Scale Engineer

Principal SDE

Software EngineerNVery High

Expedia is looking for a Principal Software Engineer to join our dynamic team. This role is critical in driving technical strategy, mentoring junior engineers, and delivering high-impact solutions. We are seeking experienced individuals with a proven track record of technical leadership and innovation.

Rounds·5

Timeline·~4d

Experience·10 - 15 yrs

Comp band·US$180000 - US$250000

Interview time·285 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Technical depth and breadth in relevant technologies.
  • Problem-solving and analytical skills.
  • System design and architectural capabilities.
  • Leadership and mentorship potential.
  • Communication and collaboration skills.
  • Cultural fit and alignment with Expedia's values.

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Thoroughly review your resume and be prepared to discuss every project in detail.
  2. Brush up on core computer science fundamentals, including data structures and algorithms.
  3. Practice system design problems, focusing on scalability, reliability, and trade-offs.
  4. Prepare examples of leadership, mentorship, and problem-solving from your past experience.
  5. Research Expedia's products, services, and recent news.
  6. Understand Expedia's company culture and values.
  7. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 05 phases

01 / 05
01

Phase 01 of 05

Foundational Computer Science

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures, Algorithms, OOP, Design Patterns.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash tables) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, graph traversal). Practice implementing these in your preferred language and analyze their time and space complexity. Review object-oriented design principles and common design patterns.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Describe a complex system you designed or significantly contributed to. What were the key challenges and how did you address them?
  • How would you design a system to handle millions of concurrent users for a travel booking website?
  • Tell me about a time you had to lead a team through a difficult technical challenge.
  • What are your thoughts on the future of travel technology?
  • How do you stay updated with the latest technology trends?
  • Explain the trade-offs between different database technologies for a large-scale application.
  • Describe a situation where you disagreed with a technical decision made by your team or manager. How did you handle it?
  • How would you mentor a junior engineer who is struggling with a particular concept?
  • What are the key principles of building a scalable and resilient microservices architecture?
  • How do you approach performance optimization in a distributed system?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 03 locations

01 / 03

Location

Seattle, USA

Interview focus

Deep understanding of distributed systems and scalability.Proven ability to lead complex technical projects.Strong architectural design skills.Mentorship and team leadership capabilities.Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).

Common questions

  • How would you design a distributed caching system for a global e-commerce platform?
  • Describe a time you had to make a significant technical trade-off. What was the situation and your decision-making process?
  • How do you approach mentoring and developing junior engineers?
  • Discuss your experience with cloud-native architectures and microservices.
  • What are your strategies for ensuring code quality and maintainability in large-scale systems?

Tips

  • Be prepared to discuss your most challenging technical projects in detail.
  • Highlight instances where you influenced technical direction or mentored teams.
  • Showcase your understanding of system design principles and trade-offs.
  • Emphasize your experience with large-scale, high-traffic systems.
  • Be ready to articulate your vision for future technology trends.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at Expedia.

Frequently reported on Expedia loops

View all at Expedia

Other guides

More at Expedia.