Anne Wojcicki on Hiring

Co-founder & CEO at 23andMe

15 insights8 categories

Co-founder and CEO of 23andMe, the consumer genetics company that made DNA testing accessible to millions. Trained as a biologist and former healthcare investor at Passport Capital, she built 23andMe on the belief that people should have access to their own genetic information.

“I believe people have a right to their own genetic information. That belief drives every hire we make. If someone doesn't feel that in their core, they'll treat this as just another tech job. It's not. We're changing how people understand their own bodies.”

Anne Wojcicki co-founded 23andMe on a belief that most of the medical establishment resisted: that ordinary people should have access to their own genetic information. Building a company on that belief required a specific kind of team — people who could bridge science and consumer experience, rigor and accessibility.

"I believe people have a right to their own genetic information. That belief drives every hire we make."

Wojcicki's most distinctive hiring insight is that 23andMe's best employees speak two languages: science and consumer. They hold themselves to rigorous scientific standards while also being able to explain a complex genetic concept to a non-expert. The interview process tests for this directly — candidates are asked to make complex ideas simple, because that's the actual job.

"The best hires at 23andMe can speak two languages — science and consumer. That combination is rare and invaluable."

She hires for cross-disciplinary curiosity over narrow domain expertise. Some of 23andMe's best hires came from completely different fields, because what matters is intellectual honesty, scientific curiosity, and the drive to make complex things accessible — not whether someone has worked in genomics before.

"I don't hire for industry experience as much as people expect. What matters is scientific curiosity, intellectual honesty, and the drive to make complex things accessible."

In a heavily regulated industry, Wojcicki also screens for how candidates feel about constraints. The people who thrive at 23andMe are energized by the ethical and regulatory challenges of genetic testing, not frustrated by them. Those constraints exist because the work matters, and the people who understand that become 23andMe's strongest contributors.

Philosophy

Core beliefs about hiring and talent

Wojcicki built 23andMe at the intersection of biology, technology, and consumer experience — three fields that rarely overlap in a single person. Her hiring philosophy reflects this: she values cross-disciplinary thinkers who can bridge gaps between science and product, between data and human impact.

I believe people have a right to their own genetic information. That belief drives every hire we make. If someone doesn't feel that in their core, they'll treat this as just another tech job. It's not. We're changing how people understand their own bodies.

The best hires at 23andMe are the ones who can speak two languages — science and consumer. We need people who hold themselves to rigorous scientific standards AND who can explain a complex genetic concept to someone's grandmother. That combination is rare and invaluable.

I don't hire for industry experience as much as people expect. Some of our best hires came from completely different fields. What matters is scientific curiosity, intellectual honesty, and the drive to make complex things accessible.

Hiring Process

How they structure interviews and evaluations

23andMe's hiring process screens for mission alignment and intellectual curiosity before domain expertise. Wojcicki wants people who are genuinely excited about democratizing genetic information, not just people who are good at their function.

Our interview process includes a mission alignment conversation early on. I'd rather discover that someone doesn't connect with our mission before we invest hours in technical evaluations. If the mission doesn't resonate, the skills don't matter.

For technical roles, we include a component where candidates have to explain a complex concept to a non-expert. It mirrors real work at 23andMe. If you can't make genetics understandable to a consumer, you're solving the wrong half of the problem.

Interview Questions

Questions they ask candidates

Wojcicki asks questions that test for scientific thinking, intellectual honesty, and the ability to make complex things simple. She wants people who can hold rigorous standards while also making genetics accessible to everyday consumers.

What's a scientific concept you think everyone should understand, and how would you explain it to a 10-year-old?

Tests for the ability to bridge complexity and accessibility — the core challenge at 23andMe.

Tell me about a time you changed your conclusion based on new data, even when it was inconvenient.

Tests intellectual honesty — essential in a company where scientific integrity is non-negotiable.

What excites you about the future of personal health data, and what worries you?

Wojcicki wants people who are both optimistic and thoughtful about the ethical dimensions of genetic testing.

What They Look For

Traits and signals that excite them

Wojcicki looks for people who combine scientific rigor with consumer empathy. The ideal 23andMe hire can think like a scientist and communicate like a storyteller.

Cross-disciplinary thinkers who get excited about working at the intersection of fields. People who have moved between science, technology, and consumer products — or who are eager to — thrive at 23andMe.

People who are energized by regulatory and ethical constraints rather than frustrated by them. In genomics, those constraints exist because the work matters. Candidates who see regulation as a challenge to work with, not against, make the best hires.

Dealbreakers

Warning signs that concern them

People who are rigid about staying in their lane. 23andMe's most impactful work happens at the intersections between disciplines. If someone only wants to do 'their thing,' they'll miss the most important opportunities.

Scientists who can't simplify. If someone can only communicate in jargon, they'll struggle in a consumer-facing company. Wojcicki needs rigor AND accessibility in the same person.

People who are interested in genetics as an intellectual exercise but don't care about the consumer impact. 23andMe exists to put genetic information in people's hands. If someone only cares about the science and not the human impact, they're a better fit for academia.

Signals to Watch

Subtle cues they pay attention to

How candidates talk about consumers and patients. People who use empathetic, specific language — 'a woman who discovers she carries the BRCA gene' versus 'a user who receives a health report' — understand what 23andMe is really doing.

Frameworks

Mental models and structured approaches

The bridge-builder hiring model: for every role, identify the two or three disciplines it bridges. Hire for the intersection, not just one side. A scientist who understands product design. An engineer who understands biology. A marketer who understands science. The bridges are where the value is.

Interviewer Tips

Practical advice for running interviews

When building a mission-driven company in a regulated industry, hire people who are energized by constraints rather than defeated by them. Regulation is a feature, not a bug — it means what you're doing matters.

Put mission alignment first in your interview process, not last. In a mission-driven company, discovering a values mismatch after four rounds of technical interviews is wasted time for everyone.

Frequently Asked: Anne Wojcicki on Hiring

Interview questions Anne Wojcicki is known for asking candidates.

What's a scientific concept you think everyone should understand, and how would you explain it to a 10-year-old?+

Tests for the ability to bridge complexity and accessibility — the core challenge at 23andMe.

Tell me about a time you changed your conclusion based on new data, even when it was inconvenient.+

Tests intellectual honesty — essential in a company where scientific integrity is non-negotiable.

What excites you about the future of personal health data, and what worries you?+

Wojcicki wants people who are both optimistic and thoughtful about the ethical dimensions of genetic testing.

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