Kongsberg Assessment & Interview Preparation
Technical Interviews, Security Clearance & Values Assessment
Guide country context: Norway · Aerospace / Defence / Maritime Technology
Hiring processes can vary by country, role, business unit, and year.
Kongsberg is a leading international technology group operating across defence and aerospace (KDA), maritime (Kongsberg Maritime) and digital (Kongsberg Digital). Their recruitment assesses technical excellence, security awareness and alignment with their values: Determined, Innovative, Collaborative and Reliable. Some roles require Norwegian security clearance.
Hiring Process
-
1Online Application officialSubmit your CV and application through the Kongsberg careers portal.→ Highlight relevant technical expertise, security eligibility and values alignment
-
2Screening / HR Contact officialInitial screening to assess qualifications, motivation and (for clearance roles) security eligibility.→ Be prepared to discuss security clearance eligibility if applicable
-
3Technical Interview officialIn-depth technical discussion with hiring manager and/or technical experts assessing domain knowledge, problem-solving and engineering/technology capability.→ Prepare detailed technical examples with clear methodology and outcomes
-
4Competency / Values Interview officialInterview evaluating behavioural competencies, values alignment (Determined, Innovative, Collaborative, Reliable) and cultural fit.→ Prepare STAR stories demonstrating each of the four values
-
5Assessment / Case (Role-Dependent) officialSome roles include technical tests, presentations, coding challenges or practical exercises.→ Structure technical presentations clearly with attention to precision and reliability
-
6Security Clearance (If Required) officialFor defence, aerospace and sensitive technology roles, Norwegian security clearance from NSM is required. This is processed after conditional offer.→ Ensure complete honesty in security declarations; allow time for processing
-
7Offer officialSuccessful candidates receive a formal offer (may be conditional on security clearance).→ Review offer terms and clearance requirements
Assessments
Role-dependent technical assessment that may involve a presentation on a domain topic, a systems design discussion, a coding challenge or a technical problem-solving exercise. The format reflects the high-precision, reliability-critical nature of Kongsberg’s products.
Measures: Technical expertise, precision, systematic methodology, communication of complex topics
- Structure presentations clearly with a logical progression
- Demonstrate attention to precision, verification and reliability
- For defence/aerospace: show awareness of systems engineering principles
- For maritime: demonstrate knowledge of autonomous systems and navigation
Common mistakes
- Being imprecise or vague about technical details
- Ignoring verification, testing and quality assurance aspects
- Not demonstrating awareness of safety-critical system requirements
- Failing to consider security implications (especially for KDA roles)
For graduate and trainee programmes, Kongsberg may use aptitude assessments covering analytical reasoning, numerical ability and logical thinking to evaluate potential alongside academic achievement.
Measures: Analytical reasoning, numerical ability, logical thinking, learning potential
- Practise numerical and inductive reasoning under timed conditions
- Focus on precision and accuracy — reflects Kongsberg’s culture
- Prepare for data interpretation with technical/engineering contexts
- Build speed while maintaining careful verification
Common mistakes
- Sacrificing accuracy for speed
- Not practising under realistic timed conditions
- Ignoring pattern recognition and abstract reasoning
- Not checking work when time allows
Interviews
Kongsberg’s technical interviews explore domain expertise, engineering methodology and ability to deliver reliable, high-precision technology solutions. Expect detailed questions about your technical experience, problem-solving approach and quality mindset.
Format: In-depth discussion with hiring manager and technical experts, 45–75 minutes
What interviewers look for
- Deep technical expertise in relevant domain
- Systematic and precise problem-solving methodology
- Quality consciousness and verification mindset
- Awareness of safety-critical and security considerations
- Innovation within a reliability-focused framework
Focus areas to practise
- A technically complex system or solution you designed/built
- How you ensure reliability and quality in your engineering work
- Experience with safety-critical or high-reliability systems
- How you approach verification and testing
- A time you solved a difficult technical problem under constraints
- Prepare detailed technical examples showing precision and rigour
- Emphasise verification, testing and quality in all examples
- Show how you balance innovation with reliability requirements
- For defence roles: demonstrate awareness of security implications
This interview evaluates alignment with Kongsberg’s four values: Determined, Innovative, Collaborative and Reliable. Expect behavioural questions exploring perseverance, creativity, teamwork and dependability.
Format: Structured interview with HR and/or senior manager, 45–60 minutes
What interviewers look for
- Determined — perseverance, drive and commitment to goals
- Innovative — creativity, curiosity and forward-thinking
- Collaborative — teamwork, communication and knowledge-sharing
- Reliable — dependability, integrity and consistent delivery
- Fit with Kongsberg’s mission to deliver extreme performance for extreme conditions
Focus areas to practise
- A time you persevered through significant challenges to achieve a goal
- How you innovated or improved a product, process or solution
- An example of effective cross-functional collaboration
- How you ensure reliability and consistency in your work
- What Kongsberg’s mission of extreme performance means to you
- Prepare STAR stories mapped to each of the four values
- Show perseverance in challenging technical or professional situations
- Demonstrate innovation within a structured, quality-focused environment
- Emphasise reliability and follow-through in your examples
How this differs by role
The process is not the same for every role. Find the closest match to the job you applied for — the assessments and interviews below are the ones reported for that role family.
Defence & Aerospace (KDA)
Assessments
- Technical interview on defence/aerospace systems
- Possible technical presentation or case
- Security clearance required
Interviews
- Technical deep-dive with engineering experts
- Competency and values interview
- Security eligibility discussion
Maritime Technology
Assessments
- Technical interview on maritime/navigation/autonomy systems
- Possible technical task or system design discussion
Interviews
- Technical discussion with maritime engineering team
- Competency and values interview
Digital / Software Engineering
Assessments
- Coding challenge or technical task
- System design or architecture discussion
Interviews
- Technical interview with software/digital team
- Culture and values interview
Graduate Programme / Trainee
Assessments
- Aptitude/analytical reasoning assessment
- Group exercise or case presentation
Interviews
- Competency-based interview
- Motivation and values interview
Values & Framework
Kongsberg’s four values are Determined, Innovative, Collaborative and Reliable. Their mission is to deliver extreme performance for extreme conditions. Candidates should demonstrate perseverance, creativity, teamwork and dependability.
- Show perseverance and drive when facing challenges (Determined)
- Demonstrate creativity, curiosity and technology-forward thinking (Innovative)
- Emphasise teamwork, communication and cross-functional effectiveness (Collaborative)
- Show dependability, integrity and consistent high-quality delivery (Reliable)
- Connect examples to delivering technology for extreme conditions
Recommended Practice Modules
Preparation Plans
- Memorise Kongsberg’s four values: Determined, Innovative, Collaborative, Reliable
- Understand which division you’re applying to (KDA, Maritime, Digital)
- Prepare 2 STAR stories demonstrating determination and reliability
- Check whether your role requires security clearance and understand implications
- Prepare 4 STAR stories covering all four Kongsberg values
- For engineering roles: review relevant technical principles and systems
- Research your target division’s products, projects and technology
- Practise numerical and analytical reasoning under timed conditions
- If clearance required: ensure your personal history is complete and accurate
- Daily practice: numerical reasoning and logical thinking under timed conditions
- Build a STAR story bank (5+ stories) mapped to all four values
- Prepare for technical deep-dive questions in your specialist area
- Study Kongsberg’s product portfolio and technology capabilities
- For software roles: prepare coding challenges and system design discussions
- Conduct a mock technical interview with domain-relevant questions
- Research Kongsberg’s strategic direction: autonomy, AI, sustainability
- Achieve strong analytical/numerical performance under timed conditions
- Master STAR storytelling with clear links to all four values
- Complete role-specific technical preparation (defence systems, maritime autonomy, software)
- Deepen knowledge of Kongsberg’s competitive position and growth markets
- Study industry trends: autonomous systems, defence modernisation, digital twins
- Conduct full mock interview rounds (technical + competency)
- For KDA roles: research Norwegian defence procurement and NATO context
- For Maritime: study autonomous shipping, sensors and navigation systems
- Build confidence discussing how you deliver extreme performance for extreme conditions
- Ensure security clearance documentation is complete if applicable
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & verification status
4 sources · 4 from the employer or another primary publisher
See each source and how far it goes
- Employer site Kongsberg Careers Primary source, published by the employer
- Employer site Kongsberg Values, Vision and Purpose Primary source, published by the employer
- Employer site Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace Careers Primary source, published by the employer
- Employer site Kongsberg Maritime Primary source, published by the employer
Confidence is calculated from each source, not assigned to the page. A source that cannot be opened, or that does not describe what we cited it for, cannot support a claim here regardless of how it was previously labelled.
How this guide was put together
Published by Job Tests Portal. It is compiled from the public sources listed above and has not been independently reviewed by a recruitment or assessment specialist. We are not affiliated with Kongsberg and this guide is not endorsed by them.
We label where each statement comes from, and we would rather say “we could not verify this” than state something we cannot show you the source for. Hiring processes change often and vary by role, country and year, so treat everything here as a starting point and let your invitation be the final word.