I applied online. The process took 3 months. I interviewed at Merck (Kenilworth, NJ) in Mar 2014
Interview
After waiting a months after my online application I received an email invite to interview with my boss-to-be and one other principal scientist. After setting up a date the interview was conducted over the phone and finished in about 45 minutes after some back and forth questions. I had the exact qualifications/experience they were looking for so the offer letter came a week after the interview. Great, smooth process with no hassle.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Review past experience on your resume and tell me more about beyond what's on the paper.
The interview process was quick and easy, I got an email straight from the hiring manager and only had to give one interview, all the people were super nice and welcoming.
First they did a phone interview and then two panel interviews. They ask usual questions, nothing technical based. The panels consisted of 3 people each. Took a while to get back and let you know your results.
It was a very average difficulty process. It did not take as long as other companies in this space to get back to me, and I felt like I was supported throughout the process.