Fictiv Software Engineer Interview Questions + Guide in 2025

Fictiv is a leading technology company, often referred to as the "AWS of manufacturing," that is transforming the $350 billion manufacturing industry through its innovative cloud platform powered by AI and machine learning.

As a Software Engineer at Fictiv, you will play a crucial role in building a highly available and performant system to support the company's fast-growing business. Key responsibilities include developing backend services, contributing to architectural decisions, and mentoring junior engineers. A strong understanding of business needs and the ability to apply technology to solve complex challenges is essential. You will also be expected to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, maintain high coding standards, and deliver defect-free code in cloud environments. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in backend development, particularly with Node.js and event-based asynchronous programming frameworks, along with proficiency in building APIs and working with databases.

This guide will help you prepare for your interview by providing insights into the specific skills and attributes that Fictiv values in its Software Engineers, thus enabling you to tailor your responses to align with the company's mission and culture.

The interview process for a Software Engineer at Fictiv is structured to assess both technical skills and cultural fit within the team. It typically consists of several key stages:

1. Initial HR Screening

The process begins with a 30-minute phone interview with an HR representative. This initial screening focuses on your background, career aspirations, and salary expectations. It serves as an opportunity for the HR team to gauge your fit for the company culture and to provide you with an overview of the role and the team dynamics.

2. Technical Interviews

Following the HR screening, candidates usually undergo three technical interview rounds, which are conducted online. These rounds are designed to evaluate your coding skills, problem-solving abilities, and technical knowledge relevant to the role. The first technical round often involves live coding, where you will be asked to solve algorithmic problems in real-time. Expect to demonstrate your proficiency in backend development, particularly with Node.js, as well as your understanding of APIs and database management.

3. Frontend and Backend Focused Rounds

In the subsequent rounds, candidates will typically face a mix of frontend and backend technical assessments. The frontend round may include debugging tasks and coding challenges that require familiarity with frameworks like React, while the backend round will delve deeper into system design and integration discussions. You may be asked to explain your approach to building and maintaining APIs, as well as your experience with cloud services and distributed systems.

4. Final Interview with Engineering Manager

The final stage often involves a conversation with an engineering manager. This interview is more conversational and focuses on your past experiences, technical decisions, and how you approach collaboration within a team. You will have the chance to ask questions about the company’s vision, team structure, and ongoing projects, allowing you to assess if Fictiv aligns with your career goals.

As you prepare for your interviews, consider the specific skills and experiences that will be relevant to the questions you may encounter.

Here are some tips to help you excel in your interview.

Prepare for a Structured Interview Process

Fictiv's interview process typically includes an initial HR screening followed by multiple technical rounds. Familiarize yourself with the structure of these interviews, as they often involve live coding, debugging, and discussions around both front-end and back-end technologies. Be ready to articulate your thought process clearly during these technical assessments, as communication is key.

Showcase Your Technical Proficiency

Given the emphasis on algorithms and backend development, ensure you are well-versed in relevant programming languages, particularly Node.js, and have a solid understanding of event-based asynchronous programming. Brush up on your algorithm skills, as you may encounter questions that require you to solve problems in real-time. Practice coding challenges on platforms like LeetCode to build your confidence.

Emphasize Collaboration and Problem-Solving Skills

Fictiv values engineers who can work collaboratively and solve complex problems. Be prepared to discuss past experiences where you successfully collaborated with team members or stakeholders to overcome challenges. Highlight your ability to mentor others and improve team dynamics, as this aligns with the company's focus on elevating technical standards.

Understand the Business Context

Demonstrating an acute understanding of how technology meets business needs is crucial. Be ready to discuss how your technical skills can contribute to Fictiv's mission of transforming the manufacturing industry. Prepare examples of how you've applied technology to solve business problems in your previous roles.

Engage with Your Interviewers

The interviewers at Fictiv are described as friendly and knowledgeable. Use this to your advantage by asking insightful questions about the company’s direction, team dynamics, and the technologies they are using. This not only shows your interest in the role but also helps you gauge if the company culture aligns with your values.

Follow Up Promptly

After your interviews, don’t hesitate to follow up with your recruiter or the interviewers for feedback. This demonstrates your enthusiasm for the position and can help you stay informed about your application status. A proactive approach can also mitigate the risk of being left in the dark regarding your candidacy.

Be Yourself

Lastly, be authentic during your interviews. Fictiv is looking for individuals who are not only technically skilled but also fit well within their team culture. Share your genuine interests and experiences, and let your personality shine through. This will help you connect with your interviewers and leave a lasting impression.

By following these tailored tips, you can position yourself as a strong candidate for the Software Engineer role at Fictiv. Good luck!

In this section, we’ll review the various interview questions that might be asked during a Software Engineer interview at Fictiv. The interview process will likely focus on your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and understanding of software development practices. Be prepared to discuss your experience with backend development, cloud services, and collaborative practices.

Technical Skills

1. Can you explain the differences between REST and GraphQL APIs?

Understanding the nuances between these two API styles is crucial for backend development.

How to Answer

Discuss the fundamental differences in how data is requested and returned, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.

Example

“REST APIs operate on fixed endpoints and return a predefined structure, which can lead to over-fetching or under-fetching of data. In contrast, GraphQL allows clients to request exactly the data they need, which can optimize performance and reduce bandwidth usage. However, GraphQL can introduce complexity in terms of caching and security.”

2. Describe a challenging bug you encountered in a production environment and how you resolved it.

This question assesses your problem-solving skills and ability to handle pressure.

How to Answer

Provide a specific example, detailing the steps you took to identify, troubleshoot, and fix the issue.

Example

“I once faced a critical bug that caused downtime for a key service. I quickly gathered logs and metrics to identify the root cause, which was a race condition in our asynchronous processing. After isolating the issue, I implemented a locking mechanism to ensure data integrity and tested the solution thoroughly before deploying it.”

3. How do you ensure the quality of your code?

Quality assurance is vital in software development, and interviewers want to know your approach.

How to Answer

Discuss your practices for writing maintainable code, including testing, code reviews, and adherence to coding standards.

Example

“I prioritize writing unit and integration tests to cover critical functionality. I also participate in code reviews, which not only help catch potential issues early but also foster knowledge sharing within the team. Additionally, I follow best practices and design patterns to ensure my code is clean and maintainable.”

4. What is your experience with cloud services, particularly AWS?

Fictiv values experience with cloud environments, so be prepared to discuss your background.

How to Answer

Highlight specific projects where you utilized cloud services, focusing on the technologies and architectures you employed.

Example

“I have extensive experience with AWS, particularly in deploying microservices using Lambda and managing databases with RDS. In my last project, I designed a serverless architecture that improved scalability and reduced costs, allowing us to handle variable workloads efficiently.”

5. Can you explain event-driven architecture and its benefits?

Understanding modern architectural patterns is essential for a software engineer at Fictiv.

How to Answer

Discuss the principles of event-driven architecture and how it can enhance system responsiveness and scalability.

Example

“Event-driven architecture allows systems to react to events in real-time, which can significantly improve responsiveness. It decouples components, enabling them to scale independently and reducing the risk of system-wide failures. This approach is particularly beneficial in cloud environments where resources can be dynamically allocated.”

Collaboration and Problem Solving

1. Describe a time when you had to work closely with a team to solve a complex problem.

Collaboration is key in software development, and this question assesses your teamwork skills.

How to Answer

Share a specific instance where you collaborated with others, detailing your role and the outcome.

Example

“In a recent project, our team faced a significant performance issue with our application. I organized a series of brainstorming sessions where we collectively analyzed the bottlenecks. By leveraging each team member's expertise, we identified several optimizations that improved our response times by over 50%.”

2. How do you handle conflicts within a team?

Conflict resolution is an important skill in collaborative environments.

How to Answer

Discuss your approach to addressing conflicts, emphasizing communication and understanding.

Example

“When conflicts arise, I believe in addressing them directly and respectfully. I encourage open dialogue to understand different perspectives and work towards a solution that aligns with our common goals. For instance, during a disagreement about technology choices, I facilitated a discussion where we weighed the pros and cons together, leading to a consensus.”

3. What strategies do you use to mentor junior engineers?

As a senior engineer, your ability to mentor others is crucial.

How to Answer

Share your mentoring philosophy and specific strategies you employ to support junior team members.

Example

“I focus on creating a supportive environment where junior engineers feel comfortable asking questions. I conduct regular one-on-one sessions to discuss their progress and challenges, and I encourage them to take ownership of small projects to build their confidence. Additionally, I provide constructive feedback on their code and help them set achievable goals.”

4. How do you prioritize tasks when working on multiple projects?

Time management and prioritization are essential skills for a software engineer.

How to Answer

Explain your approach to managing competing priorities and ensuring timely delivery.

Example

“I use a combination of Agile methodologies and prioritization frameworks like the Eisenhower Matrix to manage my tasks. I regularly communicate with stakeholders to understand project timelines and adjust my focus based on urgency and impact. This approach helps me stay organized and deliver high-quality work on time.”

5. What do you think is the future of software development?

This question gauges your vision and understanding of industry trends.

How to Answer

Discuss emerging technologies and methodologies that you believe will shape the future of software development.

Example

“I believe the future of software development will be heavily influenced by AI and machine learning, enabling more intelligent automation and predictive analytics. Additionally, the rise of low-code and no-code platforms will democratize software development, allowing non-technical users to contribute to building applications, which could lead to faster innovation cycles.”