Stellar Health Software Engineer Interview Questions + Guide in 2025

Stellar Health is dedicated to transforming healthcare through innovative technology solutions that empower providers and patients alike.

The Software Engineer role at Stellar Health encompasses designing, developing, and maintaining software applications that address healthcare challenges. Key responsibilities include creating APIs to facilitate seamless data exchange, solving algorithmic problems to enhance system efficiency, and working with cloud technologies like AWS to manage and process healthcare data. A successful candidate should possess strong programming skills in languages such as Java or Python, a solid understanding of data structures and algorithms, and experience with API design and database management. The ideal individual will also demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities and a capacity for independent work, as collaboration during problem-solving in interviews may not be emphasized. Understanding Stellar Health's mission to improve patient outcomes through technology will be crucial in aligning your approach and demonstrating your fit for the company culture.

This guide aims to provide you with insights into the specific skills and expectations for the Software Engineer position at Stellar Health, which will help you prepare effectively for your interview.

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

1. Initial HR Screening

The process begins with a phone screening conducted by an HR representative. This initial conversation lasts about 30 minutes and focuses on your background, experiences, and motivations for applying to Stellar Health. The recruiter will also provide insights into the company culture and the specifics of the role, ensuring that you have a clear understanding of what to expect.

2. Technical Take-Home Assessment

Following the HR screening, candidates are required to complete a technical take-home assessment. This assessment usually has a time limit of around two hours and involves practical programming tasks, such as manipulating data from AWS S3 or implementing string replacement algorithms. The goal is to evaluate your coding skills, problem-solving abilities, and understanding of data handling.

3. Review of Take-Home Assessment

Once the take-home assessment is submitted, candidates participate in a follow-up interview where the assessment is reviewed. This session typically lasts about an hour and includes discussions about your approach to the tasks, efficiency improvements, and any challenges you faced during the assessment. This is an opportunity to demonstrate your thought process and technical reasoning.

4. Whiteboard Technical Interviews

If you successfully pass the previous stages, you will be invited to participate in two whiteboard technical interviews. These interviews focus on coding challenges and system design. Candidates can expect to solve algorithmic problems and design APIs, often using real-world scenarios relevant to Stellar Health's operations. The interviewers may prioritize individual problem-solving skills over collaborative discussions, so be prepared to work independently.

Throughout the interview process, candidates should be ready to showcase their technical expertise, problem-solving capabilities, and adaptability to the company's environment.

Next, let's delve into the specific interview questions that candidates have encountered during this process.

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

Understand the Interview Structure

Familiarize yourself with the interview process at Stellar Health, which typically includes a technical take-home assessment, a review of that assessment, and two rounds of whiteboard coding interviews. Knowing this structure will help you manage your time effectively and prepare accordingly. Make sure to allocate sufficient time for the take-home assessment, as it is a critical part of the evaluation.

Master API Design and Algorithms

Given the emphasis on API design and algorithm questions, ensure you are well-versed in both areas. Practice designing APIs that are efficient and scalable, and brush up on common algorithmic problems. Use resources like LeetCode to solve a variety of problems, focusing on easy to medium difficulty levels. Remember, the interviewers are looking for your thought process and problem-solving skills, so articulate your reasoning clearly as you work through the problems.

Prepare for Whiteboard Interviews

During the whiteboard coding interviews, you will be expected to solve problems independently. Practice coding on a whiteboard or paper to simulate the interview environment. Focus on explaining your thought process as you work through the problem, as this will demonstrate your understanding and approach to problem-solving. Be prepared to discuss your solutions and any potential improvements or optimizations.

Embrace the Company Culture

Stellar Health is described as a small company with smart engineers, but some candidates have noted a lack of collaboration during interviews. Approach the interview with a mindset of independence and confidence in your abilities. While collaboration is important in a team setting, during the interview, focus on showcasing your individual skills and thought processes. Be prepared to defend your choices and explain your reasoning without relying on input from the interviewer.

Seek Feedback and Reflect

After your interviews, don’t hesitate to ask for feedback, even if it’s not offered. This shows your willingness to learn and improve. If you receive a rejection, take the time to reflect on your performance and identify areas for growth. This proactive approach will not only help you in future interviews but also demonstrate your commitment to personal and professional development.

By following these tips and preparing thoroughly, you will position yourself as a strong candidate for the Software Engineer role at Stellar Health. Good luck!

In this section, we’ll review the various interview questions that might be asked during a software engineering interview at Stellar Health. The interview process will likely assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and understanding of software design principles. Be prepared to demonstrate your knowledge of algorithms, API design, and database management.

Technical Skills

1. Can you explain the process of designing a RESTful API?

Understanding API design is crucial for a software engineer, especially in a healthcare technology company where data integrity and accessibility are paramount.

How to Answer

Discuss the principles of RESTful API design, including statelessness, resource identification, and the use of standard HTTP methods. Highlight the importance of documentation and versioning.

Example

“When designing a RESTful API, I focus on defining clear endpoints that represent resources, ensuring that each endpoint supports standard HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE. I also prioritize stateless interactions and maintain thorough documentation to facilitate ease of use for developers.”

2. Describe a challenging algorithm problem you solved. What was your approach?

This question assesses your problem-solving skills and your ability to think critically under pressure.

How to Answer

Outline the problem, your thought process, and the solution you implemented. Emphasize any optimizations you made and the impact of your solution.

Example

“I faced a challenge with a sorting algorithm that needed to handle large datasets efficiently. I opted for a quicksort implementation, analyzing the time complexity and ensuring it was optimized for average cases. This approach reduced processing time significantly, allowing the application to handle user requests more swiftly.”

Data Structures and Algorithms

3. How would you implement a data structure to store patient claims?

This question tests your understanding of data structures and their applications in real-world scenarios.

How to Answer

Discuss the choice of data structures based on the requirements, such as retrieval speed and memory efficiency. Explain your reasoning clearly.

Example

“I would use a HashSet to store unique patient identifiers for quick lookups and an ArrayList to manage claims associated with each patient. This combination allows for efficient retrieval and management of claims while ensuring that each patient is represented only once.”

4. Can you write a function to perform string replacement based on a matching pattern?

This question evaluates your coding skills and understanding of string manipulation.

How to Answer

Explain your approach to the problem, including any algorithms or methods you would use. Be prepared to write code on a whiteboard.

Example

“I would use regular expressions to identify the matching pattern in the string and replace it with the desired value. This method is efficient and allows for flexible pattern matching.”

Database Management

5. Given a database schema, how would you query attendance data for a specific department?

This question assesses your SQL skills and your ability to work with relational databases.

How to Answer

Walk through the SQL query you would write, explaining your thought process and any joins or conditions you would use.

Example

“To query attendance data for the IT department, I would use a SQL statement that joins the relevant tables, filtering by the department ID. For instance, I would write a query that counts the attendance records for the IT department in the HQ office, grouping the results by month.”

6. How would you optimize a slow SQL query?

This question tests your understanding of database performance and optimization techniques.

How to Answer

Discuss various strategies for query optimization, such as indexing, query restructuring, and analyzing execution plans.

Example

“I would start by examining the execution plan to identify bottlenecks. If necessary, I would add indexes to frequently queried columns and consider restructuring the query to reduce complexity, ensuring that it runs efficiently even with large datasets.”