# Screen applications for the ML engineer role Instructions learned from Emilie. Status: confirmed by Emilie in a teach-back. Last updated 2026-10-03T14:21:00.000Z. ## How to use this - Follow the steps in order for each case. - Before every action that saves, posts or sends, check the guardrails of that step and the global list below. - If a guardrail says stop, do not proceed. Escalate to the named person and wait. - If the case does not fit any step or rule here, stop and escalate. Do not guess. ## Steps ### 1. Open the next application from the queue - What Emilie did: Took the oldest open application first - Screen moment: 00:31, candidate C-101 opened ### 2. Check the university - What Emilie did: Looked at the university before anything else - Why, in Emilie's words: "Okay, first one. Nina. I always look at the university before anything else." (during the task, 00:40) - Screen moment: 00:58, candidate C-101, education ### 3. Choose the interview track (judgment call) - What Emilie did: Moved from the standard loop to the fast track - Why, in Emilie's words: "She's from ETH. ETH goes straight to the founder interview. It doesn't matter what the grades say." (during the task, 03:21) - Screen moment: 03:12, candidate C-101, track field - Guardrails: g_01 (see below) ### 4. Assign an interviewer - What Emilie did: Assigned Reto before advancing - Why, in Emilie's words: "Never. No interviewer, no fast track. If nobody is free I ask Reto who takes it first." (during the task, 04:07) - Screen moment: 03:44, candidate C-101, interviewer field - Guardrails: g_02 (see below) ### 5. Advance to interview - What Emilie did: Advanced once track and interviewer were set - Screen moment: 03:56, candidate C-101 advanced - Guardrails: g_05 (see below) ### 6. Hold UZH applications (judgment call) - What Emilie did: Held the UZH application instead of advancing - Why, in Emilie's words: "He's from UZH. UZH applications wait." (during the task, 05:33) - Screen moment: 05:22, candidate C-102 on hold - Guardrails: g_03 (see below) ### 7. Send employee referrals to the founders (judgment call) - What Emilie did: Escalated the referred application to the founders - Why, in Emilie's words: "Anyone referred by an employee needs a second look from the founders, however good the CV is. It's a conflict of interest rule." (debrief, 09:21) - Screen moment: 06:58, candidate C-103 escalated - Guardrails: g_04 (see below) ### 8. Fast-track HEC Lausanne applications (judgment call) - What Emilie did: Moved the HEC Lausanne application to the fast track and advanced it - Why, in Emilie's words: "HEC Lausanne. Best business school in the world. That is always the fast track." (during the task, 08:26) - Screen moment: 07:50, candidate C-104, track field - Guardrails: g_06 (see below) ## Guardrails ### g_01: Exception, at step 3 - Rule: ETH Zurich applications always go on the fast track, whatever the grades say. - When to stop: Stop when `university == 'ETH Zurich'` and `track == 'fast'` does not hold. - Escalate to: not named by the expert. Ask your supervisor - Source: "She's from ETH. ETH goes straight to the founder interview. It doesn't matter what the grades say." (Emilie, during the task, 03:21) - Check: `{"when":"university == 'ETH Zurich'","require":"track == 'fast'"}` ### g_02: Never, at step 4 - Rule: No interviewer, no fast track. If nobody is free, ask Reto who takes it first. - When to stop: Stop when `track == 'fast'` and you are about to do `action == 'advance' && !interviewer`. - Escalate to: Reto - Source: "Never. No interviewer, no fast track. If nobody is free I ask Reto who takes it first." (Emilie, during the task, 04:07) - Check: `{"when":"track == 'fast'","forbid":"action == 'advance' && !interviewer"}` ### g_03: Exception, at step 6 - Rule: UZH applications are held, however strong the CV, until Reto, the CTO, has looked at them himself. He decides when they move. - When to stop: Stop when `university == 'UZH'` and `action == 'hold'` does not hold. - Escalate to: Reto, the CTO - Source: "Only UZH. Reto, our CTO, looks at those himself once he has had his coffee. He decides, not me." (Emilie, debrief, 09:03) - Check: `{"when":"university == 'UZH'","require":"action == 'hold'"}` ### g_04: Limit, at step 7 - Rule: Anyone referred by an employee needs a second look from the founders, however good the CV is. - When to stop: Stop when `referred_by_employee` and `action == 'escalate'` does not hold. - Escalate to: the founders - Source: "Anyone referred by an employee needs a second look from the founders, however good the CV is. It's a conflict of interest rule." (Emilie, debrief, 09:21) - Check: `{"when":"referred_by_employee","require":"action == 'escalate'"}` ### g_05: Stop and ask, at step 5 - Rule: Applicant currently works for an investor or customer: stop and ask the CEO. Never advance them yourself. - When to stop: Stop when `employer_is_partner` and you are about to do `action == 'advance'`. - Escalate to: the CEO - Source: "I stop and ask the CEO. I never advance someone from an investor or a customer myself." (Emilie, debrief, 09:37) - Check: `{"when":"employer_is_partner","forbid":"action == 'advance'"}` ### g_06: Exception, at step 8 - Rule: HEC Lausanne applications always go on the fast track: best business school in the world. - When to stop: Stop when `university == 'HEC Lausanne'` and `track == 'fast'` does not hold. - Escalate to: not named by the expert. Ask your supervisor - Source: "HEC Lausanne. Best business school in the world. That is always the fast track." (Emilie, during the task, 08:26) - Check: `{"when":"university == 'HEC Lausanne'","require":"track == 'fast'"}` ## Corrections from the expert These correct common misreadings of the process. They take precedence over anything above that seems to conflict. - "Almost. The founders step isn't about salary, it's only for referrals. The rest is right."