Scale Engineer

Software Engineer

Software EngineerL5Medium to Hard

The Software Engineer L5 interview process at SmartNews is designed to assess a candidate's technical proficiency, problem-solving abilities, system design skills, and cultural fit. The process typically involves multiple rounds, including technical screenings, coding challenges, system design discussions, and behavioral interviews.

Rounds·4

Timeline·~14d

Experience·5 - 10 yrs

Comp band·US$130000 - US$180000

Interview time·210 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Technical Skills (Data Structures, Algorithms, System Design)
  • Problem-Solving Abilities
  • Coding Proficiency
  • Communication Skills
  • Teamwork and Collaboration
  • Cultural Fit
  • Experience and Past Performance

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review fundamental data structures and algorithms.
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, etc.
  3. Study system design principles and common patterns.
  4. Prepare to discuss your past projects and technical contributions in detail.
  5. Research SmartNews' company culture, values, and products.
  6. Practice behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
  7. Understand the technologies commonly used at SmartNews (e.g., Go, Python, Java, AWS, Kubernetes).

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 04 phases

01 / 04
01

Phase 01 of 04

Data Structures and Algorithms

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms fundamentals. Practice 20-30 LeetCode medium problems.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, graph traversal). Practice implementing these in your preferred language. Solve at least 20-30 medium-difficulty problems on LeetCode.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult stakeholder.
  • Design a system to handle real-time analytics for a news website.
  • What are the trade-offs between monolithic and microservices architectures?
  • How would you ensure the reliability and scalability of a distributed system?
  • Describe a situation where you had to learn a new technology quickly.
  • Write a function to find the k-th largest element in an unsorted array.
  • How do you approach code reviews?
  • What are your thoughts on testing strategies for large-scale applications?
  • Explain the concept of eventual consistency.
  • Tell me about a project you are particularly proud of.

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Tokyo

Interview focus

Deep understanding of distributed systems and scalability.Experience with large-scale data processing and real-time systems.Ability to design robust and maintainable software architectures.Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.Cultural alignment with SmartNews' values of innovation and collaboration.

Common questions

  • How would you design a news feed system for a platform like SmartNews?
  • Discuss a challenging technical problem you solved recently.
  • Explain your experience with distributed systems and scalability.
  • How do you approach debugging complex issues in a production environment?
  • What are your thoughts on microservices architecture for a content platform?

Tips

  • Familiarize yourself with SmartNews' products and technology stack.
  • Prepare to discuss your past projects in detail, focusing on technical challenges and solutions.
  • Practice system design problems relevant to content delivery and personalization.
  • Be ready to articulate your thought process clearly and concisely.
  • Research common interview questions for senior software engineering roles.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at smartnews.

Frequently reported on smartnews loops

View all at smartnews

Other guides

More at smartnews.