A pharmaceutical manufacturing associate is involved in manufacturing, extraction, processing, and packaging chemical compounds used to manufacture drugs for either humans or animals. Pharmaceutical manufacturing has revolutionized and currently pays more attention to sciences and engineering. The manufacturing process combines two stages. One is the production of the key ingredients, and the other is the processing of the active products into drugs fit for administration.
Pharmaceutical manufacturing allows the flexibility of batch processing.
A pharmaceutical manufacturing associate combines science and engineering principles. Therefore, a pharmaceutical manufacturing associate can perform responsibilities like preparing equipment and materials used for production, operating machinery like autoclaves and washers, and monitoring the production process. In addition, a manufacturing associate ensures the staff has proper PPEs.
As a pharmaceutical manufacturing associate, it is your job to control quality by making proper adjustments to increase efficiency. Also, you are in charge of documentation and reporting while ensuring the process complies with the laws and industry regulations.
Manufacturing Associate Interview Questions
When prepping for an open position as a pharmaceutical manufacturing associate, you should expect some questions. When conversant with possible interview questions, you can practice the answers beforehand.
Below are the top five manufacturing associate interview questions:
Questions of a Personal Nature
The interviewer asks personal questions to know a little bit about you and your values and goals. These types of questions are not about the skills you possess but how you as a person fit into the company.
Some of the questions about you are:
- Why should we hire you?
- How would you describe yourself?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- How do you perform under pressure?
- What motivates you?
- Who are you outside of the work environment?
- Are you passionate about your job?
- What makes you the ideal candidate?
- Where do you envision yourself in five years?
- Why should we hire you?
- What is your most significant achievement in your career so far?
When going for the interview, research the company and understand its work ethics, culture, values, and goals. Then, when answering the questions, ensure your principles align with theirs, and you will stand a better chance than your competitors.
Questions About Work Experience
When it comes to your working experience, give your answers using ‘STAR. stands for outlining the situation, T is the tasks you tackled, A is for your actions, and R is the final results. ‘STAR’ helps you pay attention to details.
Here are some common questions regarding your work experience:
- What is the most challenging situation you faced at work, and how did you handle it?
- Tell us about when you made sacrifices for your work.
- For how long have you been in the field, and what are your achievements?
- Tell us about a mistake you made at work and how you dealt with it.
- How do you handle challenges at work?
- What was your last project in your previous position?
- Why do you want this position more than your previous role?
- Do you find your career rewarding so far?
- Tell us about a time when you took the personal initiative at work and what was the outcome?
- Have you ever had any conflict of interest with your employer?
Questions About the Company
It is crucial to have an in-depth understanding of the company you want to work for. You should research thoroughly about the company to avoid missing important details. Have more knowledge than what is available on their ‘About Us’ web page.
Here are potential questions about the company:
- What value can you add to the company?
- What do you know about our company?
- Is there anything you think we should improve on?
- Why do you want to work with us?
- What is your understanding of the company’s culture and traditions?
- How did you hear about us?
- What do you like most about the company?
- What additional value will you bring?
- Who are our competitors?
Practising the above questions will help you have a better grasp of the company. When you understand their culture, vision, and goals, you will know what they require from a potential team member.
Questions about the Pharmaceutical Industry
Being a biopharmaceutical manufacturing associate, you should have plenty of knowledge of the industry. In addition, understanding the manufacturing industry helps you see the bigger picture regarding your position at the company.
Here are common questions about the industry:
- What are the main challenges facing the industry?
- What are the laws and regulations that affect this industry?
- Do you like working in this industry?
- What is your least favourite thing in this industry?
- What do you like about this industry?
- What is the current major news regarding this industry?
Ensure your answers are well researched to show your interviewer you are genuinely interested in the field. Then, keep up with the current news by networking with other professionals in the area, attending virtual conferences, and following key influencers in the industry.
Questions About the Role
To answer these questions correctly, you need to do extensive research on the role of a manufacturing associate. This will help you understand exactly what position for which you are applying. Some of the questions are:
- What are your salary expectations as a manufacturing associate?
- What are the tasks that come with this role?
- How did you find out about this opening?
- Do you have any experience in this role?
- What do you think success looks like in this role?
- What are the potential challenges of this role?
- How do you intend to cope with challenges?
There is no way you would ask all the above questions in an interview. So, to hire the ideal candidate, it is best to work with a pharmaceutical recruitment firm. Any company looking to recruit requires candidates who match their culture and help the company achieve its goals.
