General Atomics Technical Writer III interview questions

Though the actual onsite interview was 1 day, the interview process also included a phone interview with 3 guys at the other end (telecon) and 2 subsequent individual phone interviews. It was 2 1/2 weeks between the phone and onsite interviews. The phone interview consisted of typical interview type questions. The onsite interview was 4.5 hours, from 11:30 am to about 4 pm. I naively thought I'd be treated to lunch, but that didn't happen. TIP: It is suggested that candidates eat something just prior to the interview to avoid fading later like I did. The interview agenda started with a meeting with an HR person. This was followed by a tour of the expansive plant by one guy from the technical writing team, and then an interview meeting with a panel of 4 guys from the team. There was an Alpha male (AM) who did most of the talking. AM informed me that writers go to Palmdale/Lancaster (flight testing operations) for days at a time and asked if that would be an issue...I said "no". AM also asked me to draw on the whiteboard a PNP and NPN transistor and an OR gate. AM also asked me to describe the amplifying operation of the transistor. AM also asked insightful questions that included the following: What would you do if you won the lottery? What is the most Out-Of-Box thing you did at work? Following the panel discussion, I was lead to AM's office where I was asked to write a troubleshooting procedure for a inoperative wing strobe light (I was provided with a diagram of the system, and a paper pad and pencil). Also on the agenda was a 1:1 interview with what I believe to be the department head, but he was out...so I was then sent home. In my opinion the whole process was a bit of an ordeal.