# Manager
**Role:** Software Engineering Manager · **Level:** M3
**Company:** [Autodesk](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/autodesk)
**Difficulty:** High
**Salary:** US$170000 - US$220000
**Experience:** 8 - 15
**Timeline:** ~14 days
This interview process for a Software Engineering Manager (M3 level) at Autodesk is designed to assess leadership potential, technical acumen, and strategic thinking. It involves multiple rounds to evaluate a candidate's ability to manage teams, drive technical excellence, and contribute to Autodesk's overall goals.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/autodesk/m3-software-engineering-manager
---
## Overall evaluation

- Leadership & Management
- Team Development
- Technical Acumen
- Strategic & Business Acumen

## Questions asked

- Describe your leadership style and how you motivate your team.
- Tell me about a time you had to manage a difficult stakeholder or conflict within your team.
- How do you balance the needs of your team with the strategic goals of the company?
- Walk me through a complex technical challenge your team faced and how you led them to a solution.
- How do you foster innovation and continuous improvement within an engineering team?
- Describe your experience with performance management and career development for engineers.
- How do you ensure the quality and scalability of the software your team produces?
- What are your thoughts on the future of cloud computing in the AEC industry?
- How do you handle situations where a project is falling behind schedule or going over budget?
- What are your key principles for effective communication as a manager?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Thoroughly review Autodesk's products, mission, and values.
- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions.
- Brush up on software engineering best practices, agile methodologies, and system design principles.
- Understand common challenges in managing engineering teams and how you've overcome them.
- Research current trends in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) industry.
- Be ready to discuss your leadership philosophy and how you foster a positive team culture.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Company & Industry Immersion","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into Autodesk's company culture, products, and strategic initiatives. Understand the company's market position and key competitors. Review your own career achievements and identify key projects and leadership experiences that align with the M3 role. Focus on understanding the challenges and opportunities within the AEC industry.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Autodesk company research, personal career review, AEC industry overview."}
- {"title":"Leadership & People Management","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Focus on leadership and people management. Prepare examples of how you've mentored engineers, managed performance, resolved conflicts, and built high-performing teams. Study common leadership frameworks and best practices. Practice articulating your leadership philosophy.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Leadership and people management skills, STAR method practice, leadership philosophy."}
- {"title":"Technical Refresher","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Refresh your technical knowledge. Review system design principles, scalability, cloud technologies, and common software development methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Kanban). Be prepared to discuss technical challenges you've faced and how you approached them. Consider how technology trends impact the AEC industry.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: System design, scalability, cloud, SDLC, technical problem-solving."}
- {"title":"Strategic & Business Acumen","longDescription":"Week 7: Focus on strategic thinking and business acumen. Understand how engineering contributes to business goals. Prepare examples of strategic decision-making, project prioritization, and resource allocation. Research current trends and challenges in software product management.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Strategic thinking, business alignment, product management, resource allocation."}
- {"title":"Final Preparation & Mock Interviews","longDescription":"Week 8: Mock interviews and final preparation. Practice answering common interview questions, especially behavioral ones using the STAR method. Refine your answers and ensure they are concise and impactful. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers.","shortDescription":"Week 8: Mock interviews, behavioral question practice, question preparation."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Remote/Hybrid","differences":{"tips":["Highlight experience with remote collaboration tools and methodologies.","Be prepared to discuss challenges and successes in managing geographically dispersed teams.","Emphasize your understanding of fostering inclusion in a diverse, remote workforce."],"interviewFocus":["Remote team management strategies","Cross-cultural communication","Adaptability to hybrid work models"],"commonQuestions":["How do you handle underperforming engineers in a remote setting?","Describe a time you had to manage a project with distributed teams across different time zones.","What are your strategies for fostering team cohesion and collaboration in a hybrid work environment?"]}}
- {"location":"San Francisco Bay Area","differences":{"tips":["Provide examples of how you've directly impacted business outcomes through engineering leadership.","Showcase your understanding of enterprise software development lifecycles.","Be ready to discuss your approach to managing technical debt and ensuring long-term product health."],"interviewFocus":["Strategic alignment with business goals","Large-scale project management","Enterprise-level agile adoption"],"commonQuestions":["How do you ensure alignment between engineering teams and business objectives in a fast-paced market?","Describe your experience with agile methodologies in a large enterprise setting.","How do you balance innovation with the need for stability and scalability in a product lifecycle?"]}}

## Round 1: HR Screening Call
**Type:** HR Screening · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Initial screening to assess cultural fit, motivation, and basic qualifications.
The initial HR screening call is designed to assess your overall fit with Autodesk's culture and values, your motivation for the role, and to confirm basic qualifications and salary expectations. This round focuses on understanding your career aspirations and ensuring alignment with the company's mission.
**Interviewers look for:** Enthusiasm for Autodesk and the role; Clear communication; Basic understanding of management principles; Alignment with company values
**Evaluation criteria:** Communication skills; Cultural fit; Understanding of basic HR principles; Motivation and enthusiasm for the role
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear communication; Inability to provide specific examples of leadership; Poor understanding of team dynamics; Failure to demonstrate strategic thinking
## Questions

- Why are you interested in Autodesk and this specific role?
- What are your salary expectations?
- Describe your ideal work environment.
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a manager?

## Preparation tips

- Research Autodesk's mission, vision, and values.
- Be prepared to discuss your career goals and why you are interested in this specific role.
- Have a clear understanding of your salary expectations.
- Practice articulating your strengths and how they align with the job description.

## Round 2: Technical Deep Dive
**Type:** Technical & System Design · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses technical leadership, system design, and problem-solving skills.
This technical interview focuses on your ability to lead engineering teams from a technical perspective. You'll be asked to discuss your experience with system design, architecture, scalability, and problem-solving. The interviewer will assess your technical depth and your capacity to guide a team through complex technical challenges.
**Interviewers look for:** Deep technical understanding; Ability to lead technical strategy; Experience with scaling systems; Sound judgment in technical decision-making
**Evaluation criteria:** Technical leadership; Problem-solving abilities; System design and architecture understanding; Ability to guide technical discussions
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate technical vision; Lack of experience in managing complex projects; Poor problem-solving skills; Failure to demonstrate leadership in technical decision-making
## Questions

- Design a scalable system for [Autodesk Product Feature].
- Describe a time you had to make a significant technical trade-off. What was the outcome?
- How do you ensure your team follows best practices for code quality and testing?
- What are your thoughts on microservices vs. monolithic architectures?

## Preparation tips

- Review system design principles and common architectural patterns.
- Prepare to discuss your experience with cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP).
- Think about challenging technical problems you've solved and how you led your team through them.
- Be ready to discuss your approach to code quality, testing, and CI/CD.

## Round 3: Leadership & People Management Interview
**Type:** People Management & Leadership · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Evaluates people management, team building, and leadership skills.
This round focuses on your people management and leadership capabilities. You will be asked to share specific examples of how you have managed, mentored, and developed engineers. The interviewer will assess your ability to build and lead high-performing teams, handle performance issues, and foster a collaborative and inclusive environment.
**Interviewers look for:** Proven ability to manage and grow engineering talent; Experience in fostering a positive team culture; Effective conflict resolution strategies; Strategic approach to team development
**Evaluation criteria:** People management skills; Team building and development; Conflict resolution; Coaching and mentoring abilities; Strategic team planning
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to provide concrete examples of people management; Lack of strategic vision for team growth; Poor conflict resolution skills; Failure to demonstrate empathy and coaching abilities
## Questions

- Describe a time you had to manage an underperforming engineer. What steps did you take?
- How do you foster a culture of innovation and psychological safety within your team?
- Tell me about a time you had to resolve a conflict between team members.
- How do you approach career development and mentorship for your engineers?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare detailed examples using the STAR method for questions about team management, conflict resolution, and employee development.
- Think about how you set goals for your team and individuals.
- Be ready to discuss your approach to performance reviews and feedback.
- Consider how you foster diversity and inclusion within your team.

## Round 4: Strategic Alignment & Business Acumen Interview
**Type:** Strategic & Business Acumen · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses strategic thinking, business alignment, and cross-functional collaboration.
This interview focuses on your strategic thinking, business acumen, and ability to collaborate with product management and other stakeholders. You'll discuss how you align engineering efforts with business goals, contribute to product strategy, and manage cross-functional relationships. The interviewer wants to understand your vision for the team and its contribution to Autodesk's success.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to align engineering with business objectives; Strategic vision for product and team; Understanding of market dynamics; Collaboration with product management and other departments
**Evaluation criteria:** Strategic thinking; Business acumen; Product vision; Cross-functional collaboration; Decision-making under ambiguity
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of strategic alignment with business goals; Inability to articulate a clear vision; Poor understanding of product strategy; Failure to demonstrate cross-functional collaboration skills
## Questions

- How do you ensure your team's work is aligned with the company's overall business strategy?
- Describe your experience working with product managers. How do you handle disagreements?
- What is your vision for the future of [relevant Autodesk product area]?
- How do you prioritize competing demands from different stakeholders?

## Preparation tips

- Understand Autodesk's business model and strategic priorities.
- Think about how engineering can drive product innovation and customer value.
- Prepare examples of successful collaboration with product management or other departments.
- Be ready to discuss your approach to prioritizing features and managing roadmaps.

## Round 5: Senior Leadership Interview
**Type:** Executive/Final Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min
Final discussion with senior leadership to assess vision and executive presence.
This final round is with a senior leader (VP or CTO) to assess your executive presence, strategic vision, and overall fit for the M3 role at Autodesk. They will want to understand your long-term perspective on technology, team building, and how you can contribute to the company's strategic objectives at a higher level. This is an opportunity to ask high-level questions about the company's direction.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong leadership presence; Clear vision and strategic thinking; Alignment with executive team's goals; Ability to inspire and lead at a higher level
**Evaluation criteria:** Executive presence; Vision and strategic leadership; Cultural alignment with senior leadership; Overall fit for the M3 role
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with senior leadership vision; Inability to articulate a compelling vision for the team; Poor fit with senior leadership's expectations; Failure to demonstrate executive presence
## Questions

- What is your long-term vision for an engineering team at Autodesk?
- How do you see technology evolving in the AEC space, and how should Autodesk adapt?
- What are the most critical qualities of a successful engineering leader in today's market?
- Do you have any questions for me about the company's direction or my role?

## Preparation tips

- Reflect on your overall leadership philosophy and vision.
- Be prepared to discuss your long-term career aspirations.
- Formulate insightful questions about Autodesk's future and technology strategy.
- Ensure your communication is confident and concise.