Scale Engineer

Software Engineer

Software EngineerSenior FellowVery High

This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Senior Fellow Software Engineer position at AMD. It focuses on deep technical expertise, architectural vision, leadership capabilities, and a proven track record of delivering complex, high-impact software solutions.

Rounds·4

Timeline·~15d

Experience·12 - 20 yrs

Comp band·US$250000 - US$350000

Interview time·225 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Depth and breadth of technical knowledge
  • Ability to architect and design complex, scalable systems
  • Leadership qualities and ability to influence technical direction
  • Problem-solving skills and analytical thinking
  • Communication and interpersonal skills
  • Cultural fit and alignment with AMD's values

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Thoroughly review AMD's product portfolio and recent announcements.
  2. Revisit fundamental computer science concepts, especially in areas relevant to AMD's business (e.g., CPU architecture, GPU computing, AI/ML).
  3. Prepare detailed examples from your career that demonstrate leadership, technical depth, and problem-solving.
  4. Practice explaining complex technical designs and trade-offs clearly and concisely.
  5. Research the specific interviewers if possible to tailor your examples.
  6. Understand AMD's company culture and values.
  7. Be ready to discuss your career aspirations and how they align with a Senior Fellow role.
  8. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers about the role, team, and AMD's technical direction.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 05 phases

01 / 05
01

Phase 01 of 05

AMD Technology & Industry Landscape

Weeks 1-2: AMD Tech Roadmap, Industry Trends.

Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into AMD's current and future technology roadmap, including CPU architectures (Zen series), GPU architectures (RDNA, CDNA), AI accelerators, and relevant software stacks (ROCm, drivers, firmware). Review key industry trends in computing.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Describe the most technically challenging project you've led. What were the key innovations and outcomes?
  • How would you design a next-generation GPU architecture for AI workloads, considering power, performance, and programmability?
  • Tell me about a time you had to make a significant technical trade-off. What was your reasoning, and what was the impact?
  • How do you foster a culture of innovation and technical excellence within a team?
  • What are the biggest challenges facing the semiconductor industry today, and how can AMD address them?
  • Describe your experience with performance analysis and optimization at a system level.
  • How do you mentor and develop senior engineers on your team?
  • Walk me through a complex bug you diagnosed and resolved. What was your process?
  • What is your vision for the future of high-performance computing?
  • How do you balance long-term architectural vision with short-term project delivery pressures?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 03 locations

01 / 03

Location

Austin, TX

Interview focus

Leadership and mentorshipSystem design and architectureProblem-solving complex technical challengesAustin: GPU software, parallel computing, performance tuningSanta Clara: CPU architecture, system software, firmware, cross-functional collaboration

Common questions

  • Discuss a time you had to influence a team with a different technical direction. How did you approach it?
  • Describe a complex system you designed. What were the trade-offs and why?
  • How do you mentor junior engineers and foster technical growth within a team?
  • In our Austin office, there's a strong emphasis on GPU software optimization. Be prepared for in-depth questions on CUDA/OpenCL and parallel programming concepts.
  • In our Santa Clara HQ, expect more focus on CPU architecture, system-level software, and firmware development.

Tips

  • Highlight instances where you've led technical initiatives and mentored teams.
  • Be ready to draw detailed diagrams of system architectures.
  • Quantify your impact with specific metrics.
  • Austin: Deep dive into your experience with GPU programming models and performance analysis tools.
  • Santa Clara: Emphasize your understanding of hardware-software co-design and low-level system interactions.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.

DSA

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