Grammarly's Software Engineer L5 interview process is designed to assess a candidate's technical expertise, problem-solving abilities, system design skills, and cultural fit. The process typically involves multiple rounds, including technical interviews, a system design interview, and behavioral interviews, to ensure a comprehensive evaluation.
Rounds·4
Timeline·~14d
Experience·5 - 10 yrs
Comp band·US$140000 - US$180000
Interview time·165 min
Evaluation
Preparation
Tips
Study plan
Fig · Study plan — 04 phases
01 / 04Phase 01 of 04
Weeks 1-2: DSA fundamentals and practice (2-3 problems/day).
Weeks 1-2: Focus on Data Structures and Algorithms. Cover arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash tables, heaps, sorting, searching, dynamic programming, and greedy algorithms. Practice implementing these structures and algorithms and analyzing their time and space complexity. Aim for 2-3 medium/hard problems per day.
Phase 02 of 04
Weeks 3-4: System Design principles and practice (common patterns).
Weeks 3-4: Dive into System Design. Study topics like scalability, availability, reliability, databases (SQL vs. NoSQL), caching, load balancing, message queues, microservices, and API design. Review common system design interview questions and practice designing systems like Twitter feed, URL shortener, etc.
Phase 03 of 04
Week 5: Behavioral questions (STAR method) & Product Sense.
Week 5: Focus on Behavioral and Product Sense. Prepare examples for common behavioral questions (teamwork, conflict resolution, leadership, failures, successes) using the STAR method. Understand Grammarly's product, target audience, and business model. Think about how you would improve the product.
Phase 04 of 04
Week 6: Mock interviews and final review.
Week 6: Mock Interviews and Review. Conduct mock interviews with peers or mentors to simulate the actual interview experience. Focus on communication, problem-solving approach, and time management. Review weak areas identified during practice and mock interviews.
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.
Technical Interview (Coding) · 45 min · Software Engineer
This round focuses on your fundamental computer science knowledge. You will be asked to solve 1-2 coding problems that test your understanding of data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps, etc.) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, graph traversal, etc.). The interviewer will assess your ability to analyze the problem, choose appropriate data structures and algorithms, write clean and efficient code, and explain your reasoning.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
Implement a function to reverse a linked list.
Find the kth smallest element in a binary search tree.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
System Design Interview · 60 min · Senior Software Engineer / Architect
This round evaluates your ability to design complex, scalable, and reliable systems. You will be presented with an open-ended problem (e.g., design a URL shortener, a social media feed, a chat system) and expected to design a high-level architecture. This includes defining APIs, data models, choosing appropriate technologies, and discussing trade-offs, scalability, and potential bottlenecks.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Design a system to handle real-time notifications for a web application.
Design a distributed key-value store.
Design the backend for a ride-sharing service like Uber.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Behavioral Interview · 45 min · Hiring Manager / Senior Team Member
This round focuses on your past experiences, work style, and how you collaborate with others. You'll be asked behavioral questions designed to understand your strengths, weaknesses, how you handle conflict, your leadership style, and your motivation. The interviewer will also assess your cultural fit with Grammarly.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a teammate. How did you resolve it?
Describe a challenging project you worked on and how you overcame obstacles.
How do you stay updated with new technologies and trends?
Why are you interested in Grammarly?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Q&A / Wrap-Up · 15 min · Recruiter / Hiring Manager
This is an opportunity for you to ask any remaining questions you have about the role, the team, the company culture, or the next steps in the hiring process. It's also a chance for the interviewer to gauge your overall interest and fit.
What they look for
Evaluation
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
DSA
Frequently reported on Grammarly loops
Other guides
