Scale Engineer

Software Engineer

Software EngineerBA1Medium

Barclays is looking for a Software Engineer at the BA1 level. This role involves developing and maintaining software solutions, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and contributing to the overall technical strategy of the company. The interview process is designed to assess technical proficiency, problem-solving skills, and cultural fit.

Rounds·3

Timeline·~14d

Experience·1 - 3 yrs

Comp band·US$75000 - US$95000

Interview time·135 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Technical skills (coding, algorithms, data structures)
  • Problem-solving abilities
  • Communication skills
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Cultural fit with Barclays values

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review fundamental computer science concepts (data structures, algorithms).
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank.
  3. Understand core Java/Python/C++ concepts (depending on the role's primary language).
  4. Familiarize yourself with object-oriented programming principles.
  5. Research Barclays' values, mission, and recent projects.
  6. Prepare examples for behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
  7. Understand basic system design principles.
  8. Be ready to discuss your resume and past projects in detail.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 04 phases

01 / 04
01

Phase 01 of 04

Data Structures and Algorithms

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms practice.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on Data Structures (Arrays, Linked Lists, Trees, Graphs, Hash Tables) and Algorithms (Sorting, Searching, Dynamic Programming, Greedy Algorithms). Practice coding these concepts in your preferred language.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Write a function to reverse a linked list.
  • Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
  • Describe a time you had to deal with a difficult stakeholder.
  • How would you design a URL shortening service?
  • What are the principles of SOLID design?
  • Tell me about your experience with cloud platforms like AWS or Azure.
  • How do you ensure code quality?
  • What is your understanding of RESTful APIs?
  • Describe a situation where you failed and what you learned from it.

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

London

Interview focus

Adaptability to local market trendsUnderstanding of regional regulatory requirements

Common questions

  • Tell me about a challenging project you worked on.
  • How do you handle tight deadlines?
  • Describe a time you disagreed with a team member.

Tips

  • Research specific Barclays projects relevant to the London market.
  • Be prepared to discuss your understanding of the UK financial services landscape.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

Med

Technical Interview (Coding) · 45 min · Software Engineer / Technical Lead

This round focuses on your core programming skills. You will be asked to solve coding problems, typically involving data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will assess your ability to write clean, efficient, and correct code, as well as your approach to problem-solving and your ability to explain your thought process.

What they look for

Clean and efficient codeLogical thinkingAbility to communicate technical ideas

Evaluation

  • Correctness of code
  • Efficiency of solution (time and space complexity)
  • Clarity of explanation
  • Approach to problem-solving

Sample questions

  • Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.

    ArrayDynamic Programming

  • Implement a function to check if a binary tree is a Binary Search Tree (BST).

    TreeRecursion

Prep for this round

  1. 01Practice coding problems extensively.
  2. 02Be comfortable explaining your code and its complexity.
  3. 03Think out loud during the problem-solving process.

Common rejection reasons

  • ×Inability to solve basic coding problems.
  • ×Poor understanding of fundamental data structures.
  • ×Lack of clarity in explaining thought process.

DSA

Coding questions at Barclays.

Frequently reported on Barclays loops

View all at Barclays

Other guides

More at Barclays.