# Grade 9
**Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** Software Engineer 2
**Company:** [Autodesk](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/autodesk)
**Difficulty:** Medium to Hard
**Salary:** US$110000 - US$140000
**Experience:** 2 - 5
**Timeline:** ~14 days
This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Software Engineer position at Autodesk, specifically for the Grade 9 level (Software Engineer 2). The process evaluates technical proficiency, problem-solving skills, collaboration abilities, and cultural fit within Autodesk's innovative environment.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/autodesk/software-engineer-2-software-engineer
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## Overall evaluation

- Technical Proficiency
- Communication & Collaboration
- Cultural Fit & Motivation

## Questions asked

- Design a system for real-time collaborative editing of a document.
- Given a large dataset of user interactions, how would you identify trending topics?
- Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
- How would you optimize a database query that is running slowly?
- Describe a situation where you disagreed with a team member and how you resolved it.
- What are the trade-offs between monolithic and microservices architectures?
- Write a function to find the k-th largest element in an unsorted array.
- How do you ensure the security of a web application?
- Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it.

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Thoroughly review fundamental computer science concepts, including data structures, algorithms, and object-oriented programming.
- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or similar, focusing on medium to hard difficulty.
- Study system design principles and common architectural patterns.
- Prepare to discuss your past projects in detail, highlighting your contributions, challenges, and learnings.
- Research Autodesk's products, mission, and recent news to understand their business and technical landscape.
- Prepare behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
- Understand the specific technologies and programming languages mentioned in the job description.

### 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, graph traversal). Practice implementing these from scratch and analyze their time and space complexity. Solve at least 20 medium-difficulty problems on LeetCode.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms fundamentals. Solve 20+ LeetCode medium problems."}
- {"title":"System Design","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive into system design. Study concepts like scalability, availability, reliability, load balancing, caching, databases (SQL vs. NoSQL), and API design. Review common system design interview questions and practice designing systems like Twitter feed, URL shortener, or a distributed cache.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: System Design principles. Practice designing common systems."}
- {"title":"Behavioral and Situational Preparation","longDescription":"Week 5: Prepare for behavioral and situational questions. Reflect on your past experiences and prepare stories using the STAR method that showcase your problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and conflict-resolution skills. Research Autodesk's values and culture.","shortDescription":"Week 5: Behavioral questions (STAR method). Research Autodesk culture."}
- {"title":"Technology Deep Dive","longDescription":"Week 6: Review specific technologies relevant to the role (e.g., C++, Python, Java, cloud platforms, graphics APIs). Practice coding challenges related to these technologies and revisit any weak areas identified during your preparation.","shortDescription":"Week 6: Technology-specific review and practice. Address weak areas."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"San Francisco","differences":{"tips":["Familiarize yourself with Autodesk's core products and their collaborative features.","Prepare examples demonstrating your ability to work in agile environments and contribute to team success.","Research common challenges in cloud-based design software."],"interviewFocus":["System design for collaborative features","Debugging complex issues in distributed systems","Cross-functional communication and stakeholder management"],"commonQuestions":["How would you design a system to handle real-time collaboration for a design application?","Describe a challenging bug you encountered and how you debugged it.","Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult stakeholder."]}}
- {"location":"Montreal","differences":{"tips":["Brush up on graphics APIs (e.g., DirectX, OpenGL, Vulkan) and rendering techniques.","Be ready to discuss your experience with performance profiling tools.","Understand Autodesk's role in the gaming and entertainment industries."],"interviewFocus":["Performance optimization in graphics and rendering","Parallel computing and GPU architecture","Code quality and best practices"],"commonQuestions":["How would you optimize the performance of a large-scale graphics rendering pipeline?","Discuss your experience with GPU programming and parallel processing.","How do you approach code reviews to ensure quality and maintainability?"]}}
- {"location":"London","differences":{"tips":["Highlight your experience with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices.","Be prepared to discuss your understanding of containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).","Research Autodesk's cloud strategy and its impact on their product offerings."],"interviewFocus":["Cloud-native architectures and services","Microservices design and implementation","Adaptability and continuous learning"],"commonQuestions":["Describe your experience with cloud infrastructure and services (AWS, Azure, GCP).","How would you design a scalable microservices architecture for a SaaS product?","Tell me about a time you had to adapt to a rapidly changing technical landscape."]}}

## Round 1: Coding Proficiency Round
**Type:** Technical Coding Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Assess core programming skills with coding problems.
This initial technical round focuses on assessing your core programming skills. You will be asked to solve one or two coding problems, typically involving data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will observe your approach to problem-solving, your ability to write working code, and your understanding of time and space complexity. Expect to explain your thought process throughout the coding exercise.
**Interviewers look for:** Correctness of the solution; Efficiency of the code (time and space complexity); Clarity and readability of the code; Ability to handle edge cases
**Evaluation criteria:** Coding proficiency; Understanding of data structures and algorithms; Problem-solving skills; Ability to write clean and efficient code
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate thought process; Lack of fundamental programming knowledge; Poor problem-solving approach
## Questions

- Implement a function to reverse a linked list.
- Find the first non-repeating character in a string.
- Given two sorted arrays, merge them into a single sorted array.

## Preparation tips

- Practice coding on a whiteboard or a shared editor without an IDE.
- Think out loud and explain your approach before writing code.
- Test your code with various inputs, including edge cases.
- Be prepared to discuss alternative solutions and their trade-offs.

## Round 2: System Design Round
**Type:** System Design Interview · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min
Assess ability to design scalable and robust systems.
This round evaluates your ability to design scalable and robust systems. You'll be presented with a high-level problem (e.g., design a URL shortener, a social media feed, or a real-time chat application) and expected to design a solution. This involves discussing requirements, identifying components, choosing appropriate technologies, and considering aspects like scalability, performance, and fault tolerance.
**Interviewers look for:** Structured approach to design problems; Consideration of various system components; Ability to justify design choices; Understanding of distributed systems concepts
**Evaluation criteria:** System design capabilities; Understanding of scalability, availability, and reliability; Knowledge of databases, caching, and messaging queues; Ability to make sound technical trade-offs
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of understanding of system design principles; Inability to handle scale and performance considerations; Poor trade-off analysis
## Questions

- Design a system like Twitter's news feed.
- How would you design a distributed key-value store?
- Design an API for a ride-sharing service.

## Preparation tips

- Study common system design patterns and architectures.
- Practice designing systems for scale.
- Be prepared to discuss trade-offs between different technologies and approaches.
- Think about potential bottlenecks and how to address them.

## Round 3: Behavioral and Situational Round
**Type:** Behavioral Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Assess past experiences and behavioral competencies.
This round focuses on your past experiences and how you handle various workplace situations. You'll be asked behavioral questions designed to understand your work style, how you collaborate with others, handle conflicts, and approach challenges. Use the STAR method to provide clear and concise examples.
**Interviewers look for:** Honesty and self-awareness; Ability to learn from mistakes; Positive attitude towards challenges; Good communication and interpersonal skills
**Evaluation criteria:** Behavioral competencies; Teamwork and collaboration skills; Problem-solving in past experiences; Adaptability and learning agility; Alignment with Autodesk's values
**Common rejection reasons:** Poor communication skills; Lack of self-awareness; Inability to provide specific examples; Poor cultural fit
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you had to work 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?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples for common behavioral questions (teamwork, leadership, conflict resolution, failure).
- Be honest and reflective in your answers.
- Show enthusiasm for the role and the company.
- Ask thoughtful questions about the team and the work.

## Round 4: Hiring Manager Discussion
**Type:** Hiring Manager / Fit Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 30 min
Final discussion on career goals, team fit, and mutual expectations.
This is typically the final round with the hiring manager. The focus is on understanding your career aspirations, how you align with the team's specific goals and culture, and answering any remaining questions you might have. It's an opportunity for both sides to ensure a good mutual fit.
**Interviewers look for:** Enthusiasm for the specific team's work; Alignment with team culture and values; Clear career goals; Thoughtful questions about the role and team
**Evaluation criteria:** Alignment with team's technical goals; Cultural fit within the team; Motivation and career aspirations; Candidate's questions and engagement
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with team's technical direction; Poor fit with team dynamics; Unrealistic salary expectations
## Questions

- What are your long-term career goals?
- What interests you most about this specific team's work?
- Do you have any questions for me about the role or the team?

## Preparation tips

- Research the specific team you are interviewing for, if possible.
- Prepare questions about the team's projects, challenges, and culture.
- Clearly articulate your career goals and how this role fits into them.
- Reiterate your interest in Autodesk and the specific position.