They're not looking for an actual researcher plain and simple. If you want to pursue an actual researcher career don't apply here it'll destroy your career.
Look at all the other legitimate researcher job posts: they're very specific in what kinds of statistical analysis programs they want you to know, the kinds of experience, etc. Why do you think Riot's job posting is so broad? Because you don't actually need to use those kinds of programming and analysis skills. Why? Because they're not actually looking for a researcher.
They made me go through several interview rounds, courted me through to the onsite. It was there that I found out just how toxic their environment was. From the very first "interview" I was told about previous employees that had been let go and disparaged, which should have been an enormous red flag. The more I spoke to them, the more apparent it became from their questions that they wanted someone who could justify with """"science"""" their bizarre business changes: I include quotes because at one point I was told that they are looking for someone who could spin a story that goes along with sponsor requests even if it went against the insights gleaned from objective numbers. I was rejected pretty much immediately when they realized I would never bs data for them. How do I know? Because that was the feedback they gave me. They literally told me that I was great on all counts except for that point, and that I was encouraged to apply again in a couple months when I learned to answer that question correctly (which just feels morally skeevy).
Laughable that they say that they're a company that prides itself on being player driven. No, they want people who are 'researchers' to make it seem like they're making decisions based on statistics, player outcomes, and player data to shut everyone up and justify profit driven schemes.
It wouldn't be so upsetting if they were at least up front about being a company that, you know, doesn't put players first. I used to love league. I went to their campus excited about what they stood for and left disappointed (but relieved after all of the recent dirt that's been surfacing) at what I saw with my own eyes.
All that said if you want to tell people you're a researcher but don't actually want to do research, this position is probably perfect for you so have at it.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Questions focused on cultural fit.
Since they don't actually want a real researcher, they never asked any questions about experience with statistical analysis programs which is, yknow, generally standard for real researcher positions. Never. Not once in all of the multiple rounds of interviews I did.
But that's okay because they're not looking for someone to do research. They want someone who can make things up and make things up well. Go in with those expectations and you'll do great.
VERY long, over 10 interviews. No take home, thankfully, but the final round required a whole day to go through 5 hours of questioning. Nothing was out of the ordinary, but it felt excessive and disappointing to not get an offer after spending what amounted to 10 hours of interviewing with different Rioters
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Describe a situation where confrontation emerged internally. How did you handle it?
I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at Riot Games (Los Angeles, CA) in Sept 2022
Interview
I made it to 2 out of the 5 phases of the interview. I interviewed with the recruiter and one of the research team member for my technical interview. The entire process from the application submission to technical interview took about a month. I was told initially by the recruiter that I am one of the last people who is getting interviewed for the position and that everyone have been way ahead of me in the process. After that statement, I felt like the research team already knew who to pick for the role, but I stayed interviewing with them anyway. In the end, I asked for feedback but they denied my request. I applied to Riot before and what I know about them is that they are very keen in giving feedback. But I guess they changed that part of the process now. So if you like receiving feedback from interviews, don't expect it from Riot. Overall, my experience with the entire interview process was okay. The recruiter seemed enthusiastic and helpful. The technical interviewer was knowledgeable. But in my opinion, the process lacked the capacity to assess the real strength/weaknesses of a candidate.
I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at Riot Games (Los Angeles, CA) in Jan 2022
Interview
Schedule an interview, conduct the interview, wait for response. Rinse and repeat. The process itself is straightforward, however the hiring team may get mixed up in filtering candidates even after an interview is scheduled.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Describe a time when you had to make a compromise on a team
