20+ Research Engineer Interview Questions and Answers

Used high degree polynomial fit for better accuracy

• Higher degree polynomial fits can capture more complex relationships between variables

• May be necessary for accurate predictions in certain scenarios

• However, can lead to overfitting if not used carefully

Active filters are electronic circuits that use active components to filter out unwanted signals from a circuit.

• Different types of active filters include low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, and band-stop filters.

• Designing an active filter involves selecting the appropriate filter topology, choosing the cutoff frequency and gain, and selecting the appropriate active components such as operational amplifiers.

• For example, a Sallen-Key filter is a common type of active filter that us...read more

Digital offers better accuracy, flexibility, and storage capabilities than analog.

• Digital signals can be processed and manipulated with greater precision than analog signals.

• Digital systems are more flexible and can be easily reconfigured or updated compared to analog systems.

• Digital data can be easily stored and retrieved, whereas analog data requires physical storage space.

• Examples include digital audio and video recording, digital communication systems, and digital medical...read more

Thermo-acoustic instabilities are oscillations in gas turbines caused by the interaction between combustion and acoustics.

• Occurs when the heat release rate and the acoustic modes of the combustor are coupled

• Can lead to high-amplitude pressure oscillations that can damage the turbine

• Can be mitigated by altering the geometry of the combustor or by using active control methods

• Examples include the Helmholtz resonator and the Rijke tube

The procedure for new product development involves idea generation, market research, design, testing, and launch.

• Idea generation: Brainstorming sessions, customer feedback, market trends.

• Market research: Analyzing competition, target audience, demand.

• Design: Creating prototypes, refining features, ensuring usability.

• Testing: Conducting trials, gathering feedback, making improvements.

• Launch: Marketing strategies, distribution channels, customer support.

Develop a Gazebo simulation for a robot capable of detecting and tracking objects using sensors and algorithms.

• Use ROS (Robot Operating System) for integrating sensors and controlling the robot.

• Implement computer vision algorithms like OpenCV for object detection.

• Utilize Gazebo's simulation environment to create a realistic world with objects.

• Incorporate a tracking algorithm, such as Kalman Filter, to follow detected objects.

• Test the system with various object shapes and size...read more

Robotics operating system (ROS) is a flexible framework for developing robot software.

• ROS provides libraries and tools to help software developers create robot applications.

• It offers a communication infrastructure for connecting different components of a robot system.

• ROS supports various programming languages such as C++, Python, and Java.

• It has a large community of developers who contribute to its development and maintenance.

• ROS is used in various fields such as industrial a...read more

Arrays are used to store multiple values of the same data type. Pointers are used to store memory addresses of variables.

• Arrays are accessed using index notation, e.g. array[0]

• Pointers can be used to access array elements, e.g. *(array+0)

• Arrays can decay into pointers when passed to functions

• Pointers can be used to dynamically allocate memory for arrays

Ripple power supplies are electronic devices that convert AC voltage to DC voltage with a small amount of AC ripple.

• They are commonly used in electronic devices such as computers and televisions.

• The ripple voltage can cause interference with sensitive electronic components.

• Ripple power supplies can be regulated or unregulated.

• Regulated ripple power supplies use feedback to maintain a constant output voltage.

• Unregulated ripple power supplies do not use feedback and have a vary...read more

To draw a PID list, you can use system commands or programming languages to list all running processes.

• Use system commands like 'ps' or 'top' in Unix-based systems to list all running processes

• In Windows, use 'tasklist' command to list processes

• In programming languages like Python, use 'psutil' library to get PID list

BFS algorithm is used to traverse a graph in a breadth-first manner.

• BFS starts at the root node and explores all the neighboring nodes at the current depth before moving to the next depth.

• It uses a queue data structure to keep track of the nodes to be visited.

• BFS can be used to find the shortest path between two nodes in an unweighted graph.

• Example problem: Given a binary tree, find its minimum depth.

Use SQL query with ORDER BY and LIMIT to find 2nd highest salary.

• Use SELECT statement to retrieve salary column

• Use ORDER BY clause to sort salaries in descending order

• Use LIMIT 1,1 to skip the highest salary and retrieve the 2nd highest salary

I am a passionate Research Engineer with a strong background in machine learning and data analysis, eager to innovate and solve complex problems.

• Educational Background: I hold a Master's degree in Computer Science, specializing in Artificial Intelligence.

• Professional Experience: I have worked for 3 years at XYZ Corp, developing predictive models that improved operational efficiency by 20%.

• Technical Skills: Proficient in Python, R, and TensorFlow, with hands-on experience in d...read more

I have a strong background in engineering, focusing on research and development in innovative technologies.

• Completed a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering with a focus on signal processing.

• Worked on a project that developed a machine learning algorithm for predictive maintenance in manufacturing.

• Interned at a tech company where I contributed to the design of a new sensor system, improving data accuracy by 30%.

• Published a paper on optimization techniques in a peer-review...read more

Smart pointers are objects that manage the memory of dynamically allocated objects in C++ to prevent memory leaks.

• Smart pointers automatically handle memory deallocation

• Types of smart pointers include unique_ptr, shared_ptr, and weak_ptr

• Example: unique_ptr ptr(new int(5));

Reverse a given string

• Create a new string and iterate through the original string in reverse order, appending each character to the new string

• Alternatively, use built-in functions like reverse() or StringBuilder in languages like Python or Java

• Example: Input 'hello' -> Output 'olleh'

Introducing bias is not useful in research as it can lead to inaccurate results and unethical practices.

• Bias can lead to inaccurate results and skew the findings of a study

• It can also lead to unethical practices such as discrimination and prejudice

• Researchers should strive to eliminate bias in their studies to ensure validity and reliability

• Examples of bias include selection bias, confirmation bias, and publication bias

Yes

• I have relevant work experience in conducting research and development in the field of engineering.

• During my previous role as a Research Engineer at XYZ Company, I worked on various projects related to developing new technologies and improving existing systems.

• I conducted experiments, collected and analyzed data, and presented findings to the team.

• I also collaborated with cross-functional teams to design and implement solutions to engineering challenges.

• One example of my w...read more

To reverse a word in a string, split the string, reverse the target word, and join it back into the original string format.

• String Splitting: Use a method to split the string into an array of words. Example: 'Hello World' becomes ['Hello', 'World'].

• Word Reversal: Identify the word to reverse and reverse its characters. Example: 'World' becomes 'dlroW'.

• Joining: Combine the words back into a string after reversing the target word. Example: 'Hello dlroW'.

• In-Place Reversal: If nee...read more

C++ concepts include object-oriented programming, classes, inheritance, polymorphism, templates, and memory management.

• Object-oriented programming is a programming paradigm based on the concept of objects, which can contain data in the form of fields and code in the form of procedures.

• Classes are user-defined data types that contain data members and member functions.

• Inheritance allows a class to inherit properties and behavior from another class.

• Polymorphism allows objects of...read more

Memory layout in C program refers to how variables are stored in memory.

• Variables are stored in memory in a specific order based on their data types and sizes.

• Local variables are typically stored on the stack, while dynamically allocated memory is stored on the heap.

• Memory layout also includes the concept of memory alignment to optimize memory access.

• Example: int x; char c; double d; will be stored in memory as x -> c -> padding -> d.

Orthographic projections are 2D representations of a 3D object from different views.

• Orthographic projections show the object from the front, top, and side views.

• Each view is drawn as if looking directly at that face of the object.

• Lines representing the edges of the object are projected onto the 2D plane.

• The views are typically labeled as front (F), top (T), and side (S).

I have experience with various tech stacks including Python, TensorFlow, and cloud services for machine learning projects.

• Utilized Python for data analysis and machine learning model development.

• Implemented TensorFlow for building and training neural networks.

• Leveraged AWS for deploying machine learning models and managing data storage.

• Used Docker for containerization to ensure consistent environments across development and production.

• Employed Git for version control and coll...read more

CFD is a branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical methods and algorithms to solve and analyze problems involving fluid flow.

• CFD stands for Computational Fluid Dynamics

• It involves using numerical methods to solve and analyze fluid flow problems

• Applications include aerodynamics, heat transfer, and chemical reactions

• Common software used for CFD simulations include ANSYS Fluent, OpenFOAM, and COMSOL Multiphysics

Distillation is a separation process used to purify liquids by heating them to create vapor and then cooling the vapor to collect the purified liquid.

• Distillation involves heating a liquid to create vapor and then cooling the vapor to collect the purified liquid

• Types of distillation include simple distillation, fractional distillation, and steam distillation

• Simple distillation is used to separate components with large boiling point differences, while fractional distillation i...read more