Scale Engineer

Senior Software Engineer

Software EngineerP3Medium to Hard

UKG is looking for a talented Senior Software Engineer (P3) to join our dynamic team. This role involves designing, developing, and maintaining scalable and robust software solutions that drive our innovative products. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, mentor junior engineers, and contribute to architectural decisions.

Rounds·4

Timeline·~14d

Experience·5 - 10 yrs

Comp band·US$120000 - US$160000

Interview time·195 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Technical Proficiency: Depth of knowledge in relevant programming languages, data structures, algorithms, and system design.
  • Problem-Solving Skills: Ability to analyze complex problems, devise efficient solutions, and articulate the thought process.
  • Experience & Impact: Demonstrated experience in building and shipping software, with a focus on the impact of your contributions.
  • Collaboration & Communication: Ability to work effectively with others, communicate technical ideas clearly, and provide constructive feedback.
  • Leadership & Mentorship: Potential to lead projects, mentor junior engineers, and influence technical direction.

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, focusing on medium to hard difficulty.
  3. Study system design principles: Scalability, Availability, Reliability, Consistency, CAP Theorem.
  4. Prepare to discuss your past projects in detail, focusing on your contributions, challenges, and learnings.
  5. Research UKG's products, mission, and values to understand how your skills align.
  6. Prepare behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
  7. Understand common cloud services and architectures if applying for cloud-focused roles.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 04 phases

01 / 04
01

Phase 01 of 04

Data Structures and Algorithms

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms. Practice 2-3 LeetCode problems daily.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on Data Structures (Arrays, Linked Lists, Trees, Graphs, Hash Tables) and Algorithms (Sorting, Searching, Dynamic Programming, Greedy Algorithms). Practice coding problems related to these topics on platforms like LeetCode. Aim for 2-3 problems per day.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Design a system to handle real-time notifications for a large user base.
  • Explain the trade-offs between monolithic and microservices architectures.
  • How would you optimize the performance of a slow database query?
  • Describe a time you had to debug a complex production issue. What was your process?
  • What are the principles of RESTful API design?
  • Tell me about your experience with containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes.
  • How do you approach code reviews?
  • What is eventual consistency, and when would you use it?
  • Describe a challenging technical problem you solved and the impact it had.
  • How do you mentor junior engineers?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

USA

Interview focus

Deep understanding of distributed systems and microservices architecture.Proven experience in cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).Strong problem-solving skills and ability to mentor others.Experience with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices.

Common questions

  • How do you handle technical debt in a large codebase?
  • Describe a challenging project you led and how you navigated it.
  • What are your strategies for ensuring code quality and maintainability?
  • How do you approach performance optimization in distributed systems?
  • Tell me about a time you had to influence a technical decision across teams.

Tips

  • Be prepared to discuss specific examples of large-scale system design.
  • Highlight your experience with cloud-native technologies.
  • Showcase your leadership and mentoring capabilities.
  • Familiarize yourself with UKG's tech stack and product offerings.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at UKG.

Frequently reported on UKG loops

View all at UKG

Other guides

More at UKG.