# Software Engineer **Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** L2 **Company:** [Hudson River Trading](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/hudson-river-trading) **Difficulty:** Medium **Salary:** US$110000 - US$150000 **Experience:** 2 - 5 **Timeline:** ~14 days This interview process is for a Software Engineer (L2) role at Hudson River Trading. It is designed to assess a candidate's technical proficiency, problem-solving skills, and cultural fit within the firm. Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/hudson-river-trading/l2-software-engineer --- ## Overall evaluation - Technical Skills - Communication - Behavioral and Cultural Fit ## Questions asked - Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum. - Design a URL shortening service. - Explain the difference between a process and a thread. - How would you implement a Least Recently Used (LRU) cache? - Describe a time you had a conflict with a teammate and how you resolved it. - What are the challenges of building a distributed system? - Write a function to reverse a linked list. - How do you ensure the performance of your code? - Tell me about a project you are particularly proud of. ## Preparation tips ### lists - Review fundamental data structures and algorithms (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, sorting, searching). - Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or AlgoExpert, focusing on medium to hard difficulty. - Study system design concepts, including scalability, reliability, and performance. - Understand common operating system concepts (processes, threads, memory management). - Brush up on your chosen programming language (C++, Java, Python) and its standard libraries. - Prepare to discuss past projects in detail, focusing on your contributions and technical challenges. - Research Hudson River Trading and the financial industry to understand our business and culture. - Practice explaining your thought process clearly and concisely. ### studyPlan - {"title":"Data Structures and Algorithms","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, hash maps, trees, heaps) and basic algorithms (sorting, searching, recursion, dynamic programming). Practice implementing these from scratch and analyze their time and space complexity. Aim for 2-3 problems per day.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms Fundamentals. Practice 2-3 problems/day."} - {"title":"Advanced Algorithms and System Design","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive into more advanced algorithms (graph algorithms, dynamic programming, greedy algorithms) and problem-solving techniques. Start practicing medium-difficulty problems on platforms like LeetCode. Begin exploring system design concepts like load balancing, caching, and database choices.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Advanced Algorithms & System Design Intro. Practice medium problems. Study system design basics."} - {"title":"System Design and Behavioral Preparation","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Focus on system design problems relevant to trading (e.g., designing a stock ticker, a trading engine). Practice behavioral questions and prepare to discuss your resume projects in depth. Review operating system concepts and concurrency.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: System Design (Trading Focus) & Behavioral Prep. Review OS concepts."} - {"title":"Mock Interviews and Final Review","longDescription":"Week 7: Mock interviews, focusing on both technical and behavioral aspects. Refine your explanations and practice articulating your thought process under pressure. Review any weak areas identified during practice.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Mock Interviews & Weak Area Review."} ## Location differences - {"location":"New York","differences":{"tips":["Be prepared to discuss your experience with high-frequency trading systems or similar low-latency applications.","Familiarize yourself with common financial data structures and protocols.","Highlight any experience with performance optimization in C++ or Java."],"interviewFocus":["Emphasis on distributed systems and low-latency solutions.","Understanding of financial market data and its processing.","Experience with C++ or Java in a performance-critical environment."],"commonQuestions":["Discuss a challenging technical problem you solved in a distributed system.","How would you design a system to handle real-time stock price updates for a large number of users?","Explain the trade-offs between different database technologies for high-frequency trading data."]}} - {"location":"Chicago","differences":{"tips":["Brush up on data structures and algorithms, especially those relevant to competitive programming.","Be ready to write clean, efficient, and well-tested code on a whiteboard or shared editor.","Demonstrate a solid understanding of software development best practices."],"interviewFocus":["Strong emphasis on core computer science fundamentals.","Problem-solving and algorithmic thinking.","Code quality and maintainability."],"commonQuestions":["Describe a project where you optimized code for performance.","How do you approach debugging complex issues in a production environment?","What are your thoughts on functional programming paradigms and their application in trading systems?"]}} ## Round 1: Technical Screening **Type:** Technical Screening (Coding) · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min Coding round focusing on data structures and algorithms. Expect 1-2 problems. This is the initial technical screening round, typically conducted via video call. The interviewer will present one or two coding problems, often focusing on data structures and algorithms. You'll be expected to write code in a shared editor or on a whiteboard and explain your approach as you go. The focus is on your problem-solving skills and ability to implement efficient solutions. **Interviewers look for:** Solid understanding of data structures and algorithms.; Ability to translate a problem into working code.; Clear communication of thought process.; Attention to detail in coding. **Evaluation criteria:** Correctness of the solution; Efficiency of the solution (time and space complexity); Code clarity and style; Ability to communicate the approach **Common rejection reasons:** Inability to solve basic algorithmic problems.; Poor coding style or syntax errors.; Inability to explain thought process.; Lack of fundamental computer science knowledge. ## Questions - Given a binary tree, invert the tree. - Find the kth smallest element in a sorted matrix. ## Preparation tips - Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode (Easy/Medium). - Be comfortable explaining your code and its complexity. - Prepare to talk through your approach before writing code. ## Round 2: System Design Interview **Type:** System Design · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min Design a scalable system. Focus on components, data flow, and trade-offs. This round assesses your ability to design and scale software systems. You'll be given an open-ended problem (e.g., 'Design Twitter', 'Design a ride-sharing service') and expected to discuss various components, data models, APIs, and trade-offs. The interviewer will probe your design choices and challenge your assumptions. **Interviewers look for:** Ability to design complex systems from scratch.; Understanding of distributed systems principles.; Knowledge of databases, caching, and messaging queues.; Ability to handle ambiguity and make reasoned decisions. **Evaluation criteria:** Scalability of the design; Reliability and fault tolerance; Performance considerations; Clarity and justification of design choices; Understanding of trade-offs **Common rejection reasons:** Inability to design scalable and robust systems.; Lack of understanding of trade-offs in system design.; Poor communication of design choices.; Not considering edge cases or failure scenarios. ## Questions - Design a system to track the real-time location of delivery trucks. - Design a rate limiter for an API. ## Preparation tips - Study common system design patterns and concepts. - Practice designing systems for scalability and high availability. - Be prepared to discuss databases, caching strategies, load balancing, and APIs. ## Round 3: Behavioral and Managerial Interview **Type:** Behavioral Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 30 min Behavioral questions to assess teamwork, problem-solving, and cultural fit. This round focuses on your behavioral and soft skills. You'll be asked questions about your past experiences, how you handle specific situations (e.g., conflicts, failures, successes), and your motivations. The goal is to understand how you work, collaborate, and fit into the team and company culture. **Interviewers look for:** How you handle challenges and setbacks.; Your ability to work in a team.; Your passion for technology and the financial industry.; Alignment with company values. **Evaluation criteria:** Communication clarity; Problem-solving approach; Teamwork and collaboration skills; Motivation and interest; Cultural fit **Common rejection reasons:** Poor communication skills.; Lack of enthusiasm or interest in the role/company.; Inability to provide specific examples for behavioral questions.; Mismatch with company culture or values. ## Questions - Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it? - Describe a challenging project you worked on and your role in it. - How do you stay updated with new technologies? ## Preparation tips - Prepare examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). - Think about your strengths and weaknesses. - Be ready to discuss why you are interested in Hudson River Trading.