# Software Engineer I
**Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** G8
**Company:** [Amadeus](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/amadeus)
**Difficulty:** Medium
**Salary:** US$75000 - US$95000
**Experience:** 1 - 3
**Timeline:** ~14 days
The Software Engineer I (G8) interview at Amadeus is designed to assess a candidate's foundational software engineering skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company. It typically involves multiple rounds, starting with an HR screening, followed by technical interviews focusing on data structures, algorithms, and coding proficiency, and concluding with a managerial or team-fit interview. The process aims to identify individuals who can contribute effectively to Amadeus's innovative projects and collaborative environment.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/amadeus/g8-software-engineer
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical Skills
- Behavioral and Cultural Fit
- Problem-Solving Approach

## Questions asked

- Write a function to reverse a linked list.
- Given an array of integers, find the two numbers that add up to a specific target.
- Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
- Describe a situation where you had to deal with a difficult stakeholder.
- How would you design a URL shortening service?
- What is polymorphism?
- Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it.
- Implement a binary search algorithm.
- What are the advantages of using version control systems like Git?
- How do you approach debugging a complex software issue?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Review fundamental data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, graph traversal).
- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Coderbyte, focusing on medium-difficulty problems.
- Understand Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts and design patterns.
- Brush up on your chosen programming language's syntax and standard libraries.
- Prepare to discuss your past projects in detail, focusing on your contributions and the challenges you faced.
- Research Amadeus's products, services, and company culture.
- Prepare answers to common behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
- Think about questions you want to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Data Structures","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on Data Structures. Cover arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees (binary trees, BSTs, AVL trees), heaps, and hash tables. Understand their time and space complexities for common operations. Practice implementing them and solving problems related to them.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Data Structures (Arrays, Lists, Trees, Hash Tables). Practice implementations and basic problems."}
- {"title":"Algorithms","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Focus on Algorithms. Cover sorting algorithms (bubble sort, insertion sort, merge sort, quick sort), searching algorithms (binary search), graph algorithms (BFS, DFS, Dijkstra's), dynamic programming, and greedy algorithms. Understand their complexities and when to apply them. Solve problems involving these algorithms.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Algorithms (Sorting, Searching, Graphs, DP). Understand complexities and apply to problems."}
- {"title":"OOP and Design Patterns","longDescription":"Week 5: Focus on Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) and Design Patterns. Review concepts like encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and abstraction. Study common design patterns (e.g., Singleton, Factory, Observer) and how they apply to software design. Practice designing simple systems using OOP principles.","shortDescription":"Week 5: OOP & Design Patterns. Review core concepts and common patterns."}
- {"title":"Coding Practice and Behavioral Preparation","longDescription":"Week 6: Practice Coding and Behavioral Questions. Dedicate time to solving a variety of coding problems, simulating interview conditions. Prepare and rehearse answers to common behavioral questions, focusing on the STAR method. Research Amadeus and prepare thoughtful questions for the interviewers.","shortDescription":"Week 6: Coding Practice & Behavioral Prep. Solve problems, rehearse STAR answers, research Amadeus."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Sophia Antipolis, France","differences":{"tips":["Research Amadeus's presence and projects in this specific region.","Be prepared to discuss how your skills align with local industry needs.","Practice answering behavioral questions in the context of a global company with local operations."],"interviewFocus":["Adaptability to local work culture.","Understanding of local market trends.","Communication skills in the local language (if applicable)."],"commonQuestions":["Tell me about a challenging project you worked on.","How do you handle tight deadlines?","Describe a time you disagreed with a team member.","What are your strengths and weaknesses?","Why Amadeus?"]}}
- {"location":"Bangalore, India","differences":{"tips":["Highlight any experience with cloud platforms and microservices.","Be ready to discuss system design principles.","Showcase your ability to learn and adapt to new technologies quickly."],"interviewFocus":["Proficiency in cloud-native development.","Experience with distributed systems.","Problem-solving skills in a fast-paced tech environment."],"commonQuestions":["Describe your experience with cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP).","How do you approach designing scalable systems?","What are your thoughts on microservices architecture?","Tell me about a time you had to debug a complex issue.","How do you stay updated with new technologies?"]}}
- {"location":"London, UK","differences":{"tips":["Emphasize your understanding of software development best practices.","Be prepared to discuss your experience with Agile and CI/CD.","Showcase your ability to work effectively in a team and contribute to knowledge sharing."],"interviewFocus":["Strong understanding of software development lifecycle.","Experience with collaborative development practices.","Potential for technical leadership and mentorship."],"commonQuestions":["How do you ensure code quality and maintainability?","Describe your experience with Agile methodologies.","What are your favorite programming languages and why?","How do you approach unit testing?","Tell me about a time you mentored a junior engineer."]}}

## Round 1: HR Introduction
**Type:** HR Screening · **Difficulty:** Easy · **Duration:** 30 min
An introductory call with HR to discuss your background, motivation, and cultural fit.
This initial round is conducted by an HR representative to assess your overall fit with Amadeus. They will ask about your background, career aspirations, and motivation for applying. It's also an opportunity for you to learn more about the company culture and the specific role. Be prepared to discuss your resume and why you are interested in Amadeus.
**Interviewers look for:** Clear and concise communication.; Genuine interest in Amadeus.; Basic understanding of the software engineering field.; Positive attitude.
**Evaluation criteria:** Basic understanding of the role and company.; Communication skills.; Motivation and interest.; Alignment with company values.
**Common rejection reasons:** Poor communication skills.; Lack of enthusiasm or interest in the role/company.; Unprofessional demeanor.; Inability to articulate career goals.
## Questions

- Tell me about yourself.
- Why are you interested in Amadeus?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- Do you have any questions for me?

## Preparation tips

- Research Amadeus's mission, values, and recent news.
- Prepare to talk about your resume and career goals.
- Practice answering common behavioral questions.
- Formulate questions to ask the interviewer about the company and the role.

## Round 2: Technical Coding Challenge
**Type:** Technical Interview (Coding) · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 60 min
Solve coding problems focusing on data structures and algorithms. Explain your approach.
This technical round focuses on your core programming skills. You will be asked to solve one or two coding problems, typically involving data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will assess your ability to write clean, efficient, and correct code, as well as your approach to problem-solving. Be prepared to think aloud and explain your reasoning.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong grasp of data structures and algorithms.; Ability to translate a problem into code.; Logical thinking and problem-solving skills.; Clear communication of thought process.; Clean and efficient coding practices.
**Evaluation criteria:** Correctness of the solution.; Efficiency of the solution (time and space complexity).; Clarity and readability of the code.; Problem-solving approach.; Ability to communicate the solution.
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to solve basic coding problems.; Poor understanding of fundamental data structures and algorithms.; Difficulty explaining their thought process.; Messy or inefficient code.; Lack of attention to detail.
## Questions

- Given an array of integers, find the maximum subarray sum.
- Implement a function to check if a binary tree is a Binary Search Tree (BST).
- Write a program to find the first non-repeated character in a string.
- Explain the concept of recursion with an example.

## Preparation tips

- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, focusing on arrays, strings, linked lists, trees, and hash maps.
- Understand time and space complexity analysis (Big O notation).
- Practice explaining your thought process while solving problems.
- Write clean, well-commented code.

## Round 3: System Design Interview
**Type:** Technical Interview (System Design) · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 60 min
Design a scalable software system. Discuss trade-offs and architectural choices.
This round assesses your ability to design software systems. You'll be given a high-level problem (e.g., design a URL shortener, a social media feed) and asked to propose a solution. The focus is on your understanding of scalability, reliability, trade-offs, and various system components like databases, caching, and APIs. You don't need to write code, but you should be able to articulate your design choices clearly.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to design scalable and reliable systems.; Understanding of architectural patterns.; Knowledge of databases, caching, and load balancing.; Ability to discuss trade-offs and make informed decisions.; Pragmatic approach to problem-solving.
**Evaluation criteria:** System design approach.; Understanding of scalability and performance.; Knowledge of trade-offs.; Ability to handle distributed systems concepts.; Clarity of explanation.
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of understanding of system design principles.; Inability to handle scalability or performance considerations.; Poor trade-off analysis.; Difficulty breaking down complex problems.; Not considering edge cases or failure scenarios.
## Questions

- Design a system like Twitter's news feed.
- How would you design a rate limiter?
- Design a distributed key-value store.
- Explain the CAP theorem.

## Preparation tips

- Study common system design concepts (load balancing, caching, databases, message queues, APIs).
- Review popular system design case studies (e.g., Twitter feed, TinyURL, Netflix).
- Practice breaking down large problems into smaller, manageable components.
- Be prepared to discuss trade-offs between different design choices.
- Understand concepts related to distributed systems.

## Round 4: Managerial and Team Fit
**Type:** Managerial / Team Fit Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Discuss your experiences, teamwork, and cultural fit with the hiring manager.
In this final round, the hiring manager or a senior team member will assess your overall fit with the team and company culture. They will likely ask more in-depth behavioral questions, focusing on your past experiences, how you handle challenges, and your collaboration style. This is also your chance to ask detailed questions about the team's work, projects, and day-to-day activities.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to work effectively in a team.; Positive attitude and enthusiasm.; Good communication and interpersonal skills.; Alignment with Amadeus's values.; Potential to grow within the company.
**Evaluation criteria:** Teamwork and collaboration skills.; Problem-solving approach in a team context.; Communication and interpersonal skills.; Alignment with team and company culture.; Motivation and potential for growth.
**Common rejection reasons:** Poor cultural fit.; Lack of collaboration skills.; Negative attitude towards teamwork.; Inability to articulate past experiences effectively.; Mismatch in expectations regarding role or career growth.
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a teammate and how you resolved it.
- Describe a project you are particularly proud of and your role in it.
- How do you handle constructive criticism?
- What kind of work environment do you thrive in?
- What are your expectations for this role?

## Preparation tips

- Reflect on your past experiences using the STAR method, focusing on teamwork and problem-solving.
- Be prepared to discuss your career goals and how this role aligns with them.
- Show enthusiasm for the team's work and Amadeus's mission.
- Prepare thoughtful questions about the team dynamics, projects, and challenges.