Scale Engineer

Senior Manager

Software Engineering ManagerM4High

This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Senior Manager (M4 level) Software Engineering role at Autodesk. It evaluates technical leadership, people management, strategic thinking, and cultural fit within the company.

Rounds·5

Timeline·~14d

Experience·8 - 15 yrs

Comp band·US$180000 - US$250000

Interview time·255 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Technical depth and breadth
  • Problem-solving abilities
  • System design and architecture understanding
  • Ability to mentor and grow engineers

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Thoroughly research Autodesk's products, mission, and values.
  2. Understand the challenges and opportunities in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) industry.
  3. Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions.
  4. Review common software engineering management best practices.
  5. Familiarize yourself with Agile methodologies and DevOps principles.
  6. Be ready to discuss your leadership philosophy and how you foster a positive team culture.
  7. Practice articulating your technical vision and how it aligns with business goals.
  8. Prepare questions to ask the interviewers about the team, role, and Autodesk's future.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 05 phases

01 / 05
01

Phase 01 of 05

Company & Industry Research, Management Fundamentals

Weeks 1-2: Autodesk research, AEC industry, management principles (Agile, DevOps).

Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into Autodesk's history, current product portfolio (e.g., AutoCAD, Revit, Fusion 360), recent news, and strategic initiatives. Understand the company's culture and values. Research the AEC industry landscape and key competitors. Begin reviewing core software engineering management principles, including Agile, Scrum, Kanban, and DevOps.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Tell me about a time you had to manage a difficult stakeholder. How did you handle it?
  • Describe your approach to building and scaling a high-performing engineering team.
  • How do you balance delivering on short-term goals with investing in long-term technical health?
  • Walk me through a complex technical problem you solved as a manager.
  • How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous learning within your team?
  • Describe a situation where you had to make a tough decision that impacted your team. What was the outcome?
  • How do you measure the success of your team and individual engineers?
  • What is your experience with Agile methodologies and how do you ensure effective implementation?
  • How do you handle underperformance on your team?
  • Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it?
  • How do you stay current with technology trends relevant to Autodesk's business?
  • Describe your experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and their application in software development.
  • How do you prioritize competing demands and manage your team's workload?
  • What are your thoughts on the future of [specific Autodesk product area, e.g., BIM, cloud collaboration]?
  • How do you promote diversity and inclusion within your engineering teams?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Remote/Hybrid

Interview focus

Remote team management strategiesCross-cultural communicationAdaptability to different work environments

Common questions

  • How do you handle underperforming teams in a remote setting?
  • Describe a time you had to adapt your leadership style for a geographically distributed team.
  • What are the key challenges and benefits of managing a hybrid engineering team at Autodesk?

Tips

  • Highlight experience with distributed teams and collaboration tools.
  • Be prepared to discuss strategies for fostering team cohesion remotely.
  • Showcase understanding of Autodesk's global presence and diverse workforce.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at Autodesk.

Frequently reported on Autodesk loops

View all at Autodesk

Other guides

More at Autodesk.