Bentley Systems is a global leader in providing software solutions for infrastructure engineering, known for its robust and innovative technology spanning across various sectors such as construction, transportation, and utilities. Bentley’s mission is to advance the world's infrastructure by delivering software innovations for the design, construction, and operation of infrastructure.

The Research Scientist position at Bentley Systems is an intellectually stimulating role that demands a high level of expertise in data analysis, machine learning, and domain-specific knowledge related to infrastructure. Successful candidates will contribute to cutting-edge research projects and collaborate with engineers and industry experts to develop advanced solutions that push the boundaries of current technology.

If you're considering joining Bentley Systems as a Research Scientist, Interview Query will guide you through the interview process, provide common interview questions, and share valuable tips to help you succeed. Let's get started!

Submitting Your Application

The first step is to submit a compelling application that reflects your technical skills and interest in joining Bentley Systems as a Research Scientist. Whether you were contacted by a Bentley Systems 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 Bentley Systems 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 Bentley Systems hiring manager might be present during the screening round to answer your queries about the role and the company itself. They may also 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 Bentley Systems Research Scientist role usually is conducted through virtual means, including video conference and screen sharing. Questions in this 1-hour long interview stage may revolve around Bentley Systems' areas of research, data science processes, and technical methodologies.

In the case of research scientist roles, take-home assignments regarding experimental design, data analysis, and scientific programming are incorporated. Apart from these, your proficiency against hypothesis testing, statistical modeling, and machine learning fundamentals may also be assessed during the round.

Depending on the seniority of the position, case studies and similar real-scenario problems may also be assigned.

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 Bentley Systems office. Your technical prowess, including research abilities and modeling 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 Research Scientist role at Bentley Systems.

Quick Tips For Bentley Systems Research Scientist Interviews

• Should contain three tips for interviewing for this specific company based on interview experiences.

Example:

You should plan to brush up on any technical skills and try as many practice interview questions and mock interviews as possible. A few tips for acing your Bentley Systems interview include:

• Know Bentley Systems Products and Research Areas: Bentley Systems questions are standardized and rely heavily on situational scenarios with their technologies. Study Bentley Systems’ broad range of products and understand how you would personally contribute to their research initiatives.
• Be Data and Research Driven: Bentley Systems' interviews assess how well you can provide scientifically-driven insights with data analysis. Brush up on your knowledge of scientific methodologies and statistical analysis, given these questions can be some of the hardest to solve.
• Embody the Spirit of Innovation: Bentley Systems at its core has a collaborative culture that values innovative research. Practice responding to behavioral questions with answers that touch on Bentley Systems’ core values.

Typically, interviews at Bentley Systems vary by role and team, but commonly Research Scientist interviews follow a fairly standardized process across these question topics.

• Write a SQL query to select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department. Write a SQL query to select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department. If more than one person shares the highest salary, the query should select the next highest salary.

• Write a function to merge two sorted lists into one sorted list. Given two sorted lists, write a function to merge them into one sorted list. Bonus: Determine the time complexity.

• Create a function missing_number to find the missing number in an array. You have an array of integers, nums of length n spanning 0 to n with one missing. Write a function missing_number that returns the missing number in the array. Complexity of (O(n)) required.

• Develop a function precision_recall to calculate precision and recall metrics from a 2-D matrix. Given a 2-D matrix P of predicted values and actual values, write a function precision_recall to calculate precision and recall metrics. Return the ordered pair (precision, recall).

• Write a function to search for a target value in a rotated sorted array. Suppose an array sorted in ascending order is rotated at some pivot unknown to you beforehand. You are given a target value to search. If the value is in the array, return its index; otherwise, return -1. Bonus: Your algorithm's runtime complexity should be in the order of (O(\log n)).

• Would you think there was anything fishy about the results of an A/B test with 20 variants? Your manager ran an A/B test with 20 different variants and found one significant result. Would you suspect any issues with these results?

• How would you set up an A/B test to optimize button color and position for higher click-through rates? A team wants to A/B test changes in a sign-up funnel, such as changing a button from red to blue and/or moving it from the top to the bottom of the page. How would you design this test?

• What would you do if friend requests on Facebook are down 10%? A product manager at Facebook reports a 10% decrease in friend requests. What steps would you take to address this issue?

• Why might the number of job applicants be decreasing while job postings remain the same? You observe that the number of job postings per day has remained constant, but the number of applicants has been steadily decreasing. What could be causing this trend?

• What are the drawbacks of the given student test score datasets, and how would you reformat them for better analysis? You have data on student test scores in two different layouts. What are the drawbacks of these formats, and what changes would you make to improve their usefulness for analysis? Additionally, describe common problems in "messy" datasets.

• Is this a fair coin? You flip a coin 10 times, and it comes up tails 8 times and heads twice. Determine if the coin is fair based on this outcome.

• Write a function to calculate sample variance from a list of integers. Create a function that takes a list of integers and returns the sample variance, rounded to 2 decimal places. Example input: test_list = [6, 7, 3, 9, 10, 15]. Example output: get_variance(test_list) -> 13.89.

• Is there anything suspicious about the A/B test results with 20 variants? Your manager ran an A/B test with 20 different variants and found one significant result. Evaluate if there is anything suspicious about these results.

• Write a function to return the median value of a list in O(1) time and space. Given a sorted list of integers where more than 50% of the list is the same repeating integer, write a function to return the median value in O(1) computational time and space. Example input: li = [1,2,2]. Example output: median(li) -> 2.

• What are the drawbacks of the given student test score data layouts? You have data on student test scores in two different layouts. Identify the drawbacks of these layouts, suggest formatting changes for better analysis, and describe common problems in "messy" datasets.

• How would you evaluate whether using a decision tree algorithm is the correct model for predicting loan repayment? You are tasked with building a decision tree model to predict if a borrower will pay back a personal loan. How would you evaluate the suitability of a decision tree algorithm for this problem? Additionally, how would you evaluate the model's performance before and after deployment?

• How does random forest generate the forest and why use it over logistic regression? Explain the process by which a random forest generates its forest of decision trees. Additionally, discuss why one might choose random forest over logistic regression for certain problems.

• When would you use a bagging algorithm versus a boosting algorithm? Compare two machine learning algorithms. In which scenarios would you prefer a bagging algorithm over a boosting algorithm? Provide examples of the tradeoffs between the two.

• How would you justify using a neural network for a business problem and explain its predictions to non-technical stakeholders? Your manager asks you to build a model with a neural network to solve a business problem. How would you justify the complexity of this model and explain its predictions to non-technical stakeholders?

• What metrics would you use to track the accuracy and validity of a spam classifier? You are tasked with building a spam classifier for emails and have completed a V1 of the model. What metrics would you use to track the accuracy and validity of this model?

What is the average salary for a Research Scientist at Bentley Systems?

Q: What can you tell me about Bentley Systems?
Bentley Systems is a global leader in providing software solutions for advancing infrastructure. They focus on software for the design, construction, and operations of infrastructure, including roads, bridges, buildings, and public utilities.

Q: What is the role of a Research Scientist at Bentley Systems?
As a Research Scientist at Bentley Systems, you will participate in developing innovative solutions and technologies to support infrastructure projects. This can involve data analysis, machine learning, and software development to solve complex engineering problems and enhance the company's software offerings.

Q: What qualifications are required for a Research Scientist position?
Typically, a candidate needs a Ph.D. or a Master’s degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field. Practical experience in machine learning, data analysis, and software development is highly preferred, along with a strong problem-solving ability.

Q: What is the interview process for the Research Scientist position at Bentley Systems?
The interview process generally involves an initial phone screen with HR, followed by technical interviews with team members where you may be asked to solve problems, discuss your previous research, and showcase your technical skills. There may also be a final interview round with senior management.

Q: How can I prepare for an interview at Bentley Systems?
To prepare, research Bentley Systems' projects and technologies. Practice common technical and behavioral interview questions with Interview Query. Brush up on your problem-solving and technical skills, and be ready to discuss your past research and how it aligns with Bentley Systems’ goals.

Embark on an exciting journey with Bentley Systems as a Research Scientist and unlock the opportunity to shape the future of infrastructure and digital advancements. Our comprehensive Bentley Systems Interview Guide is packed with insights and detailed coverage of potential interview questions and processes tailored for various roles within the company, from software engineer to data analyst.

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 question and challenge Bentley Systems throws your way.

Start your preparation now with all our company interview guides. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Good luck with your interview!