Uber Software Engineer Interview Questions + Guide in 2024

Uber is looking for software engineers with a talent for solving complex logistical problems to improve the efficiency and reliability of its offerings, such as Rides and Eats. The company offers competitive salaries and benefits, making it an attractive workplace if you want to enhance your skills and advance your career in software.

This guide provides a detailed overview of the Uber software engineer interview process. It includes commonly asked interview questions and practical tips to boost your chances of securing the position.

Most interviewees rate Uber’s software interview somewhere between medium and hard, but if you’ve done your homework and prepared carefully, you won’t need to worry. Below are the interview stages you can expect.

Step 1: Preliminary Screening

After applying, a recruiter will contact you to get a sense of your work experience and cultural fit. Prepare some responses and study your past projects.

Common questions asked in this stage, according to Uber’s Careers page:

1. Describe your technical experience.
2. Why are you interested in joining Uber?
3. What are you looking for in a technical role?
4. What motivates you in your career?

Step 2: Online Test

Software engineers may be required to pass an online coding assessment on HackerRank. This test will comprise 2-3 coding problems that examine your grasp of math, algorithms, data structures, and programming fundamentals.

Step 3: Technical Interviews

You will next be invited to a series of technical interviews, both over video calls and in person. There may be up to six back-to-back interviews with breaks in between, so you’ll need to gear up for the challenge! However, the interviewers are friendly, and they’ll engage in brainstorming with you as well. You’ll also be allowed to code (on a whiteboard or in CodeSignal) in a language of your choice.

Here are some interview tips from Uber’s Careers page:

1. Prepare an elevator pitch about your background and why you are perfect for the role.
2. When talking about past projects, elaborate on your contribution.
3. It never hurts to go back to basic computer science fundamentals.
4. Practice, practice, practice!

Software engineers should expect a wide range of questions on data structures, algorithms, systems design, and networks. An essential focus of the interview will be on the real-world applications of these concepts, so be prepared to discuss how well your solutions scale.

Read on for our handpicked practice problems for the Uber software engineer interview. For best results, try answering the question yourself before looking at our hints or clicking on the solution!

1. Can you describe a time when you explained a complex technical problem to a client who didn’t have a technical background?

Excellent communication is essential since cross-functional collaboration with non-technical teams can be expected.

How to Answer

Focus on a specific instance where you broke down a technical issue for a non-technical audience. Use the STAR method of storytelling. Discuss the Specific situation you were challenged with, the Task you decided on, the Action you took, and the Result of your efforts.

Example

“In my previous role, I was once tasked with explaining a complex cloud integration issue to a client unfamiliar with cloud computing. I compared the process to merging different departments within a company, each with its unique processes and data. I made sure to use minimal technical jargon. This helped the client grasp the challenges of the problem.”

2. Why do you want to join Uber?

Interviewers will want to know why you chose the software engineer role at Uber. They want to establish whether you’re passionate about the company’s culture and values or your interest is more opportunistic.

How to Answer

Demonstrate knowledge of Uber’s work, culture, and the distinct opportunities that attract you to the company. Be honest and specific about how Uber’s offerings align with your career goals.

Example

“Working at Uber would give me a chance to be part of a team that values innovation, promotes learning, and impacts millions of lives daily. I’m intrigued by Uber’s innovative approach to solving real-world transportation challenges, its global impact, and the opportunity to work with diverse teams.”

3. Name a difficult challenge you faced while working on a project, how you overcame it, and what you learned.

In Uber’s fast-paced culture, you may be tasked with ad-hoc analyses requiring quick turnaround times. So, the interviewer wants to assess your resilience and capacity to learn under pressure.

How to Answer

If you took an unconventional approach to a past problem, talk about it. Also, highlight your collaboration with others and mention critical takeaways you will apply to future tasks.

Example

“For a previous project, we needed to integrate real-time data feeds into our application. The volume of data was overwhelming our system, leading to multiple delays. To address this, I led the implementation of a more efficient data processing framework. We also optimized our database queries to reduce latency. This experience taught me to anticipate scale challenges early in the project lifecycle.”

4. Tell me about a conflict you’ve had with a co-worker.

This question checks your emotional intelligence and conflict resolution skills—both critical to being a good team player.

How to Answer

Try to describe a conflict in which you played a role in finding a mutually beneficial outcome. Highlight what you learned from the experience, showing your willingness to adapt and grow.

Example

“I once had a conflict with a co-worker over prioritizing project features. To resolve it, I set up a one-on-one to discuss our viewpoints and come to an agreement. We decided to consult with other team members and gather more user data to make an informed decision. This experience helped me appreciate the importance of empathy and flexibility in teamwork.”

5. What would you change about Uber?

This is an excellent behavioral question as it simultaneously assesses your critical thinking and understanding of Uber’s products and business objectives.

How to Answer

Reflect on your experience with the app, identifying any features or processes that seemed cumbersome or areas where Uber could update their technology for better service. Your answer should show you understand the user’s perspective and can think strategically about product development. Show that you are aware of Uber’s business strategy and goals and align your solutions accordingly.

Example

“One area I believe could improve is integrating real-time urban mobility data to optimize route planning for rides and deliveries. For example, incorporating live traffic updates, public transit schedules, and pedestrian flow patterns could enhance the app’s navigational algorithms to help reduce wait times. These improvements would provide more eco-friendly route options by suggesting rideshare opportunities or integrating with public transit options. Learning from the recent redesign that aimed at simplification and personalization, this feature could further personalize the user experience. This could start with a pilot in densely populated cities, using a phased approach to refine algorithms.”

6. Write a query to find the average commute time (in minutes) for each commuter in New York (NY) and the average commute time (in minutes) for all commuters in New York.

This question tests your skill in applying commonly required SQL functions to Uber’s business problems.

How to Answer

Calculate average times using SQL aggregate functions such as AVG() and employ conditional aggregation or a subquery to obtain the overall average for comparison.

Example

“I’d calculate the average commute time for each commuter by finding the difference in minutes between start_dt and end_dt for each ride and then the average of those times per commuter. I would also include a subquery to calculate the overall average commute time for all New York commuters, presenting these two pieces of information side by side for each commuter. This approach provides a benchmark for comparison.”

7. Write a Python function to parse a log file and extract error messages along with their timestamps. How would you optimize it for large files?

Knowing how to handle and process data in large files in software engineering roles is important.

How to Answer

Explain your approach logically, focusing on efficient data processing techniques. Highlight how you would optimize your method for handling large files.

Example

“I’d use a combination of regular expressions to identify error patterns and a line-by-line file reading approach to manage memory efficiently. For large files, I’d implement a buffered reading strategy to process the file in chunks, thereby minimizing memory usage and ensuring the application remains responsive even with complex log files.”

8. Implement the Fibonacci algorithm in three different methods: 1. recursively, 2. iteratively, and 3. using memoization.

The Fibonacci sequence is a classic problem in software engineering interviews. Uber needs to implement scalable solutions, and your approach to this problem will reveal how well you understand this.

How to Answer

Demonstrate your understanding of the trade-offs between simplicity (recursion), efficiency (iteration), and optimization (memoization). Explain how each approach can be used in different scenarios based on computational resources and execution time.

Example

“A recursive solution involves a function calling itself with a smaller subset of the problem until it reaches a base case. This method is straightforward but can lead to significant inefficiencies due to repeated calculations. The iterative approach calculates each Fibonacci number sequentially, starting from the base cases and building up to the desired number by looping from 0 to n. This method is more efficient as it doesn’t involve repeated calculations or deep call stacks. Memoization optimizes the recursive solution by storing previously calculated Fibonacci numbers in a data structure during the function’s execution. When the function is called again with the same input, it first checks if the result is in the storage to avoid recalculating, thus reducing the number of computations needed.”

9. Compare quick sort, merge sort, and heap sort. In which scenarios would you prefer one algorithm over the others?

Work toward a thorough knowledge of sorting algorithms in various scenarios, particularly for high-load, data-intensive projects.

How to Answer

Include a brief comparison of the three algorithms focusing on time and space complexities. Then, discuss the scenarios in which each algorithm would be most effective, examining factors like dataset size, memory constraints, and the need for stability in sorting. Contextualize your answer by giving a practical example.

Example

“Quick sort is generally fast with an average and best-case complexity of $O(n \log n)$, but its worst-case complexity is $O(n^2)$, which can be a concern with poorly chosen pivots. However, its in-place sorting makes it memory efficient.

Merge sort, on the other hand, always has a time complexity of $O(n \log n)$, making it highly predictable and stable, but it requires additional space, which is $O(n)$. This makes it less memory efficient compared to quick sort but a reliable choice for large datasets.

Heap sort also offers $O(n \log n)$ complexity and does not require additional space, making it a good option when memory usage is a concern. However, it is typically slower in practice than the other two due to more overhead in heap operations.

In high-load systems where efficiency and quick response times are crucial, I would prefer quick sort for medium-sized datasets due to its in-place sorting and generally good performance. For larger datasets, especially where stability is a concern (like sorting customer orders where stability can maintain the order of similar elements), merge sort would be preferable despite its higher space requirement. Heap sort could be an option when memory is a constraint, but the dataset isn’t excessively large to avoid the overhead of heap operations.”

10. Let’s say we want to collect data regarding traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge. How would the table schema look if we tracked how long each car took to enter San Francisco and exit using the bridge? Include additional descriptives like the car model and license plate. Write a query to get the time of the fastest car on the current day.

Designing database schema relevant to tracking traffic flow will be part of your day-to-day work at Uber, so it is a good idea to get acquainted with similar design questions. This also tests your SQL skills in querying complex datasets.

How to Answer

Make sure your answer accounts for the practical application of this data, such as improving traffic management or enhancing route recommendations.

Example

“The table schema would include fields like car_id (a unique identifier for each car), license_plate, car_model, entry_time (timestamp for bridge entry), and exit_time (timestamp for bridge exit). I would write a query that calculates the duration for each car by subtracting entry_time from exit_time, filters records for the current day using a date function on entry_time and then selects the record with the minimum duration. This operation would use DATEDIFF or TIMESTAMPDIFF.”

11. Given various city zones with different demand patterns throughout the day and a set of Uber vehicle types (each with its own operating cost), how can you maximize Uber drivers’ profits?

This question evaluates your ability to use data for strategic decision-making. Understanding how factors like city zones, demand patterns, and operational costs impact profits is fundamental for competitive pricing.

How to Answer

Talk about strategies like dynamic pricing, which adjusts fares based on current demand and supply conditions, and the significance of data analytics in identifying high-demand zones and times.

Example

“Incorporating a dynamic pricing model, similar to Uber’s existing system, would allow fares to adjust in real-time based on studied demand patterns and other factors like traffic congestion. Additionally, understanding operational costs for different vehicle types would allow us to allocate the most cost-effective vehicles to high-demand areas. Using a combination of historical data analysis and real-time adjustments, drivers can be directed to zones where they’re most needed. This approach also enhances customer satisfaction.”

12. A robot has been designed to navigate a two-dimensional 4x4 matrix by only moving forward or turning right when blocked by a wall of the matrix. Determine its full path.

At Uber, you will be expected to engineer algorithms for route optimization and obstacle avoidance, similar to the robot navigating a matrix, to ensure smooth navigation on complex city roads.

How to Answer

Emphasize how you would handle blocks and make decisions (turning right or moving forward). Highlight the importance of checking for loops or repeated paths, which is crucial for avoiding inefficiencies in route planning. Your explanation should demonstrate how you would adapt to the specified constraints.

Example

“I would write a function considering the end goal, optimized direction, and possible obstacles. The function uses a while loop and directional vectors to ensure real-time adaptation. The algorithm efficiently finds a route to the destination by checking if the new position after a move is within the bounds of the matrix and not a block and by keeping track of the path to avoid loops.“

13. Can you explain the concept of cohesion in software design? Also, how would you approach optimizing the latency of a high-traffic web application?

Cohesion is needed to design maintainable and modular software, which is essential for large-scale and complex projects common at Uber.

How to Answer

Outline strategies demonstrating your experience in performance tuning and system scalability.

Example

“Cohesion refers to the degree to which elements of a module in software design belong together. High cohesion means that the module’s components are closely related and focused on a single task, leading to more maintainable and reliable software. It’s about ensuring that each module has a specific, well-defined purpose. To optimize latency in a high-traffic application, I’d focus on efficient load balancing, implementing a Content Delivery Network (CDN) for static assets, optimizing databases for faster queries, and using caching strategies effectively. It’s also vital to minimize the use of blocking operations and to optimize both client-side and server-side code.”

14. Write a function that returns the shape of the isosceles triangle using (a 2D list) of 0s and 1s, where 0 and 1 represent the space outside and inside of the triangle, respectively.

This type of concept is vital for software engineers to route maps, visualize data patterns, or create intuitive user interfaces.

How to Answer

Explain how you would construct an isosceles triangle using a 2D list with a specified height and base. Talk about validating input values to ensure they can form a triangle and how you would iterate through the 2D list to set values of 0s and 1s to represent the triangle.

Example

“To implement the function, I would first validate the inputs. The base b must be even and at least as long as the largest width of the triangle, which is 2ℎ - 1.

If the inputs are valid, I would create a 2D list initialized with 0s, with dimensions ℎ×b. The key is to determine which elements in this matrix should be 1s to represent the inside of the triangle. For each row i in the matrix, the number of 1s would increase as we move toward the middle row of the triangle. Specifically, starting from the top of the triangle (row 0), the number of 1s would incrementally increase until it reaches its maximum at the base. The 1s would be centered in each row, with an equal number of 0s (spaces) on each side.

To achieve this, for each row i, I would calculate the starting and ending indices for 1s. The starting index would be mid−i, and the ending index would be mid+i, where mid is the midpoint of the base b. I would then iterate over each row and set the corresponding elements between these indices to 1.”

15. Design an algorithm to clone the graph representing Uber’s city-wide ride-sharing network, where nodes represent geographic zones and edges represent possible routes between them.

This problem applies algorithms to real-world problems, such as routing, service area expansions, and efficiency improvements within the Uber ecosystem.

How to Answer

Show that you possess a solid understanding of graph theory. Highlight the importance of maintaining the integrity of original connections in the clone and mention how you would keep track of visited nodes to prevent infinite loops.

Example

“I would create a new graph structure where each node from the original graph is copied with its associated data (e.g., geographic zone information). For each node, all connected routes should be explored using a depth-first search (DFS) or breadth-first search (BFS) algorithm. A hash map can be utilized to check if a node has already been visited and cloned. This cloned graph can then be used for simulations, testing new features, or analyzing network changes before applying them to the live system.”

16. Write a Python function to return the maximum profit by buying and selling a stock.

Understanding how to maximize profit in a given scenario using algorithmic thinking is key in many software engineering tasks, including financial analysis and data processing.

How to Answer

Explain the logic behind your approach, discussing how you track the maximum profit at each stage (after each buy and sell) and how the problem resembles optimizing decisions in a changing environment. Briefly mention the importance of efficient and scalable code.

Example

“In this function, I will use dynamic programming to keep track of the profits after each buy and sell action. The function iterates through each price, updating the potential profits. This approach ensures we consider the best possible outcome at each stage, which is crucial for optimizing profits in a dynamic setting like stock trading or managing real-time data.”

17. Create a system where every driver is sending their location in real-time, and plot a heatmap showing the number of drivers in a particular location in the last 20 minutes, considering a 1-minute bucket.

This question gauges your ability to handle real-time data processing and visualization.

How to Answer

Discuss the importance of efficient data processing frameworks and visualization tools. Provide relevant examples.

Example

”Apache Kafka could be used to consume real-time location updates from drivers. To generate heatmaps, I would apply a sliding window of 20 minutes on the aggregated data to visualize the density of drivers in various city zones. This system can highlight high-demand areas, allowing for dynamic allocation of drivers to meet user needs.”

18. Given a list of sorted integer lists, write a function to create a combined list while maintaining sorted order without importing any libraries or using sort functions in Python.

Software engineers need to understand concepts like merging sorted integer lists for applications like streamlining logistics and scheduling tasks.

How to Answer

Go through a step-by-step approach to merging lists while maintaining sorted order. Focus on how you iterate through each list, compare elements, and choose the smallest element at each step to add to the final merged list. Highlight the efficiency of your approach.

Example

“In my solution, I would maintain an array of pointers to track the current element in each list. At each step, I’d look for the smallest element in each list and add it to the merged list. This way, we effectively merge all lists while maintaining their sorted order. This approach is efficient because it can minimize comparisons and eliminate the need for an external sorting library. Each iteration involves only a comparison of the heads of the remaining lists.”

19. Explain the Round Robin scheduling algorithm and how it differs from the other scheduling algorithms.

This knowledge of the Round Robin scheduling algorithm is particularly relevant in environments where software solutions require efficient resource management.

How to Answer

Provide a concise explanation of the Round Robin algorithm, emphasizing its fairness and time-sharing. Then, briefly compare it with other common scheduling algorithms in terms of their approach to task prioritization and resource allocation.

Example

“The Round Robin scheduling algorithm assigns a fixed time quantum to each process in a queue and processes them in a cyclic order. When a process’s time quantum expires, it is moved to the back of the queue, and the next process is serviced. This differs from algorithms like First-Come, First-Served, which execute processes in the order they arrive without time slicing, or Priority Scheduling, which prioritizes tasks based on their priority level rather than treating all processes equally. Round Robin is particularly noted for its fairness and prevention of process starvation, but it can lead to higher context switching overhead.”

20. Create a function called pool_matching that accepts a list of candidates and matches pairs of them based on: 1. scheduled availability and 2. similar interests.

Matching based on availability and interests enhances passenger experience and operational efficiency, such as in UberPool.

How to Answer

Break the problem into manageable parts: Sort candidates by availability, then group them by interests. Mention the importance of efficient data structures for sorting and matching.

Example

“I would first organize candidates by their available time slots. Then, within each time slot, I’d group them by shared interests, using tags or keywords. For each group with similar availability and interests, I’d match pairs or form small groups, prioritizing the closest matches. This process could be implemented using a combination of sorting algorithms and hash maps for efficient matching.”

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

Understand the Role and Responsibilities

Research the software engineer role at Uber you’re applying for. Understand the key responsibilities and skills required; you can connect with current employees through LinkedIn for a better understanding.

Explore the specific role at Uber through our Learning Paths to gain a comprehensive understanding of how your skills align with the requirements of this position.

Visit Uber’s Careers page for tips on preparing for the engineer interview.

Brush Up on Technical Skills

Revisit algorithms (graphs, trees, and sorts), data structures, system design principles, and coding techniques. Practice writing efficient, clean, and well-documented code. Depending on the role, you may expect questions on database management and API design as well.

You can practice some cool engineering projects to bolster your resume.

Familiarize Yourself with Uber’s Business Model

Gain a deep understanding of Uber’s products, market challenges, and technology stack. Consider how your role might impact the business and think of ways you could contribute to solving real-world problems Uber faces.

Practice Problem-Solving and Behavioral Questions

Prepare for behavioral questions using the STAR method. Reflect on your past experiences and practice articulating them in a concise, impactful manner.

Visit our Interview Questions section to familiarize yourself with behavioral questions. It offers a wide range of practice questions to help structure your responses effectively using the STAR method.

To test your current preparedness for the interview process and improve your communication skills, try a mock interview.

Prepare Questions for the Interviewer

Prepare thoughtful questions to ask your interviewers about Uber’s work culture, challenges, and expectations. This shows your interest and eagerness to engage with the company’s ethos and future goals.

What is the average salary for a Software Engineering role at Uber?

The average base salary for a software engineer at Uber is $143,702, making the remuneration competitive for prospective applicants.

For more insights into the salary range of software engineers at various companies, check out our comprehensive Software Engineer Salary Guide.

Where can I read more discussion posts on the Uber Software Engineer role on Interview Query?

Check out our discussion board, where Interview Query members talk about their experiences. You can use the search bar and filter for software engineering posts.

Are there job postings for Uber Software Engineer roles on Interview Query?

We have software engineer jobs listed at Uber, which you can apply for directly through our job portal. You can also filter by location, company, and position to see similar roles relevant to your career goals and skill set.

Succeeding in an Uber software engineer interview requires solid technical skills and the ability to demonstrate your collaborative and critical thinking talents.

If you’re considering opportunities at other tech companies, check out our Company Interview Guides. We cover a range of companies, including Google, IBM, Apple, and more.

For other data-related roles at Uber, consider exploring our guides for Business Analyst, Engineer, Scientist, and Data Analyst positions in our main Uber interview guide.

The key to your success is understanding Uber’s culture of innovation and collaboration and thoroughly preparing with both technical and behavioral questions.

Check out more of Interview Query’s content, and we hope you’ll land your dream role at Uber very soon!