Google senior engineer interview

The Senior Software Engineer (SDE 3) rounds, in order

1. 1

   Phone / recruiter screen · 45 min

   One live data-structures-and-algorithms problem, sometimes two, in a shared doc with no code execution; a second screen is added only when the first gives too little signal.

   At Senior Software Engineer (SDE 3): Often a coding problem plus questions about your past systems; some companies (Uber) use it to set your level.

2. 2

   Coding (DSA) × 3 · 45 min

   Junior loops are mostly coding (about 3 rounds); senior loops drop to about 2 as design rounds take their place, and some prompts ask you to build a small class with several methods.

   At Senior Software Engineer (SDE 3): Usually two rounds. Same difficulty, but interviewers expect quick, confident problem solving and production-quality code.

3. 3

   System design (HLD) · 45 min

   An open-ended design round is standard from L5; staff candidates may get two and are expected to drive the discussion.

   At Senior Software Engineer (SDE 3): One or two rounds that set your level. Expected to lead, size the system and go deep on two or three hard parts.

4. 4

   Behavioral · 45 min

   The Googleyness and Leadership round uses STAR-style questions on ambiguity, conflict and learning; the 2026 pilot adds a technical talk-through of a past project.

   At Senior Software Engineer (SDE 3): Expected scope: projects across quarters, influencing other teams, mentoring.

5. 5

   Team match · 30 min

   You talk with managers who have open headcount, both sides have to opt in, and this step now usually comes before the hiring committee review.

   At Senior Software Engineer (SDE 3): Down-leveling to SDE 2 is the most common surprise outcome.

6. 6

   Hiring committee

   A panel of Googlers who did not interview you reviews the full packet and decides hire or no-hire and the level, so passing the onsite does not guarantee an offer.

   At Senior Software Engineer (SDE 3): Down-leveling to SDE 2 is the most common surprise outcome.

What Google interviewers look for

• Breaks a vague problem into parts and asks clarifying questions before coding
• Reaches an optimal or near-optimal algorithm and explains the complexity trade-offs
• Writes clean, correct code without running it and checks it by hand
• Thinks out loud: the reasoning counts as much as the final answer
• Handles follow-ups that change the constraints
• Collaboration, humility and comfort with ambiguity
• At L5+: architecture reasoning, scalability and defensible trade-offs

Behavioral rounds are based on the Googleyness and Leadership, plus the four hiring attributes: General Cognitive Ability, Role-Related Knowledge and Experience, Leadership, Googleyness. Questions for each one.

Coding questions to practise for Google Senior Software Engineer (SDE 3)

Usually two rounds. Same difficulty, but interviewers expect quick, confident problem solving and production-quality code.

How the coding round is scored · The online assessment

System design at Senior Software Engineer (SDE 3)

Formal system design usually starts at L5. At L4, design ideas show up inside coding rounds, and staff candidates may get two design rounds. Prompts lean toward Google-scale products and infrastructure: Docs, Maps, YouTube, search and indexing, job scheduling.

• Google Docs
• Search autocomplete
• Google Maps
• YouTube
• Web crawler
• Job scheduler

All Google system design questions

Questions people ask