The interviewer began with a statement to the effect that all Statistical contractors at Exelixis are given meaningless and rote work to do, so as to prevent them from making any meaningful contribution to the company. The interviewer (the director of Statistical Programming) then proceeds to do what amounts to an Oral Examination (remember your thesis defense when you were in college?) Yes, that sort of oral examination except that it covers not the last few years of your academic life, but the last 10 years of your work experience. Unfair? Of course. No one remembers that much detail, and it would appear that the interviewer is going through the motions, but in actuality is quite hostile toward the interviewee. The purpose of the interview is to humiliate the interviewee with set questions that the interviewers have researched in advance, of which there is little chance of getting completely correct. Given the interviewers initial statement, it would seem that one of the job requirements is that ability to put up with verbal humiliation.