DRW is a leading principal trading firm that employs sophisticated technology and risk management to operate across global markets. We are looking for talented Software Engineers to join our team and contribute to building and maintaining our cutting-edge trading systems. This interview process is designed to assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within our fast-paced environment.
Rounds·3
Timeline·~14d
Experience·2 - 5 yrs
Comp band·US$110000 - US$150000
Interview time·135 min
Evaluation
Preparation
Tips
Study plan
Fig · Study plan — 05 phases
01 / 05Phase 01 of 05
Weeks 1-2: Data Structures (Arrays, Lists, Trees, Graphs, Hash Tables). Practice problems.
Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (Arrays, Linked Lists, Stacks, Queues, Trees, Graphs, Hash Tables) and their common operations and time complexities. Practice problems related to these structures.
Phase 02 of 05
Weeks 3-4: Algorithms (Sorting, Searching, Graph Traversal, DP, Greedy). Practice problems.
Weeks 3-4: Dive into algorithms, including sorting (Merge Sort, Quick Sort), searching (Binary Search), graph traversal (BFS, DFS), dynamic programming, and greedy algorithms. Solve problems that require applying these algorithms.
Phase 03 of 05
Week 5: System Design (Scalability, Databases, Caching, Load Balancing). Practice system design.
Week 5: Focus on system design concepts. Understand scalability, reliability, availability, load balancing, caching, and database design. Review common system design interview questions and practice designing systems.
Phase 04 of 05
Week 6: Behavioral Questions (STAR Method), DRW Culture. Prepare examples.
Week 6: Prepare for behavioral and situational questions. Reflect on your past experiences and prepare examples using the STAR method. Research DRW's values and culture to align your answers.
Phase 05 of 05
Week 7: Mock Interviews. Practice coding and behavioral questions under timed conditions.
Week 7: Mock interviews. Practice with peers or mentors to simulate the interview environment. Get feedback on your technical explanations, problem-solving approach, and communication skills.
Questions
Locations
Fig · Regions — 03 locations
01 / 03Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Rounds
Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.
Data Structures And Algorithms Interview · 45 min · Software Engineer
This round focuses on your fundamental computer science knowledge, particularly data structures and algorithms. You will be asked to solve coding problems, and your ability to explain your thought process, analyze the time and space complexity of your solution, and write clean, efficient code will be assessed.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Given a binary tree, find its inorder traversal.
Implement a function to find the kth smallest element in an unsorted array.
Given two strings, determine if one is an anagram of the other.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
System Design Interview · 60 min · Senior Software Engineer / Architect
This round assesses your ability to design and architect software systems. You will be presented with a high-level problem and expected to design a solution, considering aspects like scalability, reliability, performance, and maintainability. You'll need to discuss various components, data models, APIs, and trade-offs.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Design a system like Instagram.
Design a rate limiter.
How would you design a distributed cache?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Behavioral Interview · 30 min · Hiring Manager / Team Lead
This round focuses on your behavioral and situational responses. The interviewer will ask questions about your past experiences, how you handle specific work scenarios, your strengths and weaknesses, and your motivations for joining DRW. The goal is to understand your work style, how you collaborate with others, and if you are a good fit for the team and company culture.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a colleague and how you resolved it.
Describe a project you are particularly proud of and your role in it.
How do you handle tight deadlines and pressure?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
DSA
Frequently reported on DRW loops
Other guides
