Scale Engineer

Software Engineer

Software EngineerG16Medium to Hard

This interview process is for a Software Engineer position at Yandex at the G16 level. It is designed to assess a candidate's technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company.

Rounds·4

Timeline·~14d

Experience·2 - 5 yrs

Comp band·US$80000 - US$120000

Interview time·150 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Problem-solving skills
  • Algorithmic thinking
  • Data structures knowledge
  • Coding proficiency
  • System design capabilities
  • Technical communication

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review fundamental computer science concepts: data structures, algorithms, operating systems, databases, networking.
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Codewars, focusing on medium to hard difficulty.
  3. Study system design principles and common architectural patterns.
  4. Prepare to discuss your past projects in detail, focusing on your contributions, technical challenges, and solutions.
  5. Research Yandex's products, services, and company culture.
  6. Practice behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
  7. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 05 phases

01 / 05
01

Phase 01 of 05

Data Structures and Algorithms

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms fundamentals.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, graphs, hash tables) and their common algorithms (sorting, searching, graph traversal). Understand time and space complexity analysis (Big O notation).

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Write a function to find the k-th largest element in an unsorted array.
  • Design a URL shortening service like bit.ly.
  • Explain the difference between processes and threads.
  • Describe a time you disagreed with a teammate and how you resolved it.
  • How would you handle a situation where a critical bug is found in production just before a major release?
  • What are the trade-offs between using a relational database and a NoSQL database?
  • How do you stay updated with new technologies and industry trends?
  • Implement a basic LRU cache.
  • Discuss the principles of object-oriented programming.
  • Tell me about a project you are particularly proud of.

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Moscow, Russia

Interview focus

Deep understanding of distributed systems and cloud-native technologies.Proficiency in specific programming languages and frameworks relevant to Yandex's tech stack (e.g., Python, Go, C++, Java).Experience with large-scale data processing and analysis.Strong problem-solving and algorithmic thinking.Familiarity with Agile methodologies and CI/CD pipelines.

Common questions

  • How would you optimize a database query for a large dataset in a distributed system?
  • Describe a challenging debugging scenario you faced and how you resolved it.
  • Discuss your experience with containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes.
  • Explain the principles of RESTful API design and best practices.
  • How do you ensure code quality and maintainability in a team environment?

Tips

  • Brush up on data structures and algorithms, especially those applicable to distributed systems.
  • Review common system design patterns and trade-offs.
  • Be prepared to discuss your past projects in detail, highlighting your contributions and technical challenges.
  • Understand Yandex's products and services, and how a Software Engineer contributes to them.
  • Practice explaining complex technical concepts clearly and concisely.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at Yandex.

Frequently reported on Yandex loops

View all at Yandex

Other guides

More at Yandex.