Scale Engineer

Software Engineer

Software EngineerMG2Medium to Hard

Mercari is looking for a talented Software Engineer at the MG2 level to join our dynamic team. This role involves designing, developing, and maintaining scalable and high-quality software solutions that power our e-commerce platform. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver innovative features and contribute to the continuous improvement of our engineering practices.

Rounds·3

Timeline·~14d

Experience·5 - 8 yrs

Comp band·US$110000 - US$150000

Interview time·150 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Technical proficiency in relevant programming languages and frameworks.
  • Ability to design and implement scalable and robust solutions.
  • Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
  • Effective communication and collaboration abilities.
  • Understanding of software development best practices and methodologies.
  • Cultural fit and alignment with Mercari's values.

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review core computer science concepts, including data structures, algorithms, and complexity analysis.
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or similar.
  3. Study system design principles and common architectural patterns.
  4. Prepare to discuss your past projects in detail, focusing on your contributions and technical challenges.
  5. Research Mercari's products, services, and engineering culture.
  6. Prepare questions to ask the interviewers about the role, team, and company.
  7. Practice behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 04 phases

01 / 04
01

Phase 01 of 04

Data Structures & Algorithms

Weeks 1-2: DSA fundamentals and practice.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on Data Structures and Algorithms. Cover arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash tables, sorting, searching, dynamic programming, and greedy algorithms. Practice problems related to each topic, aiming for optimal solutions.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Describe a complex system you designed or contributed to. What were the key challenges and how did you overcome them?
  • How would you design a URL shortening service like bit.ly?
  • Given a large dataset, how would you find the top K most frequent elements?
  • Tell me about a time you disagreed with a technical decision made by your team. How did you handle it?
  • How do you ensure the scalability and reliability of your code?
  • What are the trade-offs between different database technologies (e.g., SQL vs. NoSQL)?
  • Explain the concept of eventual consistency.
  • How would you optimize the performance of a web application?
  • Describe your experience with CI/CD pipelines.
  • What are your thoughts on microservices vs. monolithic architectures?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Remote/Hybrid

Interview focus

Deep understanding of distributed systems and scalability.Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure).Proficiency in backend development languages (e.g., Go, Java, Python).Strong problem-solving skills in a high-traffic environment.

Common questions

  • How would you handle a sudden surge in traffic on our platform?
  • Describe a time you had to optimize a slow-performing database query.
  • What are your strategies for ensuring code quality and maintainability in a large codebase?
  • Discuss your experience with cloud-native architectures (e.g., microservices, serverless).

Tips

  • Be prepared to discuss specific examples of scaling challenges you've faced.
  • Familiarize yourself with Mercari's tech stack and common architectural patterns.
  • Highlight any experience with performance tuning and optimization.
  • Showcase your ability to work effectively in a remote or hybrid team setting.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at Mercari.

Frequently reported on Mercari loops

View all at Mercari

Other guides

More at Mercari.