10X Genomics is at the forefront of accelerating our understanding of biology, transforming the possibilities of scientific research. Their groundbreaking technologies enable scientists to push the boundaries of discovery in fields such as cancer, immunology, and neuroscience.

Stepping into the role of a Product Manager at 10X Genomics requires not only a deep technical knowledge of life sciences and genomics but also robust skills in product management, customer advocacy, and market analysis. The position involves leading the development and lifecycle management of innovative products, working closely with cross-functional teams, and directly engaging with customers to shape the future of biological research tools.

This guide is designed to prepare you for the interview process at 10X Genomics, covering key aspects of the role, essential qualifications, and what to expect during your interview. Let's get started with Interview Query!

Submitting Your Application

The first step is to submit a compelling application that reflects your technical skills and interest in joining 10X Genomics as a Product Manager. Whether you were contacted by a recruiter or have taken the initiative yourself, carefully review the job description and tailor your CV according to the prerequisites.

Tailoring your CV may include identifying specific keywords that the hiring manager might use to filter resumes and crafting a targeted cover letter. Furthermore, don’t forget to highlight relevant skills and mention your work experiences.

Recruiter/Hiring Manager Call Screening

If your CV happens to be among the shortlisted few, a recruiter from the 10X Genomics Talent Acquisition Team will make contact and verify key details like your experiences and skill level. Behavioral questions may also be a part of the screening process.

In some cases, the 10X Genomics hiring manager may also be present during the screening round to answer your queries about the role and the company itself. They may indulge in surface-level technical and behavioral discussions.

The whole recruiter call should take about 30 minutes.

Technical Virtual Interview

Successfully navigating the recruiter round will present you with an invitation for the technical screening round. Technical screening for the 10X Genomics Product Manager role usually is conducted through virtual means, including video conferences and screen sharing. Questions in this 1-hour long interview stage may revolve around product management principles, market needs, and competitive landscape interpretation.

In the case of senior-level roles, take-home assignments or case studies that simulate real-scenario problems may also be assigned. Your proficiency in prioritizing feature requests, evaluating product fit, and making trade-off decisions will be tested.

Onsite Interview Rounds

Followed by a second recruiter call outlining the next stage, you’ll be invited to attend the onsite interview loop. Multiple interview rounds, varying with the role, will be conducted during your day at the 10X Genomics office. Your technical prowess, including knowledge of genomics and molecular biology, alongside your product management capabilities, will be evaluated against the finalized candidates throughout these interviews.

If you were assigned take-home exercises, a presentation round may also await you during the onsite interview for the Product Manager role at 10X Genomics.

Quick Tips For 10X Genomics Product Manager Interviews

• Know Your Products and Market: 10X Genomics places a strong emphasis on understanding market needs and gaps. Brush up on your knowledge of genomics, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and molecular biology to showcase your domain expertise.

• Be Customer-Centric: As a Product Manager, you will serve as the primary customer advocate. Prepare to discuss how you’ve prioritized feature requests and addressed customer needs in past roles.

• Demonstrate Cross-Functional Collaboration: The role at 10X Genomics requires collaboration with various internal teams. Practice scenarios where you led cross-functional teams to launch successful products.

Typically, interviews at 10X Genomics vary by role and team, but commonly Product Manager interviews follow a fairly standardized process across these question topics.

• Write a function calculate_rmse to calculate the root mean squared error of a regression model. The function should take in two lists, one that represents the predictions y_pred and another with the target values y_true.

• Write a query to get the last transaction for each day from a table of bank transactions. Given a table of bank transactions with columns id, transaction_value, and created_at, write a query to get the last transaction for each day. The output should include the id of the transaction, datetime of the transaction, and the transaction amount. Order the transactions by datetime.

• Write a function random_key that returns a key at random with a probability proportional to the weights. Given a dictionary with weights, write a function random_key that returns a key at random with a probability proportional to the weights.

• Write a function to get a sample from a standard normal distribution. Create a function to generate a sample from a standard normal distribution.

• Write an efficient function nearest_entries to find the closest element to N and its k-next and k-previous elements in a sorted list. Given a sorted list of integers ints with no duplicates, write an efficient function nearest_entries that takes in integers N and k and returns the element closest to N along with the k-next and k-previous elements.

• What metrics/graphs/models would you use to analyze churn behavior for Netflix's pricing plans? Netflix has two pricing plans: $15/month or $100/year. An executive wants to analyze the churn behavior of users subscribing to either plan. What kinds of metrics, graphs, and models would you build to provide an overarching view of subscription performance?

• How would you build a model to predict which merchants DoorDash should acquire in a new market? As a data scientist at DoorDash, how would you build a model to predict which merchants the company should target for acquisition when entering a new market?

• How would you value the benefit of keeping a hit TV show on Netflix? Netflix executives are considering renewing a deal with another TV network for exclusive streaming rights to a hit TV series. The show has been on Netflix for a year. How would you approach valuing the benefit of keeping this show on Netflix?

• How would you measure and address the success of LinkedIn’s newsfeed ranking algorithm?

• How would you measure the success of LinkedIn’s newsfeed ranking algorithm?

• If some success metrics for the newsfeed algorithm are increasing while others are decreasing, how would you approach this situation?

• How would you determine if the results of an AB test for a landing page redesign are statistically significant? We want to launch a redesign of a landing page to improve the click-through rate using an AB test. How would you infer if the results of the click-through rate were statistically significant or not?

• How would you explain what a p-value is to someone who is not technical? Explain the concept of a p-value in simple terms to a non-technical person. Use analogies or everyday examples to make the explanation clear and understandable.

• How many more samples would we need to decrease the margin of error from 3 to 0.3? Given a sample size (n) with a margin of error of 3, calculate the additional number of samples required to reduce the margin of error to 0.3.

• How would you determine if the results of an AB test on a landing page redesign are statistically significant? Describe the process of analyzing AB test results to determine if the observed differences in click-through rates are statistically significant. Include steps such as hypothesis testing and p-value calculation.

• How would you build a model to predict which merchants DoorDash should acquire in a new market? As a data scientist at DoorDash, describe the steps you would take to build a predictive model for identifying which merchants the company should target for acquisition when entering a new market.

• How would you assign point values to letters in Spanish Scrabble if you don't know Spanish? If tasked with building Scrabble for Spanish users and you don't know Spanish, explain your approach to assigning point values to each letter.

What is the average salary for a Product Manager at 10X Genomics?

Q: What does a Product Manager at 10X Genomics do? A: A Product Manager at 10X Genomics leads the execution of product management activities, defines and sustains business plans for their product lines, conducts market research, interfaces with customers and internal teams, and manages product life cycles. They'll work with various stakeholders to ensure products meet customer needs and are competitive in the market.

Q: What qualifications are needed for a Product Manager position at 10X Genomics? A: Typically, a Bachelor’s degree is required, with a preference for advanced degrees like an MS or PhD in a relevant field. Candidates need several years of experience in product management or a related role, strong technical knowledge, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work in cross-functional teams. Specific roles may require domain knowledge in fields like genomics, NGS, or related life sciences.

Q: What is the company culture like at 10X Genomics? A: 10X Genomics fosters an inclusive and dynamic environment focused on innovation and discovery. Teams are encouraged to follow their passions, pursue new ideas, and perform at their best. The company values generalist skill sets, rational decision-making, and believes in empowering highly capable people with interesting challenges.

Q: What perks do employees at 10X Genomics enjoy? A: Employees at 10X Genomics enjoy competitive pay including a strong base salary, equity, annual bonuses, health plans, life insurance, and 401(k) benefits. The company also offers flexible working arrangements, with some positions having work-from-home flexibility, and provides daily lunch and unlimited snacks at their headquarters.

Q: How should I prepare for an interview at 10X Genomics? A: To prepare for an interview at 10X Genomics, it is important to deeply understand their products and market landscape. Practice common interview questions and review your technical skills. Additionally, research the company’s culture and align your experiences with their mission. You can find detailed interview preparation resources on Interview Query.

If you want more insights about the company, check out our main 10X Genomics Interview Guide, where we have covered many interview questions that could be asked. We’ve also created interview guides for other roles, such as software engineer and data analyst, where you can learn more about 10X Genomics’ interview process for different positions.

At Interview Query, we empower you to unlock your interview prowess with a comprehensive toolkit, equipping you with the knowledge, confidence, and strategic guidance to conquer every 10X Genomics product manager interview question and challenge.

You can check out all our company interview guides for better preparation, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Good luck with your interview!