Scale Engineer

Software Engineer

Software EngineerL3Medium

The Software Engineer L3 interview at Hive is designed to assess a candidate's foundational knowledge in computer science, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company. It typically involves a mix of technical and behavioral assessments to ensure the candidate can contribute effectively to our engineering teams.

Rounds·2

Timeline·~7d

Experience·1 - 3 yrs

Comp band·US$90000 - US$120000

Interview time·90 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Problem-solving skills
  • Coding proficiency
  • Understanding of data structures and algorithms
  • Ability to write clean, maintainable code
  • Communication skills
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Cultural fit with Hive's values

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review fundamental computer science concepts (data structures, algorithms, operating systems, databases).
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Coderbyte, focusing on medium-difficulty problems.
  3. Prepare to discuss your past projects in detail, highlighting your role, challenges, and solutions.
  4. Understand common behavioral interview questions and prepare STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) answers.
  5. Research Hive's products, mission, and values to understand how you can contribute.
  6. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company culture.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 03 phases

01 / 03
01

Phase 01 of 03

Data Structures and Algorithms

Week 1: Data Structures & Algorithms (Arrays, Lists, Trees, Graphs, Hash Tables) + Big O.

Week 1: Focus on Data Structures (Arrays, Linked Lists, Stacks, Queues, Trees, Graphs, Hash Tables) and their common algorithms. Practice implementing these structures and solving problems related to them. Cover Big O notation for time and space complexity analysis.

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 process and a thread.
  • Describe a time you faced a technical challenge and how you overcame it.
  • How would you design a URL shortener?
  • What are your strengths and weaknesses?
  • Why are you interested in working at Hive?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Remote

Interview focus

Adaptability to new technologiesTeamwork and collaborationProblem-solving approach

Common questions

  • Tell me about a challenging project you worked on.
  • How do you handle disagreements within a team?
  • Describe a time you had to learn a new technology quickly.

Tips

  • Research Hive's tech stack and recent projects.
  • Prepare examples demonstrating your learning agility.
  • Be ready to discuss your contributions to team success.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

Easy

Technical Interview (Coding) · 45 min · Software Engineer

This round focuses on assessing your fundamental coding skills and problem-solving abilities. You will be asked to solve one or two coding problems, typically involving arrays, strings, or basic data structures. The interviewer will evaluate your approach, the correctness of your code, and your ability to explain your thought process. Expect questions that test your understanding of Big O notation.

What they look for

Logical thinkingAbility to translate requirements into codeBasic understanding of time and space complexity

Evaluation

  • Problem-solving approach
  • Coding correctness
  • Code readability and efficiency
  • Understanding of basic data structures and algorithms

Sample questions

  • Given an array of integers, return indices of the two numbers such that they add up to a specific target.

    ArrayHash TableTwo Pointers

  • Implement a function to check if a string is a palindrome.

    StringTwo Pointers

Prep for this round

  1. 01Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode (Easy/Medium).
  2. 02Be comfortable explaining your code and your reasoning.
  3. 03Review common data structures and algorithms.
  4. 04Practice thinking out loud.

Common rejection reasons

  • ×Inability to solve basic coding problems.
  • ×Poor understanding of fundamental data structures.
  • ×Difficulty explaining thought process.
  • ×Lack of clarity in communication.

DSA

Coding questions at Hive.

Frequently reported on Hive loops

View all at Hive

Other guides

More at Hive.