Verkada's Software Engineer L6 interview process is designed to assess a candidate's technical expertise, problem-solving abilities, system design skills, and cultural fit. The process typically involves multiple rounds, including technical interviews, a system design interview, and a behavioral interview, culminating in a hiring manager discussion.
Rounds·4
Timeline·~14d
Experience·5 - 10 yrs
Comp band·US$170000 - US$220000
Interview time·195 min
Evaluation
Preparation
Tips
Study plan
Fig · Study plan — 04 phases
01 / 04Phase 01 of 04
Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms fundamentals. Practice 2-3 problems/day.
Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (Arrays, Linked Lists, Trees, Graphs, Hash Tables) and algorithms (Sorting, Searching, Dynamic Programming, Graph Traversal). Practice implementing these from scratch and analyze their time and space complexity. Aim for 2-3 coding problems per day.
Phase 02 of 04
Weeks 3-4: System Design principles. Study scalability, databases, caching, microservices.
Weeks 3-4: Dive into system design principles. Study topics like load balancing, caching strategies, database design (SQL vs. NoSQL), message queues, microservices architecture, and API design. Work through common system design interview questions and practice drawing diagrams.
Phase 03 of 04
Week 5: Behavioral preparation. Use STAR method. Research Verkada's culture.
Week 5: Prepare for behavioral interviews. Identify key experiences related to teamwork, leadership, conflict resolution, and handling failure. Use the STAR method to structure your answers. Research Verkada's company culture and values.
Phase 04 of 04
Week 6: Mock interviews and review weak areas. Refine communication.
Week 6: Mock interviews and review. Conduct mock interviews with peers or mentors to simulate the actual interview environment. Review weak areas identified during practice and mock interviews. Refine your communication and explanation skills.
Questions
Locations
Fig · Regions — 02 locations
01 / 02Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Rounds
Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.
Data Structures And Algorithms Interview · 60 min · Software Engineer / Senior Software Engineer
This round focuses on assessing your core computer science fundamentals. You will be asked to solve one or two coding problems, typically involving data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will evaluate your ability to understand the problem, devise an efficient solution, write clean code, and explain your thought process. Expect follow-up questions about optimizing your solution or handling different scenarios.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Given a binary tree, find the lowest common ancestor of two given nodes in the tree.
Implement a function to merge k sorted linked lists.
Find the length of the longest substring without repeating characters.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
System Design Interview · 60 min · Senior Software Engineer / Engineering Manager
This round assesses your ability to design large-scale, distributed systems. You'll be given an open-ended problem (e.g., design Twitter's feed, design a rate limiter) and expected to break it down, identify requirements, propose a high-level design, and then dive deeper into specific components. Focus on scalability, reliability, and trade-offs.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Design a system to handle real-time analytics for a website with millions of users.
Design a distributed key-value store.
Design a system for uploading and processing large video files.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Behavioral Interview · 45 min · Hiring Manager / Senior Team Member
This round focuses on your past experiences, behavioral competencies, and cultural fit. You'll be asked questions about teamwork, leadership, conflict resolution, handling failure, and your motivations. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide specific, concise examples from your career.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult teammate. How did you handle it?
Describe a project where you took initiative or demonstrated leadership.
Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it?
Why are you interested in Verkada?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Hiring Manager Discussion · 30 min · Hiring Manager
This is typically the final round where the Hiring Manager assesses your overall fit for the team and role. They will discuss your career aspirations, ensure alignment on expectations, and answer any remaining questions you may have about the team, projects, or company culture. This is also an opportunity for you to evaluate if Verkada is the right place for you.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
What are your long-term career goals?
What are you looking for in your next role?
Do you have any questions for me about the team or the role?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
DSA
Frequently reported on Verkada loops
Other guides
