TekSynap is a rapidly growing high-tech company that understands both the swift pace of modern technology and the necessity for a well-planned information management environment. "Technology moving at the speed of thought" embodies these principles, emphasizing agility in utilizing cutting-edge tech to meet the needs of Federal Government customers.

As a Senior Software Engineer at TekSynap, you will support vital contracts, engaging in a variety of tasks such as conducting stakeholder meetings, creating and implementing design solutions, building new SOA services, and performing unit and integration tests. You will need a robust background in applications software development, proficiency in SQL, PL/SQL, APIs, and database architecture, and experience in tools such as Git and REST.

Use this guide to navigate the interview process at TekSynap and prepare effectively for your role.

Submitting Your Application

The first step is to submit a compelling application that reflects your technical skills and interest in joining Synaptek Corporation as a Software Engineer. Whether you were contacted by a Synaptek recruiter or have taken the initiative yourself, carefully review the job description and tailor your CV according to the prerequisites.

Tailoring your CV may include identifying specific keywords that the hiring manager might use to filter resumes and crafting a targeted cover letter. Furthermore, don’t forget to highlight relevant skills and mention your work experiences.

Recruiter/Hiring Manager Call Screening

If your CV happens to be among the shortlisted few, a recruiter from the Synaptek Corporation Talent Acquisition Team will make contact and verify key details like your experiences and skill level. Behavioral questions may also be a part of the screening process.

In some cases, the Synaptek software engineering hiring manager stays present during the screening round to answer your queries about the role and the company itself. They may also indulge in surface-level technical and behavioral discussions.

The whole recruiter call should take about 30 minutes.

Technical Virtual Interview

Successfully navigating the recruiter round will present you with an invitation for the technical screening round. Technical screening for the Synaptek software engineering role usually is conducted through virtual means, including video conference and screen sharing. Questions in this 1-hour long interview stage may revolve around Synaptek’s software systems, APIs, and SQL queries.

In the case of software engineering roles, take-home assignments regarding application metrics, analytics, and UI/UX design might be incorporated. Apart from these, your proficiency in object-oriented programming, database architecture, and software design principles may also be assessed during the round.

Depending on the seniority of the position, case studies and similar real-scenario problems may also be assigned.

Onsite Interview Rounds

Followed by a second recruiter call outlining the next stage, you’ll be invited to attend the onsite interview loop. Multiple interview rounds, varying with the role, will be conducted during your day at the Synaptek office. Your technical prowess, including programming, system design, and software development capabilities, will be evaluated against the finalized candidates throughout these interviews.

If you were assigned take-home exercises, a presentation round may also await you during the onsite interview for the Software Engineer role at Synaptek.

Quick Tips For Synaptek Corporation Software Engineer Interviews

• Master the Tech Stack: Synaptek often utilizes a range of programming languages and tools, including Java, Python, Angular, and SQL. Make sure to review and practice coding using these.
• Understand the Domain: Synaptek provides solutions primarily to federal clients. Familiarity with federal IT systems and regulations can be beneficial.
• SAFe and Agile Experience: Having knowledge and hands-on experience with SAFe and Agile methodologies can give you an edge during the interview process.

Typically, interviews at Synaptek Corporation vary by role and team, but commonly Software Engineer interviews follow a fairly standardized process across these question topics.

• Write a SQL query to select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department. Write a SQL query to select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department. If more than one person shares the highest salary, the query should select the next highest salary.

• Write a function to find the maximum number in a list of integers. Given a list of integers, write a function that returns the maximum number in the list. If the list is empty, return None.

• Create a function convert_to_bst to convert a sorted list into a balanced binary tree. Given a sorted list, create a function convert_to_bst that converts the list into a balanced binary tree. The output binary tree should be balanced, meaning the height difference between the left and right subtree of all the nodes should be at most one.

• Write a function to simulate drawing balls from a jar. Write a function to simulate drawing balls from a jar. The colors of the balls are stored in a list named jar, with corresponding counts of the balls stored in the same index in a list called n_balls.

• Develop a function can_shift to determine if one string can be shifted to become another. Given two strings A and B, write a function can_shift to return whether or not A can be shifted some number of places to get B.

• What are the drawbacks of having student test scores organized in the given layouts? Assume you have data on student test scores in two different layouts. Identify the drawbacks of these layouts and suggest formatting changes to make the data more useful for analysis. Additionally, describe common problems seen in "messy" datasets.

• How would you locate a mouse in a 4x4 grid using the fewest scans? You have a 4x4 grid with a mouse trapped in one of the cells. You can scan subsets of cells to know if the mouse is within that subset. How would you determine the mouse's location using the fewest number of scans?

• How would you select Dashers for Doordash deliveries in NYC and Charlotte? Doordash is launching delivery services in New York City and Charlotte. How would you decide which Dashers to select for these deliveries? Would the selection criteria differ between the two cities?

• What factors could bias Jetco's study on boarding times? Jetco, a new airline, has the fastest average boarding times according to a study. What factors could have biased this result, and what would you investigate?

• How would you design an A/B test to evaluate subscription pricing changes for a B2B SAAS company? You work at a B2B SAAS company interested in testing different subscription pricing levels. How would you design a two-week A/B test to evaluate a price increase, and how would you determine if the increase is a good business decision?

• How much should we budget for the coupon initiative in total? A ride-sharing app has a probability (p) of dispensing a $5 coupon to a rider. The app services (N) riders. Calculate the total budget needed for the coupon initiative.

• What is the probability of both riders getting the coupon? A driver using the app picks up two passengers. Determine the probability that both riders will receive the coupon.

• What is the probability that only one of them will get the coupon? A driver using the app picks up two passengers. Determine the probability that only one of the riders will receive the coupon.

• What is a confidence interval for a statistic and why is it useful? Explain what a confidence interval is, why it is important to know, and how to calculate it.

• What is the probability that item X would be found on Amazon's website? Amazon has a warehouse system where items are located at different distribution centers. Given the probabilities that item X is available at warehouse A (0.6) and warehouse B (0.8), calculate the probability that item X would be found on Amazon's website.

• Is this a fair coin? You flip a coin 10 times, and it comes up tails 8 times and heads twice. Determine if the coin is fair.

• What are time series models and why do we need them? Describe what time series models are and explain why they are necessary when simpler regression models exist.

• How would you justify the complexity of building a neural network model and explain predictions to non-technical stakeholders? Your manager asks you to build a neural network model to solve a business problem. How would you justify the complexity of this model and explain its predictions to non-technical stakeholders?

• How would you evaluate the suitability and performance of a decision tree model for predicting loan repayment? You are tasked with building a decision tree model to predict if a borrower will repay a personal loan. How would you evaluate whether a decision tree is the correct model for this problem? If you proceed with the decision tree, how would you evaluate its performance before and after deployment?

• How does random forest generate the forest, and why use it over logistic regression? Explain how random forest generates its forest of trees. Additionally, why would you choose random forest over other algorithms like logistic regression?

• How would you explain linear regression to a child, a first-year college student, and a seasoned mathematician? Explain the concept of linear regression to three different audiences: a child, a first-year college student, and a seasoned mathematician. Ensure your explanations are tailored to each audience's understanding level.

• What are the key differences between classification models and regression models? Describe the main differences between classification models and regression models.

Are you ready to take the next step in your career as a Senior Software Engineer with TekSynap? This fast-growing tech company is all about innovation, excellence, and meeting the dynamic needs of its Federal Government customers. If you're excited about working on cutting-edge projects and leveraging your technical expertise in a collaborative environment, then TekSynap is the place for you.

For more insights on the interview process and the kind of questions you might encounter, check out our comprehensive TekSynap Interview Guide. Dive deep into our valuable resources at Interview Query to arm yourself with the knowledge, confidence, and strategies to excel in your TekSynap interview.

Good luck with your interview!