Scale Engineer

Software Engineer II

Software EngineerGrade 10Medium to Hard

This interview process is for a Software Engineer II (Grade 10) position at NCR. It is designed to assess a candidate's technical proficiency, problem-solving skills, and cultural fit within the organization. The process typically involves multiple rounds, starting with an initial screening and progressing to in-depth technical and behavioral assessments.

Rounds·4

Timeline·~14d

Experience·2 - 5 yrs

Comp band·US$95000 - US$130000

Interview time·210 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Problem-solving approach and logical thinking
  • Code quality, efficiency, and correctness
  • Understanding of data structures and algorithms
  • System design capabilities (scalability, reliability, maintainability)
  • Communication skills and clarity of thought
  • Behavioral fit, teamwork, and adaptability
  • Knowledge of relevant technologies and tools

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 AlgoExpert, focusing on medium to hard difficulty.
  3. Study system design principles and common design patterns. Resources like 'Grokking the System Design Interview' are helpful.
  4. Prepare for behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Think about past projects and challenges.
  5. Research NCR's products, services, and company culture.
  6. Understand the specific technologies mentioned in the job description.
  7. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 04 phases

01 / 04
01

Phase 01 of 04

Data Structures and Algorithms

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA) fundamentals. Practice 2-3 problems daily.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on Data Structures (Arrays, Linked Lists, Stacks, Queues, Trees, Graphs, Hash Tables) and Algorithms (Sorting, Searching, Dynamic Programming, Greedy Algorithms). Practice implementing these and analyzing their time and space complexity. Aim for 2-3 coding problems per day.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Tell me about yourself.
  • Why are you interested in this role at NCR?
  • Describe a complex technical problem you solved.
  • How do you handle tight deadlines?
  • What are your strengths and weaknesses?
  • Design a system for [specific problem, e.g., a ride-sharing service, a social media feed].
  • Write code to solve [specific algorithmic problem].
  • Explain the difference between TCP and UDP.
  • How would you test a login functionality?
  • What are your thoughts on continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD)?
  • Describe a time you failed and what you learned from it.
  • How do you stay updated with new technologies?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 03 locations

01 / 03

Location

United States

Interview focus

System Design for Scalability and ReliabilityDeep Dive into Core Java/Python/C++ ConceptsProblem-Solving and Algorithmic ThinkingBehavioral aspects related to teamwork and communication

Common questions

  • How would you design a system to handle real-time stock price updates for a global financial market?
  • Describe a challenging bug you encountered and how you debugged it.
  • Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult stakeholder. How did you manage the situation?
  • What are your thoughts on microservices vs. monolithic architectures?
  • How do you ensure code quality and maintainability in a large project?

Tips

  • For US-based interviews, be prepared for more emphasis on behavioral questions and STAR method responses.
  • For India-based interviews, expect a stronger focus on data structures, algorithms, and coding challenges.
  • Familiarize yourself with common cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) if the role requires it.
  • Practice explaining your thought process clearly, especially during coding and system design rounds.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

Med

Recruiter/Technical Screening · 45 min · Software Engineer / Technical Screener

This initial round is typically a phone screen or a video call with a recruiter or a junior engineer. It focuses on verifying basic qualifications, understanding your career goals, and assessing your communication skills. You might be asked a few high-level technical questions or a simple coding problem to gauge your fundamental understanding.

What they look for

Logical thinkingAbility to translate requirements into codeUnderstanding of algorithmic complexityClean and well-structured code

Evaluation

  • Correctness of the solution
  • Efficiency (Time and Space Complexity)
  • Code readability and maintainability
  • Problem-solving approach
  • Communication of the solution

Sample questions

  • Walk me through your resume.

    BehavioralResume

  • Tell me about a project you are particularly proud of.

    BehavioralProject Experience

  • Given an array of integers, find the maximum sum of any contiguous subarray.

    Data StructuresAlgorithmsCoding

Prep for this round

  1. 01Be ready to briefly summarize your resume and experience.
  2. 02Practice explaining your projects clearly.
  3. 03Review basic data structures and algorithms.
  4. 04Prepare a few questions to ask the interviewer.

Common rejection reasons

  • ×Inability to articulate thought process
  • ×Poor coding practices (e.g., inefficient solutions, lack of error handling)
  • ×Fundamental misunderstanding of data structures or algorithms
  • ×Inability to solve the given coding problem within the time limit

DSA

Coding questions at NCR.

Frequently reported on NCR loops

View all at NCR

Other guides

More at NCR.