Scale Engineer

Software Engineering Manager

Software Engineering ManagerM100High

The Software Engineering Manager (M100) interview at Atlassian is designed to assess a candidate's leadership capabilities, technical acumen, people management skills, and strategic thinking. This role requires a blend of technical depth and strong people leadership to guide and mentor engineering teams effectively. The interview process is rigorous and aims to identify individuals who can drive innovation, foster a positive team culture, and deliver high-quality software solutions.

Rounds·5

Timeline·~14d

Experience·8 - 15 yrs

Comp band·US$180000 - US$250000

Interview time·270 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Leadership and people management skills
  • Technical depth and understanding
  • Strategic thinking and business acumen
  • Communication and interpersonal skills
  • Problem-solving and decision-making abilities
  • Cultural fit and alignment with Atlassian values

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Deeply understand Atlassian's products, mission, and values.
  2. Review common leadership frameworks and methodologies (e.g., Situational Leadership, servant leadership).
  3. Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions.
  4. Brush up on your understanding of software development best practices, agile methodologies, and DevOps principles.
  5. Think about your career journey and key leadership experiences.
  6. Research the specific team and product area you are interviewing for.
  7. Practice articulating your leadership philosophy and how you build and manage high-performing teams.
  8. Be ready to discuss your approach to technical strategy, roadmap planning, and execution.
  9. Prepare questions to ask the interviewers about the role, team, and Atlassian's culture.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 03 phases

01 / 03
01

Phase 01 of 03

Foundation & Self-Reflection

Weeks 1-2: Atlassian research, career reflection, STAR method prep.

Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into Atlassian's culture, values, products (Jira, Confluence, Trello, Bitbucket, etc.), and recent news. Understand Atlassian's approach to software development and team management. Review your own career history, identifying key leadership achievements and challenges. Start preparing STAR method examples for common leadership and behavioral questions.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Tell me about a time you had to manage a difficult team member. How did you handle it?
  • Describe your leadership philosophy.
  • How do you foster innovation within your team?
  • How do you balance technical debt with feature delivery?
  • Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn?
  • How do you prioritize competing demands from different stakeholders?
  • Describe a situation where you had to influence without direct authority.
  • How do you measure the success of your team?
  • What is your approach to performance management and career development for your engineers?
  • How do you ensure your team stays aligned with the company's strategic goals?
  • Tell me about a complex technical challenge your team faced and how you guided them through it.
  • How do you handle conflict within your team?
  • What are your thoughts on remote vs. in-office work for engineering teams?
  • How do you stay current with technology trends?
  • Describe a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team.
  • How do you build trust and psychological safety within a team?
  • What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
  • How do you delegate tasks effectively?
  • Tell me about a time you had to manage a significant change within your team.
  • How do you ensure the quality and reliability of the software your team produces?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Remote/Distributed Teams

Interview focus

Remote team management strategiesCross-cultural communication and collaborationBuilding trust and psychological safety in a distributed teamTools and techniques for effective remote collaboration

Common questions

  • How do you handle underperforming engineers in a remote setting?
  • Describe a time you had to manage a conflict between team members in different time zones.
  • What strategies do you use to foster team cohesion and collaboration in a distributed environment?
  • How do you ensure effective communication and knowledge sharing across geographically dispersed teams?
  • What are the unique challenges of managing a remote engineering team, and how do you overcome them?

Tips

  • Highlight your experience with remote or hybrid team leadership.
  • Be prepared to discuss specific tools and methodologies you've used for remote collaboration.
  • Emphasize your ability to build strong relationships and foster a sense of belonging regardless of location.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at Atlassian.

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Other guides

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