# Software Engineering Manager
**Role:** Software Engineering Manager · **Level:** M6
**Company:** [Unity](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/unity)
**Difficulty:** Hard
**Salary:** US$180000 - US$250000
**Experience:** 8 - 15
**Timeline:** ~14 days
This interview process is for a Software Engineering Manager (M6 level) at Unity. It assesses leadership, technical expertise, people management skills, and strategic thinking.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/unity/m6-software-engineering-manager
---
## Overall evaluation

- Leadership and People Management
- Technical Acumen
- Cultural Alignment

## Questions asked

- Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team. What was the outcome?
- How do you balance the needs of your team with the demands of the business?
- Describe your approach to mentoring and developing engineers.
- How do you handle underperforming team members?
- What is your strategy for fostering innovation within an engineering team?
- How do you ensure your team stays aligned with company goals and priorities?
- Describe a challenging technical problem you or your team faced and how you overcame it.
- How do you manage technical debt?
- What are your thoughts on agile methodologies and how do you implement them?
- How do you build and maintain a high-performing team culture?
- Tell me about a time you had to manage a conflict within your team.
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a manager?
- Why Unity?
- What are your career aspirations?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Thoroughly research Unity's products, culture, and recent news.
- Review common software engineering management interview questions, focusing on leadership, strategy, and people management.
- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to illustrate your experience.
- Understand Unity's technical stack and challenges relevant to game development and real-time 3D.
- Practice articulating your leadership philosophy and management style.
- Be ready to discuss your approach to hiring, performance management, and team building.
- Familiarize yourself with common challenges in managing engineering teams, such as technical debt, cross-functional collaboration, and remote work.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Company and Self-Reflection","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into Unity's company culture, values, products (Unity Engine, Unity Cloud, etc.), and recent strategic initiatives. Understand the competitive landscape. Review your own career achievements and identify key examples for behavioral questions.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Unity research, career reflection, STAR method prep."}
- {"title":"Leadership and People Management","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Focus on leadership principles and people management. Study topics like hiring, performance reviews, conflict resolution, coaching, delegation, and fostering psychological safety. Prepare examples for each.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Leadership principles, people management skills, behavioral examples."}
- {"title":"Technical Foundations","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Brush up on technical fundamentals relevant to Unity's domain, including C++, C#, engine architecture, real-time rendering, and distributed systems. Review system design principles and common architectural patterns.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Technical fundamentals, system design, C++, C#."}
- {"title":"Mock Interviews and Q&A","longDescription":"Week 7: Practice mock interviews, focusing on articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. Get feedback on your responses and refine your approach. Prepare questions to ask the interviewers.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Mock interviews, feedback, question preparation."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Remote/Distributed","differences":{"tips":["Highlight experience with remote work tools and methodologies.","Provide examples of successful cross-cultural team leadership.","Be prepared to discuss strategies for maintaining team cohesion and productivity across different locations."],"interviewFocus":["Remote team management","Cross-cultural communication","Distributed collaboration tools and strategies"],"commonQuestions":["How do you handle underperforming team members in a remote setting?","Describe a time you had to manage a conflict between team members located in different time zones.","What tools and strategies do you use to foster collaboration and communication in a distributed team?"]}}
- {"location":"On-site (e.g., San Francisco, Copenhagen)","differences":{"tips":["Emphasize experience in driving technical initiatives and product delivery.","Showcase ability to mentor and develop engineers within a physical office setting.","Be ready to discuss how you translate business needs into actionable engineering plans."],"interviewFocus":["On-site team dynamics","Technical strategy and execution","Alignment with company goals"],"commonQuestions":["How do you foster innovation within a co-located engineering team?","Describe your approach to managing technical debt in a fast-paced environment.","How do you ensure alignment between your team's goals and the company's broader objectives?"]}}

## Round 1: Recruiter Screen
**Type:** Recruiter Screen · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 30 min
Initial screening to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.
This initial screening call with a recruiter aims to assess your overall fit for the role and Unity. They will discuss your background, career aspirations, and motivation for applying. It's also an opportunity for you to learn more about the role and the company.
**Interviewers look for:** Clear and concise communication; Enthusiasm for Unity; Basic alignment with company values
**Evaluation criteria:** Communication skills; Cultural fit; Basic understanding of management responsibilities
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear communication; Inability to provide specific examples; Poor understanding of management principles; Lack of alignment with Unity's values
## Questions

- Tell me about your experience as a manager.
- Why are you interested in Unity?
- What are your salary expectations?

## Preparation tips

- Be prepared to talk about your resume and career history.
- Research Unity's mission, values, and products.
- Have clear answers for 'Why Unity?' and 'Why this role?'
- Prepare questions to ask the recruiter.

## Round 2: Technical and Strategic Interview
**Type:** Technical and Strategic Interview · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses technical leadership, system design, and strategic thinking.
This round focuses on your technical leadership and strategic thinking. You'll discuss your experience in managing engineering teams, making technical decisions, and driving product development. Expect questions about system design, architecture, and your approach to technical challenges.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to lead technical discussions; Sound judgment on technical decisions; Vision for team's technical direction; Understanding of scalability and performance
**Evaluation criteria:** Technical leadership; Strategic thinking; Problem-solving abilities; Understanding of software architecture and best practices
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate technical vision; Lack of strategic thinking; Poor problem-solving approach; Weak understanding of software development lifecycle
## Questions

- Describe a complex system you helped design or manage. What were the key challenges and how did you address them?
- How do you stay updated with new technologies and ensure your team adopts them effectively?
- Imagine we need to build a new feature for Unity. How would you approach the design and implementation?

## Preparation tips

- Review system design principles and common architectural patterns.
- Think about significant technical challenges you've faced and how you addressed them.
- Be prepared to discuss your experience with different technologies and methodologies.
- Practice articulating your technical vision and strategy.

## Round 3: People Management Interview
**Type:** People Management Interview · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min
Focuses on people management, leadership, and team development skills.
This round delves into your people management and leadership capabilities. You'll be asked behavioral questions about how you handle team dynamics, performance issues, conflict resolution, and employee development. The focus is on your ability to build and nurture a high-performing team.
**Interviewers look for:** Empathy and understanding of team dynamics; Ability to motivate and inspire; Effective conflict resolution strategies; Experience in developing talent
**Evaluation criteria:** People management skills; Conflict resolution; Coaching and mentoring abilities; Team building and motivation
**Common rejection reasons:** Poor people management skills; Inability to handle conflict; Lack of empathy; Failure to provide concrete examples of leadership
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you had to manage an underperforming employee. What steps did you take?
- How do you motivate your team, especially during challenging projects?
- Describe a situation where you had to resolve a conflict between team members.

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common management scenarios (e.g., performance issues, conflict, motivation).
- Reflect on your leadership philosophy and management style.
- Think about how you foster a positive and inclusive team environment.
- Be ready to discuss your approach to hiring and retaining talent.

## Round 4: Hiring Manager Interview
**Type:** Hiring Manager Interview · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 45 min
Assesses strategic alignment, business acumen, and cross-functional collaboration.
In this round, the hiring manager will assess your ability to align your team's work with Unity's overall business strategy. You'll discuss how you prioritize projects, manage stakeholders, and contribute to the broader organizational goals. This is also where you'll get a deeper understanding of the team's specific challenges and opportunities.
**Interviewers look for:** Understanding of business objectives; Ability to align team's work with company strategy; Effective collaboration with other departments; Clear communication of vision
**Evaluation criteria:** Alignment with company strategy; Cross-functional collaboration; Business acumen; Communication of vision and goals
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with company vision; Poor communication of strategic goals; Inability to connect team's work to business objectives; Lack of experience in cross-functional collaboration
## Questions

- How do you ensure your team's priorities are aligned with the company's strategic goals?
- Describe a time you had to work with another department to achieve a common goal. What was your role?
- What are the biggest challenges facing engineering managers in the gaming/real-time 3D industry today?

## Preparation tips

- Understand Unity's business model and strategic priorities.
- Think about how your team's work contributes to the company's success.
- Prepare examples of successful cross-functional collaboration.
- Be ready to discuss your approach to stakeholder management and communication.

## Round 5: Executive/Senior Leadership Interview
**Type:** Executive/Senior Leadership Interview · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 45 min
Final interview with senior leadership to assess executive presence and strategic vision.
This final round is with a senior leader (Director or VP) who will assess your executive presence, strategic thinking, and overall leadership potential. They will want to understand your vision for managing engineering teams at Unity and how you can contribute to the company's long-term success. This is also your chance to ask high-level questions about the company's direction.
**Interviewers look for:** Confidence and poise; Clear articulation of vision and strategy; Ability to think at a high level; Alignment with Unity's long-term goals
**Evaluation criteria:** Executive presence; Strategic vision; Leadership potential; Cultural alignment with senior leadership
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of executive presence; Poor articulation of vision; Inability to handle high-level strategic questions; Misalignment with senior leadership's expectations
## Questions

- What is your vision for a high-performing engineering team at Unity?
- How would you approach scaling an engineering team to meet future demands?
- What are the key leadership qualities you believe are essential for success at Unity?

## Preparation tips

- Be prepared to discuss your long-term vision for engineering management.
- Think about how you can contribute to Unity's growth and innovation.
- Practice articulating your thoughts concisely and confidently.
- Prepare thoughtful questions for the senior leader.