The process was incredibly thorough and spanned several months, from May to the end of August. It involved an initial screening, a comprehensive take-home assignment, a virtual presentation, and culminated in a full-day on-site interview with nearly a dozen members of the technical and scientific staff. The on-site interviews were engaging, and the technical problems discussed were challenging and relevant. The team at Janelia is clearly brilliant and passionate about their work. The positive experience ended abruptly after the on-site visit. Despite the significant time invested, there was a complete communication breakdown. Over the next three weeks, I received no updates. My follow-up emails to the hiring manager went unanswered. It was only after I sent a final, direct email to the recruiter that I prompted a response. I was then sent a generic rejection email stating they were "pursuing other candidates whose qualifications more closely align with our current needs". I had to actively chase them for a rejection.