I applied in-person. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Solvay (Bruselas) in Dec 2012
Interview
First contact via phone, fast reaction after submission of cv. Very good contact with hr recruiter, well organised interview day and good feedback after interview. Lab tour and meet with large part of team. Interviews with senior team members, manager and he recruiter. Good atmosphere during interviews, the employees are relaxed but dedicated to their work.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Technical and detailed questions. Interesed in both technical excellence and way of solving problems outside your comfort zone. Example: you must develop new product X, how do you start, what do you analyse?