Santander Software Engineer interview typically runs 3 rounds: initial HR interview, technical test, tech lead conversation. It usually finishes quickly and is straightforward, with a practical, efficient process.
$143K
Avg. Base Comp
$171K
Avg. Total Comp
3-4
Typical Rounds
2-4 weeks
Process Length
Our candidates report that Santander is less interested in abstract frontend theory than in whether you can operate comfortably in a real product codebase. The strongest signal in the experience we saw was the emphasis on practical React work: the technical evaluation centered on applied problem-solving, and the conversation with the tech lead dug into how the candidate actually builds and validates UI features. That tells us Santander is looking for engineers who can explain decisions clearly, not just recite patterns.
A recurring theme is the weight placed on testing maturity. Multiple candidates mentioned being asked about specific tools like Playwright and Vitest, which is a good clue that they care about how you think about reliability, not just whether you can ship a component. We’ve also seen that the team pays attention to whether your experience feels grounded and current — the candidate who received an offer noted that it helped to speak concretely about tools and workflows they had really used. In other words, this process rewards specificity: what you built, how you tested it, and why your approach made sense for the team.
We also see a clear people-fit layer early on, but it’s not fluffy. The initial conversation focused on work history, studies, and motivation, which suggests Santander wants a candidate who can connect their background to the role in a credible way. The non-obvious make-or-break factor here is coherence: when your story, your React experience, and your testing setup all line up, the process feels straightforward and fair. When they don’t, the gaps are likely to stand out quickly.
Synthesized from 1 candidate report by our editorial team.
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Real interview reports from people who went through the Santander process.
The process took a few weeks from initial CV submission to final feedback. A recruiter got in touch first, then the hiring manager scheduled what turned out to be a three-round interview loop. The first round was with HR and included a quick English proficiency check—nothing intensive, just to confirm basic communication skills. It lasted about 15 minutes and felt more like a screening than an assessment.
The second round was with the actual project team, and this is where the technical questions came in. It was fairly relaxed overall, honestly. They asked about SQL fundamentals—for instance, what the HAVING clause does and how to interpret query output—along with some JavaScript and TypeScript concepts. Nothing felt overly algorithmic or pressure-filled; they seemed more interested in understanding how I thought through problems than in seeing a perfect solution. The conversation was extended and conversational, which actually helped me explain my reasoning clearly.
The final round was another HR conversation, this one considerably longer. It shifted away from pure technical content into personal questions and behavioral territory. Some of the questions felt a bit off-topic or unusual for a software engineer role—the kind where you wonder why they're asking. They also wanted to know how I stay current with technology, my approach to code maintenance, and my general professional background in detail. The interviewers seemed friendly throughout, but by the end I wasn't entirely sure where I stood. A week or so later, I learned the position wasn't moving forward with me.
Prep tip from this candidate
Be ready for SQL-specific questions (HAVING, query interpretation) and basic backend concepts like microservices, but also prepare for HR rounds that dive into soft skills, how you handle feedback, and your approach to staying current in tech. The process can be lengthy and span multiple rounds with different focuses—pace yourself and don't assume technical strength alone will carry you through.
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Sourced from candidate reports and verified by our team.
Topics based on recent interview experiences.
Featured question at Santander
Given a list of locations that your trucks are stored at, return the top location for each model of truck (Mercedes or BMW).
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| 2nd Highest Salary | |
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| Merge Sorted Lists | |
| Subscription Overlap | |
| Closest SAT Scores | |
| Empty Neighborhoods | |
| Top Three Salaries | |
| Monthly Customer Report | |
| Rolling Bank Transactions | |
| Find the Missing Number | |
| Bagging vs Boosting | |
| String Shift | |
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| Comments Histogram | |
| Top 5 Turnover Risk | |
| Like Tracker | |
| Find the First Non-Repeating Character in a String | |
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| Google Maps Improvement | |
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| Size of Joins | |
| Rectangle Overlap | |
| Top 3 Users | |
| Over-Budget Projects | |
| Slacking Employees Salaries | |
| Hurdles In Data Projects | |
| Sum to N |
Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
An initial conversational interview with HR focused on your work experience, studies, and motivation. The goal is to understand your background, fit for the team, and interest in the role before moving into technical evaluation.
A practical technical round with a senior developer focused on React. Expect questions about your hands-on frontend experience and testing tools, including whether you have used Playwright and Vitest.
A practical assignment to solve independently at home, centered on React. This stage appears to be part of the technical evaluation and is used to assess how you approach real implementation work.
A final discussion with the tech lead covering your technical background and testing experience. The conversation also serves as a deeper check on your fit for the team and role before the final decision.
