits?

Technical

Asked at

KPMG

Difficulty :

Medium

How it works?

Perfect applications in one click.

A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.

Step 1:
Create a profile

Create your profile by uploading an existing resume or create one from scratch using our resume builder.

A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.

Step 2:
Find a job post

Start searching for jobs anywhere you want and paste the job description in the box in FirstResume.

A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.

Step 3:
One click .. and done

One click, and we will track your job with AI, analyse your compatibility, create your perfect resume and more, ready to apply.

That's it! Give it a go!
Get updates and career content

Subscribe to our newsletter

We frequently write blogs that help our community with their career growth! Don't miss out!

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Talk to us directly

Join us on Discord

Discord is where we give updates, offer member exclusive giveaways, and help each other grow on our careers.

Join Server

Your success begins here.

Get Started Now
A modern, rounded square webclip or app icon with a soft gradient background, representing a mobile-friendly shortcut or digital brand identity for quick access and visual consistency.
Product
AI ResumeAI Cover LetterAI Outreach EmailAI Interview PrepJob Application TrackerAI Job MatchingPricing
Resources
About UsBlogCareer Glossaryuntil replaced by AI ✨Product RoadmapFeedbackTerms & ConditionsPrivacy Policy
Made by FirstResume with❤️ | Copyright © 2024 FirstResume