Scale Engineer

Software Engineering Manager

Software Engineering ManagerL13High

This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Software Engineering Manager (L13) position at Axon. It evaluates technical leadership, people management skills, strategic thinking, and cultural fit.

Rounds·4

Timeline·~14d

Experience·8 - 15 yrs

Comp band·US$180000 - US$250000

Interview time·210 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

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

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Thoroughly review Axon's mission, values, and products.
  2. Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions.
  3. Brush up on system design principles and common architectural patterns.
  4. Understand modern software development methodologies and best practices.
  5. Research common challenges faced by engineering managers and how you've addressed them.
  6. Be ready to discuss your leadership philosophy and how you foster a positive team environment.
  7. Prepare questions to ask the interviewers about the role, team, and company culture.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 04 phases

01 / 04
01

Phase 01 of 04

Foundation & Self-Reflection

Weeks 1-2: Axon research, behavioral examples, leadership principles.

Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into Axon's business, products, and engineering culture. Review your own career achievements and identify key examples for behavioral questions. Focus on leadership principles and management theories.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team. What was the outcome?
  • How do you balance the need for rapid feature delivery with maintaining code quality and technical debt?
  • Describe your approach to mentoring and growing engineers on your team.
  • How do you handle underperforming team members?
  • Walk me through a complex system you designed or significantly contributed to.
  • How do you foster a culture of innovation and psychological safety within your team?
  • What are your strategies for effective cross-functional collaboration?
  • Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it?
  • How do you prioritize competing demands and manage your team's roadmap?
  • What are your thoughts on the future of software development in our industry?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Remote/Hybrid

Interview focus

Remote team managementCross-time zone collaborationHybrid work environment strategies

Common questions

  • How do you handle underperforming engineers in a remote setting?
  • Describe a time you had to manage a conflict between team members working across different time zones.
  • What strategies do you use to foster team cohesion and collaboration in a hybrid work environment?

Tips

  • Highlight experience with distributed teams and remote collaboration tools.
  • Be prepared to discuss how you maintain team morale and productivity remotely.
  • Showcase your ability to adapt management styles for different work arrangements.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at Axon.

Frequently reported on Axon loops

View all at Axon

Other guides

More at Axon.