I was approached by someone from Exponent during a college career fair. I kept in touch with an HR representative until I was ready to look for a job a few years later. Soon after, I had a phone conversation with one of the hiring managers in Menlo Park and, independently, in their DC office for another position. I had lunch with a few employees from the local LA office. Soon after I was invited to an onsite interview with them in Menlo Park. I was asked to give a presentation on my research; about 3 staff members attended and didn't ask anything technical. Most of the day was spent with one-on-one conversations about the culture, differences between a researcher and consultant, etc. They are very interested in whether or not the candidate would make a good consultant (i.e. bring in money for the firm); strong communication skills are sought after, as the technical qualifications aren't really emphasized. The nature of their work doesn't require a lot of technical background. The visit lasted from 9 AM to 4 PM with lunch provided by the firm. Most interviewers were quite polite and honest about the good and bad points of the job. There were certainly a few A-type personalities which attempt to intimidate you, but those are in the minority. The firm's main emphasis is on billable hours. In fact, the employees' cumulative hours are published right inside the offices. Bonuses and promotions are almost entirely chosen based on these hours. In short, the more time you spend at the office, the better you look. The progression up their ladder is very transparent. A few employees did make reference to difficult politics and undue credit. Most of them seemed too busy to really talk to adequately. The overall impression that I get is that is can be a somewhat harsh corporate culture to work in.