Navigating Uber's Tough Software Engineer Interview: Mastering Experimental Design

Uber | Software Engineer | Interview Experience

Interview Date: Not specified
Result: Not specified
Difficulty: Not specified

Interview Process

The interview consisted of a coding round followed by a discussion on experimental design and production rollout. The coding question was a straightforward problem with a follow-up. The candidate implemented two methods; the first was correct, while the second had a minor bug.

The experimental design question focused on exploring the relationship between ETA and session rider conversion, discussing how to design the experiment using a switchback method instead of A/B testing.

In the production and rollout discussion, the candidate was asked about how to push the experiment to production, the design of treatment buckets, rollout guardrails, and the design of different variables. They also discussed how to interpret the results, particularly regarding 95% confidence intervals and the inherent uncertainties.

Technical Questions

  1. Majority Element (Array, Divide and Conquer, Bit Manipulation)
  2. Experimental Design (Experimental Design, Statistical Analysis)

Tips & Insights

The interview emphasized the importance of a deep understanding of metrics, particularly in economics. Candidates should focus on speed and accuracy, as the ability to communicate experimental results quickly and precisely is crucial. It was noted that understanding the ratio of two variables, rather than a single variable, is essential for success in this area.