Scale Engineer

Software Engineer

Software EngineerSoftware Engineer IMedium

This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Software Engineer I position at Canonical. It evaluates technical skills, problem-solving abilities, cultural fit, and potential for growth within the company.

Rounds·3

Timeline·~14d

Experience·0 - 2 yrs

Comp band·US$60000 - US$85000

Interview time·135 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Problem-solving skills
  • Algorithmic thinking
  • Data structure knowledge
  • Code quality and efficiency

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review fundamental data structures and algorithms.
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank.
  3. Understand core concepts of operating systems and networking.
  4. Familiarize yourself with the programming languages commonly used at Canonical (e.g., Python, C, Go).
  5. Research Canonical's products, open-source contributions, and company culture.
  6. Prepare to discuss your past projects and experiences in detail.
  7. Think about behavioral questions related to teamwork, problem-solving, and handling challenges.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 04 phases

01 / 04
01

Phase 01 of 04

Data Structures and Algorithms

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA) fundamentals. OOP concepts.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, recursion). Practice implementing these and analyzing their time/space complexity. Cover fundamental concepts of object-oriented programming.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Write a function to reverse a linked list.
  • Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
  • How would you design a URL shortener service?
  • Tell me about a time you had to debug a complex issue.
  • What are your favorite features of Ubuntu?
  • Describe your experience with version control systems like Git.
  • How do you stay updated with new technologies?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Remote

Interview focus

Adaptability to remote work cultureCommunication skills in a distributed teamProactiveness in seeking information

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

  • Ensure a stable internet connection.
  • Prepare a quiet and professional background.
  • Be ready to articulate your thought process clearly, as non-verbal cues might be less apparent.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

Med

Technical Interview (Coding) · 45 min · Software Engineer

This round focuses on your fundamental programming skills. You will be asked to solve coding problems that test your knowledge of data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will assess how you approach the problem, your ability to write clean and efficient code, and how you communicate your thought process.

What they look for

Logical thinkingAbility to break down complex problemsProficiency in a chosen programming languageAttention to detail

Evaluation

  • Correctness of the solution
  • Efficiency of the solution (time and space complexity)
  • Clarity and organization of the code
  • Problem-solving approach

Sample questions

  • Given an array of integers, return indices of the two numbers such that they add up to a specific target.

    ArrayHash TableTwo Pointers

  • Implement a queue using two stacks.

    StackQueueData Structures

  • Find the kth smallest element in a binary search tree.

    TreeBinary Search TreeRecursion

Prep for this round

  1. 01Practice coding problems regularly.
  2. 02Understand the time and space complexity of your solutions.
  3. 03Be prepared to explain your code line by line.
  4. 04Think out loud during the interview.

Common rejection reasons

  • ×Inability to articulate thought process.
  • ×Poor understanding of fundamental algorithms.
  • ×Code with significant bugs or inefficiencies.

DSA

Coding questions at Canonical.

Frequently reported on Canonical loops

View all at Canonical

Other guides

More at Canonical.