Scale Engineer

Software Engineer (SWE)

Software EngineerMTSMedium to Hard

This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Software Engineer (SWE) role at Salesforce at the MTS (Member of Technical Staff) level. It evaluates technical proficiency, problem-solving skills, system design capabilities, and cultural fit within the Salesforce environment.

Rounds·3

Timeline·~14d

Experience·2 - 5 yrs

Comp band·US$110000 - US$140000

Interview time·150 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Problem-solving ability
  • Algorithmic thinking
  • Data structure knowledge
  • Coding proficiency and best practices
  • Ability to write clean, efficient, and maintainable code

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review fundamental data structures and algorithms (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps, sorting, searching).
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or similar.
  3. Study system design concepts (load balancing, caching, databases, message queues, microservices).
  4. Prepare for behavioral questions by reflecting on past experiences using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
  5. Understand Salesforce's core products and technologies, especially if you have prior experience.
  6. Research common interview questions for Software Engineers at Salesforce.
  7. Practice explaining your thought process clearly and concisely.
  8. Be prepared to discuss your resume and past projects in detail.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 05 phases

01 / 05
01

Phase 01 of 05

Data Structures and Algorithms Fundamentals

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Basic Algorithms. Practice easy/medium LeetCode.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (Arrays, Linked Lists, Stacks, Queues, Hash Tables) and basic algorithms (Sorting, Searching). Practice easy to medium LeetCode problems related to these topics. Understand time and space complexity analysis.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
  • Design a URL shortening service like bit.ly.
  • Explain the difference between processes and threads.
  • Tell me about a time you disagreed with a teammate and how you resolved it.
  • How would you design a system to handle millions of concurrent users?
  • What are the advantages of using a NoSQL database over a relational database?
  • Describe a complex technical problem you solved.
  • How do you approach code reviews?
  • What is polymorphism?
  • Design a rate limiter.

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

United States

Interview focus

Emphasis on distributed systems and scalability for US-based roles.Strong focus on data structures and algorithms, especially for roles in competitive tech hubs.Cultural fit and collaboration skills are highly valued across all locations.

Common questions

  • How would you design a real-time notification system for a platform like Slack?
  • Discuss a challenging bug you encountered and how you debugged it.
  • Explain the trade-offs between SQL and NoSQL databases for a specific use case.
  • Describe your experience with cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or GCP.
  • How do you ensure code quality and maintainability in a large project?

Tips

  • For US roles, be prepared to discuss large-scale system design and performance optimization.
  • For roles in India, ensure a solid understanding of fundamental computer science concepts and coding proficiency.
  • Highlight any experience with Salesforce's specific technologies or cloud offerings if applicable.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

Med

Technical Coding Interview · 45 min · Software Engineer / Senior Software Engineer

This round focuses on your fundamental programming skills. You will be given one or two coding problems, typically involving data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will assess your ability to understand the problem, devise an efficient solution, write clean and correct code, and explain your thought process. Be prepared to discuss time and space complexity.

What they look for

A candidate who can translate a problem into a working code solution.Someone who can explain their approach and justify their choices.Attention to detail and ability to write clean code.

Evaluation

  • Correctness of the solution
  • Efficiency of the solution (time and space complexity)
  • Code clarity and readability
  • Ability to handle edge cases
  • Problem-solving approach

Sample questions

  • Given a binary tree, find its maximum depth.

    TreeRecursionDFS

  • Implement a function to reverse a linked list.

    Linked ListIterationPointers

  • Find the kth smallest element in a sorted matrix.

    MatrixBinary SearchHeap

Prep for this round

  1. 01Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode.
  2. 02Review common data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming).
  3. 03Practice explaining your solution out loud as you code.
  4. 04Consider edge cases and test your code thoroughly.

Common rejection reasons

  • ×Inability to articulate thought process clearly.
  • ×Poor coding practices (e.g., inefficient solutions, lack of error handling).
  • ×Failure to consider edge cases.
  • ×Lack of understanding of fundamental data structures and algorithms.

DSA

Coding questions at Salesforce.

Frequently reported on Salesforce loops

View all at Salesforce

Other guides

More at Salesforce.