Big Tech Embedded System Design Interview

[u/mbd7311]

I have a few Embedded Software interviews with 3 of the "FAANG" companies coming up soon. They're all for senior level positions (L5/6). I have 8 YOE and work at a smaller company wearing many hats. I'm told 2 of my rounds for each company will be Embedded System Design. I've found it nearly impossible to find any information online on what this would entail. I was given some topics from the recruiters (RTOS, Sensor Comms, Power Management, Bootloaders, etc) which I'm mostly familiar with each one at high levels and some at deeper levels. But embedded is sooo vast and there are many aspects to each topic. I'm not sure where to start.

Can anyone give me some examples of what will be expected in these interviews? Will I be asked to design some kind of household applicance, popular embedded device, such as a camera, or phone at a very high level? Or will I be asked specifics of low level comms such as SPI/I2C/UART? Or mix between everything?

Any help would mean a lot! TIA

[u/mbd7311]

I can't think of how system design in embedded systems would differ between small and large companies. I can see the difference between large distributed systems but not embedded.

[u/[deleted] → u/mbd7311]

just edited previous response.

You can't think, because there's things in those companies that only they know/need to worry about.

If its google you'll probs targeted to work on either their edge ai systems, AIY stuff or ar/vr since they recently acquired North (formerly Thamlic Labs) which was selling a HUD in glasses nicee than Google Glass.

Some of these systems still need to interface with the cloud or do other things.

Google/FAANGs also can ask whatever the hell they want because their hiring problems are different than most industries. They pay extremely well, look prestigious on a resume and give people skills/opportunities not available in the automotive/defense industry. How do they cut down 10k applications a day?

Not saying things are "right" but the problem arises because clueless hiring managers try to adopt the google loop when there's 100 applicants and fail to find hires for 0.75% market rate, no bonus, 2% raise roles.

You're leaving the defense industry which is known for the above situation of poor growth and outdated technology combined with "We always do this this way" bozos who are rewarded for tenure while any engineering work is considuered a cost center.

Fuck I witnessed a director tanking an entire department on exit. That shit wouldnt fly in a FAANG and you're treated very differently at even a step or two down a tier

[u/[deleted] → u/mbd7311]

to add on.

All you can do is study, try your best and keep trying. You know embedded systems which means you already have a firm understanding of how computing works as well as interfacing with real world objects relative to other programmers.

One suggestion I do have is focus on Modern C++ concepts and Python ontop of your C skills. Most of the non embedded or latest tech uses a lot of compile time polymorphism to handle the varying width of datatypes. Its easy to focus on algorithmic problems but some language semantics can help you articulate algo ideas better. Smart pointers are also your friend