Scale Engineer

Software Engineer

Software EngineerSoftware Engineer IIMedium

The interview process for a Software Engineer II at Harness is designed to assess a candidate's technical proficiency, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company. It typically involves multiple rounds, starting with an HR screening, followed by technical interviews focusing on data structures, algorithms, system design, and coding, and concluding with a managerial or team-fit interview.

Rounds·4

Timeline·~7d

Experience·2 - 5 yrs

Comp band·US$110000 - US$140000

Interview time·165 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Problem-solving skills
  • Coding proficiency
  • Algorithmic thinking
  • System design capabilities
  • Communication skills
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Cultural fit
  • Adaptability and learning agility

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review fundamental data structures and algorithms (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps, sorting, searching).
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Coderbyte.
  3. Understand common system design principles and patterns (scalability, availability, reliability, databases, caching, load balancing).
  4. Prepare for behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
  5. Research Harness's products, values, and recent news.
  6. Be ready to discuss your past projects and technical contributions in detail.
  7. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company culture.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 05 phases

01 / 05
01

Phase 01 of 05

Data Structures and Algorithms Fundamentals

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Basic Algorithms. Cover arrays, lists, trees, graphs, hash tables, sorting, searching. Practice 10-15 problems per topic.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, graphs, hash tables) and their common operations. Practice basic algorithms like sorting (quicksort, mergesort) and searching (binary search). Solve 10-15 problems per data structure/algorithm type.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
  • Design a system to store and retrieve user preferences.
  • Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
  • Tell me about a time you disagreed with a teammate and how you resolved it.
  • How would you design a rate limiter?
  • What are the trade-offs between SQL and NoSQL databases?
  • Describe a challenging bug you encountered and how you debugged it.
  • How do you ensure the quality of your code?
  • What is your experience with cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or GCP?
  • How do you stay updated with new technologies?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Remote

Interview focus

Emphasis on practical application of concepts.Understanding of local development environments and tools.Familiarity with common open-source technologies.

Common questions

  • Discuss a challenging technical problem you solved recently.
  • How do you approach debugging a complex issue?
  • Describe your experience with [specific technology relevant to the team, e.g., Kubernetes, Go, Java].

Tips

  • Be prepared to discuss your contributions to local projects or communities.
  • Highlight experience with tools commonly used in local tech scenes.
  • Showcase adaptability to different team structures and workflows.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at Harness.

Frequently reported on Harness loops

View all at Harness

Other guides

More at Harness.