This interview process is for a Software Engineer (L3) position at Verily. It is designed to assess a candidate's technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company.
Rounds·3
Timeline·~14d
Experience·1 - 3 yrs
Comp band·US$100000 - US$130000
Interview time·150 min
Evaluation
What they measure.
Technical proficiency in relevant programming languages and data structures.
Problem-solving approach and analytical thinking.
Ability to design and implement efficient algorithms.
Understanding of software development best practices.
Communication skills and ability to articulate technical concepts.
Teamwork and collaboration skills.
Cultural fit with Verily's values.
Ability to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts.
Creativity and innovation in finding solutions.
Logical reasoning and systematic approach to problem-solving.
Effective communication of ideas and solutions.
Active listening and ability to understand requirements.
Clarity and conciseness in explanations.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team environment.
Contributions to team success.
Respect for diverse perspectives and collaborative spirit.
Alignment with Verily's mission and values.
Enthusiasm for the role and company.
Proactiveness and initiative.
Preparation
How to prepare.
Tips
01Review fundamental data structures and algorithms.
02Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank.
03Brush up on object-oriented programming principles.
04Understand common software design patterns.
05Prepare to discuss your past projects and contributions in detail.
06Research Verily's mission, values, and recent work.
07Practice behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
08Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company.
Study plan
Fig · Study plan — 04 phases
01 / 04
01
Phase 01 of 04
Data Structures and Algorithms Fundamentals
Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Basic Algorithms. Cover arrays, lists, stacks, queues, trees, graphs, hash tables. Practice implementation and complexity analysis. Learn sorting and searching.
Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, graphs, hash tables) and their common operations and time complexities. Practice implementing these structures and solving problems related to them. Cover basic sorting and searching algorithms.
02
Phase 02 of 04
Algorithmic Techniques
Weeks 3-4: Advanced Algorithms. Focus on DP, greedy, divide & conquer, graph traversal. Practice complex problems and complexity analysis.
Weeks 3-4: Dive deeper into algorithmic techniques such as dynamic programming, greedy algorithms, divide and conquer, and graph traversal (BFS, DFS). Practice problems that require applying these techniques. Understand time and space complexity analysis for these algorithms.
03
Phase 03 of 04
Object-Oriented Programming and Design Patterns
Week 5: OOP & Design Patterns. Review OOP principles and common design patterns. Practice application.
Week 5: Review object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts (encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, abstraction) and common design patterns (e.g., Singleton, Factory, Observer). Practice applying these concepts in coding exercises.
04
Phase 04 of 04
Behavioral Preparation and Company Research
Week 6: Behavioral & Company Research. Prepare STAR method answers. Research Verily. Prepare questions.
Week 6: Prepare for behavioral and situational questions. Reflect on your past experiences and prepare examples using the STAR method. Research Verily's culture and values to align your answers. Prepare thoughtful questions for the interviewers.
Questions
Commonly asked.
Write a function to reverse a linked list.
Given an array of integers, find the two numbers that add up to a specific target.
Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
Describe a situation where you had to deal with conflicting priorities.
How would you design a URL shortening service?
What are the advantages of using a NoSQL database over a relational database?
Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it.
How do you stay updated with new technologies and trends in software engineering?
Locations
Regional differences.
Fig · Regions — 02 locations
01 / 02
Location
Mountain View, CA
Interview focus
Problem-solving skillsCollaboration and teamworkAdaptability to new technologies
Common questions
Describe a challenging technical problem you solved at your previous role.
How do you approach debugging a complex issue?
Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult teammate.
Tips
Highlight projects where you demonstrated strong analytical skills.
Be prepared to discuss your experience with agile methodologies.
Emphasize your ability to learn quickly and adapt to changing project requirements.
Location
Cambridge, MA
Interview focus
System design and architectureCloud computing knowledgeCode quality and best practices
Common questions
How do you ensure the scalability and performance of your code?
Describe your experience with cloud platforms (e.g., GCP, AWS).
What are your thoughts on code reviews and how do you provide constructive feedback?
Tips
Prepare to discuss your experience with distributed systems.
Showcase your understanding of performance optimization techniques.
Be ready to explain your approach to writing clean, maintainable, and testable code.
Rounds
Round-by-round.
Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.
Med
Technical Interview - Data Structures And Algorithms · 45 min · Software Engineer
This round focuses on your fundamental computer science knowledge. You will be asked to solve coding problems that test your understanding of data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will assess your ability to analyze a problem, devise an efficient solution, and implement it cleanly in code. Expect to discuss the time and space complexity of your solutions and consider edge cases.
What they look for
Strong understanding of data structures and algorithms.Ability to translate a problem into code.Logical thinking and systematic approach.
Evaluation
Correctness of the solution.
Efficiency of the algorithm (time and space complexity).
Clarity and readability of the code.
Problem-solving approach and ability to handle edge cases.
Sample questions
Given a binary tree, determine if it is a valid binary search tree.
Data StructuresTreesAlgorithms
Find the kth smallest element in a sorted matrix.
ArraysAlgorithmsBinary Search
Implement a function to check if a string is a palindrome, ignoring non-alphanumeric characters and case.
StringsAlgorithms
Prep for this round
01Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or AlgoExpert.
02Review common data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming).
03Practice explaining your thought process out loud as you solve problems.
04Pay attention to code style, variable naming, and commenting.
Common rejection reasons
×Inability to articulate thought process.
×Incorrect or inefficient algorithm.
×Poor coding style or lack of attention to detail.
Med
System Design Interview · 60 min · Senior Software Engineer or Engineering Manager
In this round, you will be presented with a high-level system design problem (e.g., design a URL shortener, a social media feed, or a rate limiter). You'll need to discuss various components, data models, APIs, and scalability considerations. The focus is on your ability to think critically about system architecture, identify potential bottlenecks, and propose robust solutions.
What they look for
System design thinking.Understanding of databases, caching, load balancing, and APIs.Ability to handle ambiguity and make design decisions.
Evaluation
Ability to design scalable and reliable systems.
Understanding of trade-offs between different design choices.
Knowledge of distributed systems concepts.
Ability to communicate complex design ideas clearly.
Sample questions
Design a system to track the top N trending items on a platform like Twitter.
System DesignScalabilityDistributed Systems
How would you design a distributed key-value store?
System DesignDistributed SystemsDatabases
Design an API for a ride-sharing service.
System DesignAPI Design
Prep for this round
01Study common system design concepts: load balancing, caching, databases (SQL vs. NoSQL), message queues, CDNs.
02Practice designing well-known systems like Twitter, Instagram, or Uber.
03Understand trade-offs: consistency vs. availability, latency vs. throughput.
04Be prepared to draw diagrams and explain your design choices.
Common rejection reasons
×Lack of understanding of system design principles.
×Inability to handle scale or performance considerations.
×Poor trade-off analysis.
Med
Behavioral Interview · 45 min · Hiring Manager or Senior Team Member
This interview focuses on your past experiences and how you've handled various situations. You'll be asked behavioral questions designed to understand your work style, problem-solving approach in real-world scenarios, teamwork abilities, and how you align with Verily's culture. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers.
What they look for
How you handle challenges and collaborate with others.Your motivation for joining Verily.Your self-awareness and learning agility.
