Remitly

Software Engineer II

Software EngineerL2Medium

The Software Engineer II (L2) interview at Remitly is designed to assess a candidate's technical proficiency, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company. It typically involves multiple rounds focusing on data structures, algorithms, system design, and behavioral aspects.

Rounds

3

Timeline

~7 days

Experience

2 - 5 yrs

Salary Range

US$110000 - US$140000

Total Duration

150 min

Overall Evaluation Criteria

Technical Skills

Problem-solving skills
Algorithmic thinking
Data structure knowledge
Coding proficiency
System design capabilities
Communication skills
Teamwork and collaboration
Cultural alignment with Remitly's values

Communication

Ability to articulate thought process
Clarity of explanations
Active listening
Ability to ask clarifying questions

Behavioral and Cultural Fit

Past experiences and accomplishments
Behavioral competencies (e.g., ownership, bias for action, customer obsession)
Motivation and career aspirations

Preparation Tips

1Review fundamental data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, graph traversal).
2Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Coderbyte, focusing on medium-difficulty problems.
3Study system design concepts, including scalability, availability, consistency, and common design patterns (e.g., load balancing, caching, database sharding).
4Prepare for behavioral questions by using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers.
5Research Remitly's mission, values, and recent news to understand the company's direction and culture.
6Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company.

Study Plan

1

Data Structures and Algorithms Fundamentals

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Basic Algorithms. Practice implementations and problem-solving.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, hash tables) and their common operations. Practice implementing them and solving problems involving their efficient use. Cover basic algorithms like sorting (quicksort, mergesort) and searching (binary search).

2

Advanced Algorithms and System Design Introduction

Weeks 3-4: Advanced Algorithms & Intro to System Design. Tackle medium LeetCode problems and learn system design basics.

Weeks 3-4: Dive deeper into algorithms, including dynamic programming, graph algorithms (BFS, DFS, Dijkstra's), and string manipulation. Work on medium-difficulty problems on platforms like LeetCode. Start exploring system design concepts like API design, database choices, and caching strategies.

3

System Design and Behavioral Preparation

Weeks 5-6: System Design Deep Dive & Behavioral Prep. Practice designing systems and prepare STAR answers.

Weeks 5-6: Focus heavily on system design. Study common patterns for building scalable and reliable systems. Practice designing systems like Twitter feeds, URL shorteners, or chat applications. Simultaneously, prepare for behavioral questions by reflecting on past experiences and structuring answers using the STAR method.

4

Final Preparation and Mock Interviews

Week 7: Mock Interviews & Final Review. Practice and refine answers.

Week 7: Mock interviews with peers or mentors. Review any weak areas identified. Finalize questions to ask the interviewer. Ensure you are comfortable discussing your resume and past projects in detail.

Commonly Asked Questions

Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
Design a system to handle real-time notifications for a messaging app.
Explain the concept of eventual consistency.
Tell me about a time you had to deal with ambiguity in a project.
How would you optimize a slow database query?
Describe the difference between TCP and UDP.
What are the principles of object-oriented programming?
How do you approach debugging a complex issue?
Tell me about a project you are particularly proud of.
How do you stay updated with new technologies?

Location-Based Differences

Seattle

Interview Focus

Strong emphasis on practical application of data structures and algorithms.System design questions are often more focused on scalability and distributed systems.Behavioral questions delve into collaboration and impact.

Common Questions

How would you design a URL shortener?

Explain the difference between a process and a thread.

Describe a challenging technical problem you solved.

How do you handle concurrency issues?

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a teammate.

Tips

Be prepared to discuss your contributions to open-source projects if applicable.
Familiarize yourself with common distributed system patterns.
Practice explaining your thought process clearly and concisely.

Remote

Interview Focus

Focus on practical coding skills and clean code principles.System design questions may lean towards microservices architecture.Behavioral questions assess leadership potential and teamwork.

Common Questions

Design an API for a social media feed.

What are the trade-offs between SQL and NoSQL databases?

Describe a time you had to mentor a junior engineer.

How do you ensure code quality?

What are your thoughts on agile methodologies?

Tips

Highlight experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
Be ready to discuss your approach to testing and debugging.
Showcase your ability to adapt to different development methodologies.

Process Timeline

1
Technical Coding Round 145m
2
System Design Round60m
3
Behavioral and Managerial Round45m

Interview Rounds

3-step process with detailed breakdown for each round

1

Technical Coding Round 1

Coding challenge focused on data structures and algorithms.

Data Structures And Algorithms InterviewMedium
45 minSoftware Engineer

This round focuses on your core data structures and algorithms knowledge. You will be presented with one or two coding problems and expected to write code on a shared editor. The interviewer will assess your ability to understand the problem, devise an efficient solution, implement it correctly, and explain your reasoning.

What Interviewers Look For

Ability to break down a problem.Knowledge of common data structures and algorithms.Clean and efficient coding.Communication of thought process.

Evaluation Criteria

Correctness of the solution.
Efficiency of the solution (time and space complexity).
Code quality and readability.
Problem-solving approach.

Questions Asked

Given a binary tree, find its inorder traversal.

TreeRecursionIteration

Implement a function to find the kth smallest element in an unsorted array.

ArraySortingQuickselect

Preparation Tips

1Practice coding on a whiteboard or shared editor.
2Think out loud and explain your approach before coding.
3Consider edge cases and test your code mentally.
4Discuss time and space complexity of your solution.

Common Reasons for Rejection

Inability to articulate thought process clearly.
Lack of understanding of fundamental data structures and algorithms.
Poor coding practices (e.g., unreadable code, no error handling).
2

System Design Round

Design a scalable system and discuss trade-offs.

System Design InterviewHard
60 minSenior Software Engineer / Architect

This round assesses your ability to design scalable and reliable software systems. You'll be given an open-ended problem (e.g., design a URL shortener, a social media feed) and expected to discuss various aspects of the design, including data models, APIs, scalability, and potential bottlenecks.

What Interviewers Look For

Ability to design complex systems.Knowledge of databases, caching, load balancing.Understanding of trade-offs in design decisions.Ability to handle scale and availability.

Evaluation Criteria

System design principles.
Scalability and performance considerations.
Trade-off analysis.
Understanding of distributed systems.
Clarity of design choices.

Questions Asked

Design a system like Twitter's news feed.

System DesignScalabilityDistributed Systems

How would you design a rate limiter?

System DesignAPI DesignConcurrency

Preparation Tips

1Study common system design patterns.
2Practice designing various systems.
3Be prepared to justify your design choices and discuss trade-offs.
4Consider different components like databases, caches, load balancers, and message queues.

Common Reasons for Rejection

Inability to design a scalable and robust system.
Lack of understanding of distributed systems concepts.
Poor trade-off analysis.
Not considering failure scenarios.
3

Behavioral and Managerial Round

Assess behavioral competencies and cultural fit.

Behavioral InterviewMedium
45 minHiring Manager / Senior Team Member

This round focuses on your past experiences, how you handle various work situations, and your alignment with Remitly's culture and values. Expect questions about teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, and handling challenges. Use the STAR method to provide structured and impactful answers.

What Interviewers Look For

Evidence of past successes and learning.Alignment with Remitly's values.Teamwork and collaboration skills.Self-awareness and growth mindset.

Evaluation Criteria

Behavioral competencies (e.g., ownership, collaboration, customer focus).
Past experiences and impact.
Cultural fit.
Motivation and career goals.

Questions Asked

Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it.

BehavioralLearningResilience

Describe a situation where you had to influence a decision.

BehavioralInfluenceCommunication

How do you prioritize your work when faced with multiple deadlines?

BehavioralTime ManagementPrioritization

Preparation Tips

1Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common behavioral questions.
2Reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, and career aspirations.
3Understand Remitly's core values and how your experiences align with them.
4Be enthusiastic and genuine in your responses.

Common Reasons for Rejection

Lack of clear communication.
Inability to provide specific examples.
Poor alignment with company values.
Negative attitude or lack of enthusiasm.

Commonly Asked DSA Questions

Frequently asked coding questions at Remitly

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