MSD software engineer interviews reported by candidates mix project deep-dives, behavioral and company-fit questions, and some technical screens such as Java fundamentals, an aptitude test, or SQL. Experiences vary by role.
$102K
Avg. Base Comp
$118K
Avg. Total Comp
3-5 rounds
Typical Rounds
6-8 weeks
Process Length
Four candidate reports describe MSD interviews for engineering-related roles, and they differ enough that you should prepare for a range rather than one fixed format. The common thread is conversation. Candidates describe interviewers as collaborative and professional, and the questions leaned toward your own work more than toward puzzle-style coding.
The most specific signal is walking through past projects and explaining your technical choices. One candidate with a quality assurance background reported a manager round on previous projects and system design decisions, followed by a second technical round with another engineer and a call with leadership in the US office. Another reported a first technical round built around a resume project, with follow-ups on approach, challenges and decisions.
Technical content depends on the role. An internship candidate was asked about the JVM, processes versus threads, hash functions and Java's finally keyword, then did an online coding task implementing a simple submarine game. A candidate for an engineer role reported a roughly ninety-minute online aptitude assessment with mathematical and logical reasoning before an in-person interview. A monitoring engineer candidate reported SQL window function questions in one round.
Behavioral and company-fit questions appear repeatedly. Candidates mention disagreeing with a manager, teamwork, time management, and describing a daily routine or work environment. One candidate said MSD's mission, vision and history were emphasized, so prepare a specific reason you want to work there.
Outcomes were mixed: two offers and two rejections. Reported processes ranged from a quick internship process to four or five rounds, so confirm the steps with your recruiter.
Synthesized from 4 candidate reports by our editorial team.
Had an interview recently?
Share your experience. Unlock the full guide.
Real interview reports from people who went through the Msd process.
Share your own interview experience to unlock all reports, or subscribe for full access.
Sourced from candidate reports and verified by our team.
Topics based on recent interview experiences.
Featured question at Msd
Select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department
| Question | |
|---|---|
| Monthly Customer Report | |
| Weighted Keys | |
| Cumulative Distribution | |
| Retailer Data Warehouse | |
| Hurdles In Data Projects | |
| Total Spent on Products | |
| P-value to a Layman | |
| Detecting ECG Tachycardia Runs | |
| Size of Joins | |
| Last Transaction | |
| Always Excited Users | |
| Brain Cancer Treatment Outcomes | |
| Sum to Zero | |
| Flatten JSON | |
| Valid Anagram | |
| 85% vs 82% | |
| Cumulative Reset | |
| Rider Discount | |
| Digit Accumulator | |
| Multi-Reaction | |
| Time Difference | |
| Search Linked List | |
| Common Prefix | |
| Greatest Common Denominator | |
| Count Transactions | |
| Subscription Retention | |
| Possible Triangles | |
| Concurrent LLM Serving | |
| Slow SQL Query |
Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
Candidates report different entry routes. One went through a third-party recruitment agency before applying on MSD's Workday careers site, and another was approached by a recruiter on LinkedIn and then applied online. Expect the first contact to be about your background and expectations.
Early screens appear to differ by role. Candidates report a roughly ninety-minute online aptitude test with math and logical reasoning, a phone screen on Java fundamentals, and an online coding task to implement a simple game. You may encounter one of these, not necessarily all, so ask your recruiter what to expect.
Candidates report technical rounds centered on past work. Interviewers asked about project details, challenges, system design decisions and tradeoffs, and in one case returned to concepts from the aptitude test. One candidate also reported a second technical round with another engineer, and another reported SQL window function questions.
Candidates report conversational fit rounds with HR, a potential manager or a group that included other departments. Topics included disagreeing with a boss, teamwork, time management, daily routine, work environment and knowledge of MSD's mission and vision. Prepare specific examples and a clear motivation for MSD.
One candidate reported a final call with leadership in the US office after four rounds and received an offer. Another candidate reported a rejection email about three weeks after the first interview, with recruiter feedback by phone. A third said communication at the end was sparse, so follow up on timing.
