What it tests

Whether the candidate can write correct, pragmatic code in a domain-specific context — and whether their problem-solving instincts translate to high-stakes, operationally constrained environments.

Format

1Candidate solves a medium-difficulty coding problem framed in the company's operational domain (e.g., 'Route autonomous vehicles across a grid with sensor failure zones' instead of a generic graph traversal)
2Interviewer evaluates correctness, edge case handling, and the candidate's reasoning narrated aloud during the problem
3Second segment (15 min): structured behavioral conversation — how the candidate has handled operational failure, ambiguity, or physical-world constraints in past work
4Final question: 'Walk me through what you'd do if deployed to a customer site and their infrastructure went down with no remote support available'

What to look for

Code correctness under realistic operational constraints, not just clean-room algorithm design
Narrated reasoning — can they explain their approach clearly enough that a non-engineer on a customer team could follow the logic?
Operational judgment — do they show comfort with high-stakes, low-support environments in behavioral answers?
Mission alignment — genuine motivation for the domain, not just enthusiasm for coding

Adaptation guide

Reframe the coding problem in your product's domain. If you sell IoT infrastructure, make the problem about sensor networks. If you sell logistics tools, make it about routing under constraints. The behavioral segment should probe for comfort with ambiguous, high-stakes situations specific to your customer environment.

Full description

Format:

Medium-difficulty coding problem framed in your company's operational domain — not a generic algorithm puzzle
Candidate narrates reasoning aloud; interviewer evaluates correctness and operational instincts together
15-minute structured behavioral segment: how they've handled failure, ambiguity, or high-stakes constraints in past work
Closing scenario: 'What do you do if you're deployed at a customer site and their infrastructure fails with no remote support?'

Time: 60 minutes

What to look for:

Code correctness under realistic domain constraints, not just textbook solutions
Narrated reasoning clear enough for a non-engineer to follow
Operational judgment — comfort with high-stakes, low-support environments
Mission alignment — genuine motivation for the domain, not just coding enthusiasm

Adaptation: Reframe the coding problem in your product's actual domain. The behavioral segment should probe for situations your customers' environments actually create — whether that's defense, manufacturing, logistics, or healthcare.