Scale Engineer

Software Engineer

Software EngineerL1Medium

Grammarly's Software Engineer L1 interview process is designed to assess foundational technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit. It typically involves multiple rounds, starting with an HR screening, followed by technical interviews focusing on data structures, algorithms, and coding proficiency, and concluding with a behavioral or managerial interview.

Rounds·2

Timeline·~7d

Experience·0 - 2 yrs

Comp band·US$75000 - US$95000

Interview time·75 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Problem-solving approach
  • Coding proficiency and clarity
  • Understanding of fundamental data structures and algorithms
  • Ability to write clean, efficient, and maintainable code
  • Debugging skills
  • Communication of thought process

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review fundamental data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, graph traversal, dynamic programming).
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Coderbyte, focusing on easy and medium difficulty.
  3. Understand time and space complexity (Big O notation).
  4. Brush up on core programming concepts in your preferred language (e.g., object-oriented programming, functional programming paradigms).
  5. Prepare to discuss your past projects, highlighting your contributions and the challenges you faced.
  6. Research Grammarly's products, mission, and values to understand how your skills and aspirations align.
  7. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company culture.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 04 phases

01 / 04
01

Phase 01 of 04

Data Structures

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures (Arrays, Lists, Trees, Hash Maps).

Weeks 1-2: Focus on Data Structures. Cover arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees (binary trees, BSTs, AVL trees), heaps, and hash tables. Understand their operations, time/space complexity, and common use cases. Practice implementing them and solving problems related to them.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Write a function to reverse a linked list.
  • Given an array of integers, find the two numbers that add up to a specific target.
  • Explain the difference between a stack and a queue.
  • How would you find the shortest path in a graph?
  • Describe a time you received constructive criticism and how you responded.
  • What interests you about working at Grammarly?
  • How do you stay updated with new technologies?
  • Tell me about a time you had to debug a difficult problem.

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Remote

Interview focus

Adaptability to remote collaboration tools and practices.Communication skills in a distributed team environment.Self-motivation and ability to work independently.

Common questions

  • Tell me about a challenging project you worked on.
  • How do you approach debugging a complex issue?
  • Describe a time you had to learn a new technology quickly.

Tips

  • Ensure a stable internet connection and a quiet environment.
  • Be prepared to share your screen and use online collaboration tools.
  • Highlight your experience with asynchronous communication.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at Grammarly.

Frequently reported on Grammarly loops

View all at Grammarly

Other guides

More at Grammarly.