# Software Engineer
**Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** SMTS
**Company:** [athenahealth](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/athenahealth)
**Difficulty:** Hard
**Salary:** US$140000 - US$180000
**Experience:** 5 - 10
**Timeline:** ~14 days
The Software Engineer (SMTS) interview at athenahealth is a comprehensive process designed to assess a candidate's technical proficiency, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company. It typically involves multiple rounds, including technical assessments, behavioral interviews, and a system design discussion, culminating in a hiring manager conversation.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/athenahealth/smts-software-engineer
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical Skills
- Communication
- Behavioral and Cultural Fit

## Questions asked

- Given a binary tree, find the lowest common ancestor of two given nodes in the tree.
- Design a rate limiter.
- Tell me about a time you disagreed with a technical decision and how you handled it.
- How would you design a system to handle millions of concurrent users?
- What are the trade-offs between SQL and NoSQL databases?
- Describe a challenging bug you encountered and how you debugged it.
- How do you stay updated with new technologies?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a software engineer?
- Explain the concept of eventual consistency.
- How would you optimize a slow database query?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Thoroughly review fundamental computer science concepts, including data structures and algorithms.
- Practice coding problems, focusing on efficiency and clarity.
- Study system design principles and common architectural patterns.
- Prepare examples from your past experience that demonstrate key behavioral competencies.
- Research athenahealth's mission, values, and recent news.
- Understand the healthcare technology landscape and common challenges.
- Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Data Structures and Algorithms","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, recursion). Practice implementing these in your preferred language and analyze their time and space complexity. Aim for at least 2-3 LeetCode medium problems per day.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms (LeetCode Medium)"}
- {"title":"System Design","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive into system design. Study concepts like scalability, availability, reliability, databases (SQL vs. NoSQL), caching, load balancing, and microservices. Review common system design interview questions and practice designing systems like Twitter feed, URL shortener, etc.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: System Design Fundamentals"}
- {"title":"Behavioral and Cultural Fit","longDescription":"Week 5: Prepare for behavioral questions. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers. Reflect on your past projects and identify examples that showcase leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and handling failure. Also, research athenahealth's culture and values.","shortDescription":"Week 5: Behavioral Questions & Company Research"}
- {"title":"Mock Interviews","longDescription":"Week 6: Mock interviews. Conduct mock interviews with peers or mentors, focusing on both technical and behavioral aspects. Get feedback on your communication, problem-solving approach, and overall presentation.","shortDescription":"Week 6: Mock Interviews"}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Remote","differences":{"tips":["Familiarize yourself with healthcare data standards (e.g., HL7, FHIR).","Be prepared to discuss your experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure).","Highlight your ability to work with ambiguity and evolving requirements."],"interviewFocus":["System design and scalability for healthcare applications.","Problem-solving in a regulated environment.","Collaboration and communication within cross-functional teams."],"commonQuestions":["How would you design a system to handle real-time patient data updates?","Describe a complex technical challenge you faced and how you overcame it.","Tell me about a time you had to influence a team to adopt a new technology or approach."]}}
- {"location":"On-site (e.g., Watertown, MA)","differences":{"tips":["Review common data structures and algorithms.","Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank.","Be ready to articulate your thought process clearly during coding exercises."],"interviewFocus":["Deep dive into specific technologies and coding practices.","Ability to contribute to existing codebases and projects.","Teamwork and leadership potential."],"commonQuestions":["Discuss your experience with our specific tech stack (e.g., Java, Spring Boot, React).","How do you approach debugging complex issues in a production environment?","Describe a situation where you had to mentor junior engineers."]}}

## Round 1: Technical Coding Round 1
**Type:** Data Structures and Algorithms Interview · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min
Coding challenge focused on data structures and algorithms.
This round is a technical screening focused on data structures and algorithms. You will be asked to solve one or two coding problems, typically on a shared online editor. The interviewer will assess your ability to understand the problem, devise an efficient solution, write clean and correct code, and explain your reasoning. Expect questions that test your knowledge of arrays, strings, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps, sorting, and searching.
**Interviewers look for:** A structured approach to problem-solving.; Correct and efficient code implementation.; Ability to explain the solution and its trade-offs.; Understanding of time and space complexity.
**Evaluation criteria:** Problem-solving skills; Algorithmic thinking; Data structure knowledge; Coding proficiency; Code clarity and efficiency
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate thought process clearly.; Poor understanding of fundamental data structures and algorithms.; Inefficient or incorrect code solutions.; Lack of problem-solving approach.
## Questions

- Given an array of integers, return indices of the two numbers such that they add up to a specific target.
- Reverse a linked list.
- Implement a function to check if a binary tree is a valid Binary Search Tree.

## Preparation tips

- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or AlgoExpert.
- Focus on understanding the underlying data structures and algorithms.
- Practice explaining your thought process out loud.
- Be prepared to discuss time and space complexity (Big O notation).

## Round 2: System Design Round
**Type:** System Design Interview · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min
Design a scalable system based on a given problem statement.
This round assesses your ability to design scalable and reliable software systems. You'll be given an open-ended problem (e.g., design Twitter, design a URL shortener) and expected to discuss various aspects of the system, including requirements gathering, high-level design, data modeling, API design, component design, and scaling strategies. You should be prepared to discuss trade-offs and justify your design decisions.
**Interviewers look for:** A structured approach to system design.; Ability to break down complex problems.; Understanding of distributed systems concepts.; Consideration of edge cases and failure scenarios.; Clear communication of design choices.
**Evaluation criteria:** System design principles; Scalability and performance; Availability and reliability; Database design; API design; Trade-off analysis
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to design a scalable and robust system.; Lack of understanding of distributed systems concepts.; Poor consideration of trade-offs.; Not addressing potential failure points.
## Questions

- Design a URL shortening service like bit.ly.
- Design a news feed system for a social media platform.
- How would you design a system to handle real-time notifications?

## Preparation tips

- Study common system design patterns and architectures.
- Understand concepts like load balancing, caching, databases (SQL vs. NoSQL), message queues, and microservices.
- Practice designing systems for scale and availability.
- Be prepared to draw diagrams and explain your design clearly.

## Round 3: Behavioral and Manager Round
**Type:** Behavioral Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Assesses behavioral competencies and cultural fit.
This round focuses on your past experiences and how they align with the company's values and the requirements of the role. You will be asked behavioral questions that probe your skills in areas like teamwork, leadership, conflict resolution, handling failure, and adaptability. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide specific and impactful examples from your career.
**Interviewers look for:** Evidence of past behaviors that predict future performance.; Ability to work effectively in a team.; Clear and concise communication.; Alignment with athenahealth's values.; Passion for the role and company mission.
**Evaluation criteria:** Behavioral competencies; Teamwork and collaboration; Communication skills; Problem-solving approach; Cultural fit; Motivation and career goals
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with company values.; Poor communication or interpersonal skills.; Inability to provide specific examples for behavioral questions.; Lack of enthusiasm or interest in the role/company.
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult colleague.
- Describe a project you are particularly proud of and your role in it.
- How do you handle constructive criticism?
- Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common behavioral questions.
- Research athenahealth's mission, vision, and values.
- Reflect on your career goals and how this role fits into them.
- Be ready to discuss your strengths and weaknesses.

## Round 4: Hiring Manager Discussion
**Type:** Hiring Manager / Final Round · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 30 min
Final discussion with the hiring manager to assess overall fit.
This is typically the final round where the hiring manager assesses your overall fit for the team and the company. They will discuss your career aspirations, motivations for joining athenahealth, and answer any remaining questions you may have. This is also an opportunity for you to gauge if the role and team are the right fit for you.
**Interviewers look for:** Enthusiasm for the role and athenahealth.; Clear understanding of the responsibilities.; Good rapport and potential for team integration.; Thoughtful questions that demonstrate engagement.
**Evaluation criteria:** Candidate's interest and motivation; Alignment of career goals with the role; Cultural fit with the team; Understanding of the role and company; Questions asked by the candidate
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment on salary expectations.; Unclear career aspirations.; Poor fit with the team's dynamics.; Failure to ask insightful questions.
## Questions

- What are your long-term career goals?
- Why are you interested in athenahealth?
- What are your salary expectations?
- Do you have any questions for me?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare questions about the team, projects, and company culture.
- Reiterate your interest in the role and how your skills align.
- Be prepared to discuss your salary expectations.
- Show enthusiasm and a positive attitude.