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The Path to Joining Cesium

Paige Ferguson

We continue to refine our hiring process. Since this post was published, we have moved the project up before the technical interview so that it takes place right after the first interview.

Since Cesium spun out, we have grown dramatically, and we continue to actively seek out the best talent. We are hiring a variety of roles to help us build the future of 3D geospatial, and we have worked hard to create an effective recruiting process that provides a great candidate experience.

Like building code, we are always iterating on our processes at Cesium. As we temporarily adjust to working remotely because of the pandemic, we’ve also adjusted our hiring process to accommodate the current conditions. Here is a real look at how we create an equitable interview experience for every candidate we meet, even if it’s not face to face.

In person or online, we’re working together.

The Application

While we hire for specific roles that align with our immediate goals, more than anything, we are looking for great developers.

For each role, we request a formal application including a resume, with the option of a cover letter or portfolio. Portfolios are particularly important for our more creative roles where your design skills will come into play.

We also ask all candidates why they want to work at Cesium. What excites you about Cesium? Have you been inspired by the discussions on our forum, played around with the code examples in Cesium Sandcastle, or even opened a pull request for one of our beginner issues in CesiumJS? When that thoughtfulness shines through, it makes a real difference.

First Interview

Since the pandemic prevents us from meeting in person, currently all of our interviews are conducted over video chat. While this can’t replace face to face interaction or touring our office space, we make room in these calls for genuine connections so that when you join the team, you’ll already feel comfortable with some familiar faces.

In this initial video call, scheduled after reviewing your resume and portfolio, you’ll meet with me. I’ll tell you all about who we are at Cesium, what we do, and how the role you’re interested in works into our organization and our goals. I’ll also ask you to share your background and experience.

Technical Interview

The next step is a technical interview with two members of the hiring team to dig into the details of the role. The goal of this interview is to learn more about your tech skills and how they overlap with the tech stack we are using. We won’t ask you to do whiteboard coding or to solve obscure academic exercises that are far removed from the real work we do every day. At Cesium we use the whiteboard only as it’s intended: for brainstorming and design.

Project

The next round is a project. This a chance for you to show off your skills in a way that you can’t otherwise achieve in traditional interviews or coding challenges. While we’re interested to see the results of your project, we’re even more interested in your approach to the problem at hand.

After you finish the project, which we limit to 3 hours, you’ll have a chance to discuss it with members of the tech team you’d be joining. Our work is intensely collaborative, and this is an opportunity for all of us to explore the dynamics of working together.

Final Interview

The last round of the interview process is to meet with our CEO, Patrick Cozzi. He is highly involved in hiring for all roles and meets with each prospective team member to discuss more about life at Cesium and our goals for the future.

After that, if the fit is right for everyone, we’ll be happy to welcome you to the Cesium team!

How to Prepare as a Candidate

  • Know Why. Provide a clear idea of why you want to work at Cesium. We are building a truly cutting-edge platform that will transform multiple industries, so whether you are passionate about solving tough graphics problems or about the potential real-world impact of your work, being able to articulate how Cesium inspires you will inspire us. We want to know what you’re looking for in the role you’re applying for and in a workplace culture to ensure we’re a good fit.
  • Do the Research. We don’t expect you to be an expert, but take the time to learn about our product and our team before the interview. Maybe you notice a shared school with one of our team members or have a particular interest in our Smart Construction work—let us know!
  • Bring questions. Thoughtful questions can provide more information about a candidate than anything else. Asking about things like our company culture, how we communicate, and what makes it fun to work here show you are interested in finding the right fit for you.

Check out our careers page. We can’t wait to meet you!