I applied through a recruiter. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Charles River Laboratories (Horsham, PA)
Interview
I did a brief phone interview with the third party recruiting service they use, then they invited me for an in-person interview. This was, frankly, a bizarre experience. It felt more like they were trying to sell me the job than anything else. They asked almost no questions about my experience in a laboratory setting or with handling animals. Instead, they spent most of their time explaining the "staff implosion" they recently had that led to a large portion of their workforce quitting due to poor management. They explained that because of this, they are extremely understaffed and regularly work 60+ hours per week. They also emphasized the grizzly details of the work, such as euthanizing pregnant animals for hours straight. I am glad that they were transparent about the realities of the job. I've never left an interview being more confident that A) I would receive a job offer and B) I would not be accepting the job offer.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What are your personal feelings regarding the use of animals in pharmaceutical testing?
I applied through an employee referral. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Charles River Laboratories in Aug 2025
Interview
After the online application, there was a mandatory video to watch (about 5 minutes or less) that went in depth about the company and how the jobs could be difficult. There were then 2 quizzes that tested to see if I would be a good fit for the role. After the quizzes were scored and I was considered a good fit, there was a phone screen and one in person interview. It was one of the easiest interview processes I have had in the 6 months on the job market. They were very upfront that the jobs can be challenging.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Name a time when someone acted unethically around you, and how did you respond?
I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at Charles River Laboratories in Mar 2024
Interview
The people conducting my interview were not personable at all, they were about 10 minutes late. The environment felt very outdated and too casual. The "tour" was uninformative and awkward. The interview process was lengthy, difficult, and barely relevant.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Tell us about a time you failed a task at work. A specific time, what you did, and how it went.
I applied online. The process took 6 days. I interviewed at Charles River Laboratories in Jan 2021
Interview
The interview process is easy and fast. The recruiters are very nice people that want you to work for the company. Very responsive to questions and will get back to you quickly. They made sure to keep in touch.