# Software Engineer
**Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** L2
**Company:** [Verkada](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/verkada)
**Difficulty:** Medium to Hard
**Salary:** US$110000 - US$150000
**Experience:** 2 - 5
**Timeline:** ~7 days
Verkada's Software Engineer L2 interview process is designed to assess a candidate's technical proficiency, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company. The process typically involves multiple rounds, starting with an initial HR screening, followed by technical interviews focusing on data structures, algorithms, and system design, and concluding with a behavioral or managerial interview.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/verkada/l2-software-engineer
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical Skills
- Communication & Collaboration
- Cultural Fit

## Questions asked

- Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
- Design a system to handle real-time analytics for a video streaming service.
- Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
- Describe a situation where you had to deal with ambiguity in a project.
- How would you implement a rate limiter?
- What are the trade-offs between using a relational database and a NoSQL database?
- Tell me about a time you received constructive criticism and how you acted on it.
- How would you design a distributed cache?
- What is polymorphism and how is it implemented in your preferred language?
- Describe a challenging bug you encountered and how you debugged it.

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Review fundamental data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, graph traversal).
- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Coderbyte, focusing on medium to hard difficulty.
- Study system design principles, including scalability, reliability, availability, and common design patterns (e.g., load balancing, caching, databases, message queues).
- Prepare to discuss your past projects in detail, highlighting your contributions, challenges, and learnings.
- Understand Verkada's mission, products, and company culture. Research recent news and developments.
- Practice behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
- Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers about the role, team, and company.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Data Structures and Algorithms","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures and algorithms. Cover arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees (binary trees, BSTs, heaps), hash tables, and sorting/searching algorithms. Practice implementing these and solving problems related to them. Aim for 2-3 hours of study per day.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms Fundamentals. Practice coding."}
- {"title":"System Design","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive into system design. Study concepts like API design, database choices (SQL vs. NoSQL), caching strategies, load balancing, message queues, and distributed systems. Work through common system design problems like designing Twitter, a URL shortener, or a notification system. Aim for 2-3 hours of study per day.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: System Design Principles. Practice design problems."}
- {"title":"Behavioral and Company Research","longDescription":"Week 5: Focus on behavioral preparation and company research. Review your resume and prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common behavioral questions (teamwork, conflict resolution, leadership, failure). Research Verkada's products, values, and recent news. Prepare questions to ask the interviewers. Aim for 1-2 hours of study per day.","shortDescription":"Week 5: Behavioral Prep & Company Research. Prepare STAR stories."}
- {"title":"Mock Interviews and Review","longDescription":"Week 6: Mock interviews and final review. Conduct mock interviews (technical and behavioral) with peers or mentors. Review any weak areas identified during practice. Consolidate your understanding of key concepts. Aim for 2-3 hours of practice per day.","shortDescription":"Week 6: Mock Interviews & Final Review. Practice weak areas."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"San Mateo, CA","differences":{"tips":["Be prepared to whiteboard solutions for coding problems.","Familiarize yourself with common system design patterns.","Practice explaining your thought process clearly.","Research Verkada's products and values.","Prepare specific examples from your experience to illustrate your skills."],"interviewFocus":["Emphasis on practical application of data structures and algorithms.","Assessment of system design capabilities for scalable applications.","Evaluation of communication and collaboration skills.","Understanding of software development best practices and methodologies."],"commonQuestions":["Discuss a challenging technical problem you solved at your previous company.","How do you approach debugging a complex system?","Describe a time you had to work with a difficult teammate.","What are your thoughts on microservices vs. monolithic architectures?","How would you design a URL shortener?"]}}
- {"location":"Austin, TX","differences":{"tips":["Practice coding problems under timed conditions.","Be ready to discuss trade-offs in system design choices.","Articulate your contributions and impact clearly.","Understand Verkada's mission and how your role contributes.","Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the team and role."],"interviewFocus":["Strong focus on data structures and algorithms, with a preference for efficient solutions.","Assessment of problem-solving skills in a distributed systems context.","Evaluation of adaptability and learning agility.","Understanding of coding standards and maintainability."],"commonQuestions":["Tell me about a project you're particularly proud of.","How do you stay updated with new technologies?","What are your strengths and weaknesses as a software engineer?","Design a system for real-time notifications.","How would you optimize a database query?"]}}

## Round 1: Technical Coding Round 1
**Type:** Data Structures and Algorithms Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Coding challenge focused on data structures and algorithms.
This round focuses on assessing your core programming skills. You will be given one or two coding problems, typically involving data structures and algorithms. You'll be expected to write code, often on a whiteboard or a shared online editor, and explain your approach, time/space complexity, and any trade-offs. Interviewers will probe your understanding with follow-up questions and ask you to consider edge cases.
**Interviewers look for:** A candidate who can translate a problem into a working code solution.; Understanding of time and space complexity.; Clean and maintainable code.; Ability to communicate their thought process effectively.
**Evaluation criteria:** Correctness of the solution; Efficiency of the solution (time and space complexity); Code clarity and readability; Ability to explain the approach; Handling of edge cases
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate thought process.; Lack of fundamental data structure and algorithm knowledge.; Poor coding practices (e.g., unreadable code, inefficient solutions).; Inability to handle follow-up questions or edge cases.
## Questions

- Given a binary tree, invert the tree.
- Find the kth smallest element in a sorted matrix.

## Preparation tips

- Practice coding problems on a whiteboard or shared editor.
- Be prepared to discuss time and space complexity for your solutions.
- Think out loud and explain your approach before coding.
- Test your code with sample inputs and edge cases.
- Ask clarifying questions if the problem statement is unclear.

## Round 2: System Design Round
**Type:** System Design Interview · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min
Design a scalable system based on a given problem statement.
This round evaluates your ability to design and architect software systems. You'll be presented with a high-level problem (e.g., design a social media feed, a ride-sharing service, or a distributed key-value store) and expected to propose a solution. This involves defining requirements, designing components, choosing technologies, and discussing trade-offs, scalability, and reliability.
**Interviewers look for:** A candidate who can design complex systems from scratch.; Understanding of distributed systems principles.; Ability to make reasoned design choices and justify them.; Consideration for real-world constraints and operational concerns.
**Evaluation criteria:** Scalability of the design; Reliability and fault tolerance; Clarity and completeness of the design; Understanding of trade-offs; Ability to handle constraints and requirements
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to design scalable and reliable systems.; Lack of understanding of distributed system concepts.; Poor trade-off analysis.; Not considering failure scenarios or operational aspects.
## Questions

- Design a URL shortening service like bit.ly.
- Design a system to count unique visitors to a website in real-time.

## Preparation tips

- Study common system design patterns and architectural styles.
- Practice designing various types of systems.
- Be prepared to discuss databases, caching, load balancing, and message queues.
- Clearly articulate your design choices and the reasoning behind them.
- Consider edge cases, failure modes, and operational aspects.

## Round 3: Behavioral and Managerial Round
**Type:** Behavioral Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Assesses behavioral competencies, teamwork, and cultural fit.
This round focuses on your behavioral and cultural fit. You'll be asked questions about your past experiences, how you handle specific situations (e.g., conflict, failure, success), your motivations, and your career goals. The interviewer aims to understand how you collaborate, learn, and contribute to a team environment, and whether your values align with Verkada's.
**Interviewers look for:** A candidate who demonstrates Verkada's core values.; Strong communication and interpersonal skills.; Ability to work effectively in a team.; Proactiveness and ownership.; A good cultural fit for the organization.
**Evaluation criteria:** Behavioral competencies (teamwork, leadership, problem-solving); Communication clarity; Self-awareness; Alignment with company values; Motivation and enthusiasm
**Common rejection reasons:** Poor communication skills.; Lack of self-awareness.; Inability to provide specific examples.; Negative attitude or lack of enthusiasm.; Poor cultural fit.
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a coworker and how you resolved it.
- Describe a project where you had to take initiative or lead.
- What are you passionate about outside of work?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
- Be honest and authentic in your responses.
- Show enthusiasm for the role and the company.
- Ask thoughtful questions about the team, culture, and challenges.
- Reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, and career aspirations.