Scale Engineer

Software Engineer

Software EngineerL5Hard

The Software Engineer L5 interview at Optiver is a rigorous process designed to assess a candidate's technical expertise, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit. It typically involves multiple rounds, including technical interviews focusing on data structures, algorithms, and system design, as well as behavioral interviews to gauge teamwork and communication skills. The goal is to identify candidates who can contribute effectively to Optiver's trading technology and thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Rounds·4

Timeline·~14d

Experience·5 - 10 yrs

Comp band·US$180000 - US$250000

Interview time·210 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Problem-solving skills: Ability to break down complex problems, identify edge cases, and devise efficient solutions.
  • Technical depth: Strong understanding of data structures, algorithms, operating systems, and computer architecture.
  • System design: Ability to design scalable, reliable, and performant distributed systems.
  • Coding proficiency: Clean, efficient, and well-tested code.
  • Communication skills: Ability to articulate technical concepts clearly and concisely.
  • Collaboration and teamwork: Ability to work effectively with others and contribute to a team environment.
  • Adaptability and learning agility: Willingness and ability to learn new technologies and adapt to changing requirements.

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Master core data structures and algorithms: Practice problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, focusing on medium to hard difficulty.
  2. Deep dive into system design: Study common system design patterns, trade-offs, and scalability principles. Resources like 'Designing Data-Intensive Applications' are highly recommended.
  3. Review operating systems and computer architecture: Understand concepts like memory management, concurrency, and CPU scheduling.
  4. Brush up on your chosen programming language: Be proficient in C++ or Java, including their standard libraries and performance characteristics.
  5. Understand concurrency and multithreading: Practice problems involving locks, mutexes, and concurrent data structures.
  6. Prepare for behavioral questions: Reflect on your past experiences using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
  7. Research Optiver: Understand the company's business, trading strategies, and the technologies they use.
  8. Practice mock interviews: Simulate the interview environment to get feedback on your technical and communication skills.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 05 phases

01 / 05
01

Phase 01 of 05

Data Structures and Algorithms

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms Fundamentals (LeetCode Easy/Medium)

Weeks 1-2: Focus on fundamental data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, graph traversal). Practice problems on LeetCode Easy/Medium.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Given a stream of data, design a system to find the top K frequent elements.
  • How would you design a URL shortener service?
  • Explain the difference between processes and threads.
  • Describe a time you disagreed with a teammate. How did you handle it?
  • Implement a function to find the lowest common ancestor of two nodes in a binary tree.
  • How would you design a rate limiter for an API?
  • What are the trade-offs between SQL and NoSQL databases?
  • Tell me about a challenging technical problem you solved.
  • Design a system to handle real-time stock price updates for millions of users.
  • What is garbage collection and how does it work in Java/C++?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 03 locations

01 / 03

Location

Amsterdam

Interview focus

System design for high-frequency trading platformsLow-latency programming techniquesConcurrency and distributed systems in a financial contextPerformance optimization and profilingUnderstanding of financial markets and trading concepts

Common questions

  • Discuss a complex system you designed and the trade-offs involved.
  • How would you design a real-time risk management system for a trading desk?
  • Explain the CAP theorem and its implications for distributed systems.
  • Describe a time you had to deal with a production issue under pressure. How did you resolve it?
  • What are your thoughts on microservices vs. monolithic architectures in a trading context?

Tips

  • Familiarize yourself with distributed systems concepts relevant to financial trading.
  • Be prepared to discuss your experience with C++ or Java in performance-critical applications.
  • Understand the challenges of building low-latency systems.
  • Research Optiver's specific trading strategies and technologies.
  • Practice explaining complex technical concepts clearly and concisely.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at Optiver.

Frequently reported on Optiver loops

View all at Optiver

Other guides

More at Optiver.