Faculty Hiring Mock Interview (Research & Teaching Track)
with Spyros Mastorakis
This 45-minute session is designed for candidates preparing for faculty interviews in Computer Science, AI, Machine Learning, or related fields (Electrical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, other engineering or science … Read more
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About this session
This 45-minute session is designed for candidates preparing for faculty interviews in Computer Science, AI, Machine Learning, or related fields (Electrical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, other engineering or science fields, research-track, teaching-track, or hybrid positions).
The session consists of:
• 30 minutes simulating a realistic faculty hiring interview
• 15 minutes of direct, committee-style feedback
The mock interview focuses on:
• Research vision, agenda, and long-term impact
• Explaining prior work clearly to a mixed faculty audience
• Handling questions about funding strategy, independence, and trajectory
• Teaching philosophy, mentoring approach, and departmental fit
• Identifying red flags and weak points commonly noticed by search committees
I have interviewed for faculty positions at multiple premier universities and have served on several faculty hiring committees, evaluating candidates across research, teaching, and service dimensions. This session reflects how hiring committees actually assess candidates—not generic interview advice.
You will receive candid, committee-style feedback on content, structure, clarity, and positioning, along with concrete recommendations to strengthen your interview performance.
This session is best suited for candidates who already have a well-defined research agenda and are actively preparing for faculty interviews.
Your mentor
I am a Principal Researcher at Microsoft, where I work on AI systems, specializing in large-scale AI infrastructure and LLM inference. I bring 12+ years of experience spanning industry and academia, including roles as a researcher, engineer, and university professor.
Throughout my career, I have repeatedly pursued goals that others told me were unrealistic—from earning a Ph.D. and becoming a professor to transitioning into big tech and continuing to pursue increasingly ambitious opportunities. Rather than letting others define what I was capable of, I learned what I needed to learn, developed a strategy, kept moving forward—and proved them wrong.
That experience fundamentally shapes how I mentor. If you have an ambitious career goal, I will not start by telling you why you cannot achieve it. Instead, we will assess where you are today, identify the gaps between you and your goal, and develop a concrete strategy for closing them. Breaking barriers takes more than ambition: it requires continuous learning, resilience, strong positioning, and consistent execution.
I have mentored dozens of researchers, engineers, students, and professionals at different career stages. Many of my mentees have secured roles at top tech companies, advanced in their careers, or successfully pivoted to new opportunities. Depending on your goals, I can help you:
• Break into big tech or highly competitive technical roles
• Transition from academia to industry—or from industry to academia
• Move into AI/ML systems, AI infrastructure, or research engineering
• Develop expertise in large-scale AI infrastructure, LLM inference, and serving
• Integrate AI and agents into your day-to-day work to accelerate engineering, research, and other workflows
• Identify a technical niche and build a strategy around it
• Prepare for interviews and position your experience effectively
• Navigate promotions, career transitions, and major career decisions
• Build a long-term career strategy rather than simply optimize for your next job
My mentorship combines career strategy with technical depth. I will not tell you that every ambitious goal is achievable, nor will I give you generic motivational advice. We will focus on what you can change, what actions will move you forward, and how to give you the strongest possible chance of reaching your goal.
If you are ready to put in the work and pursue something ambitious, let’s build a roadmap for making it happen.
🌐 Learn more about me: https://sites.google.com/site/spyridonmastorakis
💼 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spyridon-mastorakis-56438190/
🎓 Explore my research on Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=O_ckkUIAAAAJ&hl=en
👥 See my current and past mentees: https://sites.google.com/site/spyridonmastorakis/current-and-past-mentees
What mentees say
“Dr. Spyros's approach and guidance helped me optimize my efforts towards my goals by : a) assessing my profile transparently, highlighting the achievable against the "stretched" targets; b) identifying the critical pat…”
Hafez
Standard Plan · 1 month
“Spyros is a thoughtful and bold engineer who, despite having mastered the fundamentals of computing, keeps exploring new ideas and ways to execute. He's a great mentor: hands-on, willing to listen, quick to adapt to the…”
Ansar
Standard Plan · 1 month
“Spyros has been an exceptional career mentor. He provided thoughtful, practical guidance that helped me navigate important career decisions with confidence. He is generous with his time, genuinely invested in helping ot…”
Manuela
Standard Plan · 1 month
“Spyros is a great , intelligence, thoughtful leader and mentor. He helped me come up with brilliant ideas for projects and gave me insights on how to make my projects and portfolio better. On top of that, this mentorshi…”
Brianna
Standard Plan · 1 month
“I had the opportunity to work with Spyros over the past month to learn the nuances of transitioning from academia to industry, and I’m very grateful for the experience. He is very responsive, and I especially appreciate…”
Anonymous
Standard Plan · 1 month
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is a session?
A session is a focused one-on-one call with your mentor. Use it to get feedback, work through a specific problem, review your work, or get unstuck. You reserve up to 45 min of their time.
How do I pick a time?
After checkout you pick a slot from Spyros's live availability, and it's confirmed on the spot.
How does the session take place?
Sessions happen over video call. Your mentor shares the meeting link ahead of time, so all you need is a quiet spot and a stable connection.
Can I reschedule?
Yes, up to 24 hours before the session. Message your mentor and find a new time that works for both of you.
What if my mentor doesn't show up?
You're protected. If a mentor is a no-show, it takes one click to cancel and get your money back, no questions asked.
How do refunds work?
You pay securely by card at checkout. If the session can't go ahead, you can cancel and get your money back instantly from your dashboard.
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