# Associate
**Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** Software Engineer 1
**Company:** [MathWorks](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/mathworks)
**Difficulty:** Medium
**Salary:** US$75000 - US$95000
**Experience:** 0 - 2
**Timeline:** ~14 days
This interview process is for an Associate Software Engineer position at MathWorks, focusing on foundational software engineering skills and problem-solving abilities.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/mathworks/software-engineer-1-software-engineer
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical Skills
- Communication
- Behavioral and Cultural Fit

## Questions 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 situation where you had to deal with a difficult team member.
- How do you stay updated with new technologies?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it.

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Review fundamental computer science concepts (data structures, algorithms, operating systems, databases).
- Practice coding problems, focusing on efficiency and clarity.
- Understand object-oriented programming principles.
- Prepare to discuss your resume, projects, and internships in detail.
- Research MathWorks' mission, values, and products.
- Prepare questions to ask the interviewer.
- Practice behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Data Structures","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, graphs, hash tables) and their common operations and time complexities. Practice implementing them and solving problems involving them.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Data Structures. Cover arrays, lists, stacks, queues, trees, graphs, hash tables. Practice implementations and complexity analysis."}
- {"title":"Algorithms","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive into algorithms, including sorting (bubble, insertion, merge, quick), searching (binary search), graph traversal (BFS, DFS), dynamic programming, and greedy algorithms. Understand their applications and time/space complexity.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Algorithms. Focus on sorting, searching, graph traversals, DP, greedy. Analyze time/space complexity."}
- {"title":"Object-Oriented Programming","longDescription":"Week 5: Review object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts (encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, abstraction) and design patterns. Practice applying these concepts in coding exercises.","shortDescription":"Week 5: OOP & Design Patterns. Review core OOP principles and common design patterns."}
- {"title":"Behavioral and Company Preparation","longDescription":"Week 6: Prepare for behavioral questions by reflecting on past experiences related to teamwork, problem-solving, challenges, and learning. Use the STAR method to structure your answers. Also, research MathWorks and prepare insightful questions.","shortDescription":"Week 6: Behavioral & Company Research. Prepare STAR answers and research MathWorks."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"USA","differences":{"tips":["Be prepared to discuss your academic projects and internships in detail.","Practice explaining your thought process clearly.","Research MathWorks' products and values."],"interviewFocus":["Understanding of core computer science concepts.","Problem-solving and analytical skills.","Communication and teamwork abilities."],"commonQuestions":["Tell me about a challenging project you worked on during your internship.","How do you approach debugging a complex issue?","Describe a time you had to learn a new technology quickly."]}}
- {"location":"India","differences":{"tips":["Brush up on your data structures and algorithms knowledge.","Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank.","Be ready to write code on a whiteboard or shared editor."],"interviewFocus":["Proficiency in programming languages relevant to MathWorks (e.g., MATLAB, C++, Python).","Understanding of algorithms and data structures.","Ability to write clean, maintainable code."],"commonQuestions":["Can you explain the data structures you are most comfortable with and why?","How would you design a simple API for a common task?","What are your thoughts on code reviews and their importance?"]}}

## Round 1: Coding Round 1
**Type:** Technical Interview · **Difficulty:** Easy · **Duration:** 45 min
Assess foundational coding skills and problem-solving.
This initial technical round assesses your foundational programming skills and problem-solving abilities. You will be asked to solve one or two coding problems, typically involving basic data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will focus on how you approach the problem, your thought process, and the correctness and efficiency of your code.
**Interviewers look for:** Fundamental programming skills.; Logical thinking.; Clear communication.
**Evaluation criteria:** Basic understanding of data structures and algorithms.; Ability to write simple, correct code.; Communication of thought process.
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate thought process clearly.; Lack of fundamental programming knowledge.; Poor problem-solving approach.
## Questions

- Given an array of integers, return indices of the two numbers such that they add up to a specific target.
- Implement a function to check if a binary tree is a Binary Search Tree (BST).

## Preparation tips

- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode (Easy/Medium).
- Be comfortable with arrays, strings, linked lists, and basic sorting/searching algorithms.
- Practice explaining your solution step-by-step.

## Round 2: Coding Round 2
**Type:** Technical Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 60 min
Deeper dive into algorithms, complexity analysis, and optimization.
This round delves deeper into your algorithmic knowledge and problem-solving capabilities. You'll be presented with more challenging problems that may require knowledge of trees, graphs, dynamic programming, or more advanced data structures. The interviewer will expect you to not only provide a correct solution but also to discuss and implement an optimized version, analyzing its time and space complexity.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong algorithmic thinking.; Ability to optimize solutions.; Understanding of trade-offs.; Robustness of code.
**Evaluation criteria:** Proficiency in algorithms and data structures.; Ability to analyze time and space complexity.; Code optimization skills.; Handling edge cases.
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to optimize solutions.; Poor understanding of time and space complexity.; Difficulty with more complex algorithmic problems.
## Questions

- Find the kth smallest element in a Binary Search Tree.
- Given a string containing just the characters '(', ')', '{', '}', '[' and ']', determine if the input string is valid.

## Preparation tips

- Practice Medium/Hard problems on LeetCode, focusing on various algorithm categories.
- Understand Big O notation thoroughly.
- Be prepared to discuss trade-offs between different approaches.
- Practice whiteboard coding or coding in a shared editor.

## Round 3: Behavioral and Managerial Round
**Type:** Behavioral Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Assess behavioral competencies, teamwork, and cultural fit.
This round focuses on your behavioral aspects and cultural fit. The hiring manager will ask questions about your past experiences, how you handle different situations (teamwork, conflict, challenges), your strengths and weaknesses, and your motivation for joining MathWorks. Using the STAR method is highly recommended for answering these questions.
**Interviewers look for:** Teamwork and collaboration skills.; How candidates handle challenges and failures.; Enthusiasm for the role and company.; Self-awareness.
**Evaluation criteria:** Behavioral competencies (teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability).; Communication and interpersonal skills.; Motivation and alignment with company values.; Past experiences and learning.
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clarity in explaining past experiences.; Inability to provide specific examples.; Poor fit with team culture or company values.
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a teammate and how you resolved it.
- Describe a project you are particularly proud of and your role in it.
- How do you handle constructive criticism?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare examples using the STAR method for common behavioral questions.
- Research MathWorks' culture, mission, and values.
- Think about why you want to work at MathWorks specifically.
- Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the hiring manager.