Scale Engineer

Member of Technical Staff 1

Software EngineerMTS 1Medium

The interview process for a Member of Technical Staff 1 (MTS 1) Software Engineer at eBay is designed to assess a candidate's foundational technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company. The process typically involves multiple rounds, starting with an initial screening and progressing through technical interviews, a system design round, and a final behavioral/managerial interview.

Rounds·3

Timeline·~14d

Experience·1 - 3 yrs

Comp band·US$100000 - US$130000

Interview time·150 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Problem-solving skills
  • Algorithmic thinking
  • Data structure knowledge
  • Coding proficiency
  • System design capabilities
  • Communication skills
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Adaptability and learning agility

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review fundamental data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, graph traversal).
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or similar.
  3. Understand core computer science concepts such as operating systems, databases, and networking.
  4. Prepare for system design questions by studying common design patterns and scalability concepts.
  5. Reflect on your past projects and experiences to prepare for behavioral questions.
  6. Research eBay's products, services, and company culture.
  7. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 04 phases

01 / 04
01

Phase 01 of 04

Data Structures and Algorithms

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms (Arrays, Lists, Trees, Graphs, HashMaps, Sorting, Searching, BFS, DFS).

Weeks 1-2: Focus on Data Structures and Algorithms. Cover arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees (binary trees, BSTs, AVL trees), graphs, hash tables. Implement common algorithms like sorting (quicksort, mergesort), searching (binary search), and graph traversal (BFS, DFS). Practice problems related to these topics.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
  • Design a system to count unique visitors to a website.
  • Explain the concept of polymorphism with a code example.
  • Tell me about a time you disagreed with a team member. How did you handle it?
  • How would you optimize a slow database query?
  • What are the differences between TCP and UDP?
  • Describe a situation where you had to learn a new technology quickly.
  • Design a rate limiter for an API.
  • What is a deadlock and how can it be prevented?
  • Tell me about a project you are particularly proud of.

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

San Jose, USA

Interview focus

Emphasis on core data structures and algorithms.Problem-solving approach and clarity of thought.Understanding of object-oriented programming principles.

Common questions

  • How would you design a URL shortener?
  • Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
  • Describe a challenging technical problem you solved and how you approached it.

Tips

  • Be prepared to whiteboard solutions.
  • Clearly articulate your thought process.
  • Ask clarifying questions to understand the problem constraints.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at eBay.

Frequently reported on eBay loops

View all at eBay

Other guides

More at eBay.