Technical practice
Suggested practice question: How would you design a microservice that exposes telemetry data through a RESTful API?
What to coverThe posting describes microservices that work with APIs and telemetry data. As preparation, explain the API contract, data flow, validation and failure handling, including how you would test the service.
Suggested practice question: How would you choose an ML or AI approach for a large dataset containing structured and unstructured data?
What to coverThe role calls for applying suitable algorithms to large datasets of both kinds. As preparation, discuss data quality, a baseline, evaluation measures and the trade-off between model performance and operational complexity.
Suggested practice question: How would you choose between SQL and NoSQL storage for a service?
What to coverThe posting names SQL and NoSQL stores, including Elasticsearch, MongoDB and Cassandra. As preparation, compare access patterns, consistency, scaling and search needs rather than assuming one store fits every dataset.
Suggested practice question: How would you prototype a module that must work across multi-vendor infrastructure?
What to coverThe role supports detailed module design and multi-vendor prototyping. As preparation, describe how you would define interfaces, isolate vendor-specific behaviour and demonstrate that the prototype meets its intended use.
Suggested practice question: How would you integrate third-party software into an existing service?
What to coverThe posting calls for integration through coding and automation. As preparation, cover interface compatibility, error handling, automated checks and how you would investigate an integration failure.
Suggested practice question: How would you debug a failure in a large-scale distributed system?
What to coverThe role includes helping build and debug distributed systems and working with telemetry. As preparation, explain how you would narrow the fault across components, use available diagnostic data and verify a fix without assuming the first symptom is the root cause.
Suggested practice question: How would you test a new software component before deployment?
What to coverThe posting mentions writing and testing code, automated testing, test-driven development and lifecycle tools such as mocking. As preparation, distinguish focused component tests from integration tests and explain how test results would inform a release decision.
Suggested practice question: What would you check when deploying a containerised service through CI/CD?
What to coverThe role calls for developing knowledge of containers, CI/CD and cloud deployments. As preparation, discuss build and test checks, configuration, deployment verification and how you would respond if the deployed component failed.
Suggested practice question: How would you approach refactoring code that other developers maintain?
What to coverThe posting includes refactoring and reviewing others’ code, alongside software design and data-structure knowledge. As preparation, explain how you would identify the design issue, preserve behaviour with tests and weigh clarity against the risk of a larger change.
Suggested practice question: What documentation would you update after changing a service?
What to coverThe role includes maintaining technical, end-user and operational documentation. As preparation, distinguish what each audience needs and explain how you would keep instructions aligned with the tested behaviour.
Behavioural practice
Suggested practice question: Tell me about a time you coordinated delivery with a geographically distributed team.
What to coverThe posting calls for work with distributed teams and multiple stakeholders across pilot and production phases. Use a real situation, your coordination actions and the result; make clear how you handled differing expectations or handoffs.
Suggested practice question: Tell me about a time you demonstrated a technical prototype to others.
What to coverThe role includes showcasing multi-vendor prototypes internally or to clients. Use a real example to explain the audience’s needs, what you chose to demonstrate and what resulted from their feedback.
Suggested practice question: Tell me about a time you took initiative when a development task was unclear.
What to coverThe posting values initiative and describes receiving instructions from various stakeholders. Describe the situation, how you clarified the goal and acted within your responsibility, and the resulting progress.
Suggested practice question: Tell me about a time you found a consequential defect under time pressure.
What to coverThe role calls for debugging, attention to detail and working in a fast-paced environment. Give the situation, how you investigated and communicated the issue, and the outcome without overstating your individual contribution.
Suggested practice question: Tell me about a time a code review or product-team discussion changed your approach.
What to coverThe posting includes reviewing code and collaborating with the product team. Use a real situation to show how you handled differing views, what action you took and how it affected the delivered component.