A Software Engineer at Lever is a central contributor to the company’s mission of building high-performance talent acquisition software. You will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining scalable systems that help organizations source, nurture, and hire top-tier talent. This role requires a balance of technical precision and product-minded thinking, as your code directly impacts the efficiency and user experience of recruiters and hiring managers globally. The work is both challenging and rewarding, often involving complex data structures, high-concurrency environments, and integrations with various enterprise systems. You will work within cross-functional teams to solve real-world problems, ranging from optimizing database queries to architecting features that improve the core platform. Success in this role requires not just coding proficiency, but a genuine interest in the lifecycle of software development and a commitment to building robust, maintainable solutions. ##### Tip Be prepared to discuss how your technical work directly impacts the end-user experience, as Lever values engineers who think beyond the code to the business outcome.
Initial Screening Call
reportedAssess your background and interest in the position.
What to demonstrate
- Assess your background and interest in the position
- Depth in Java
How to prepare
- Be able to walk your CV end to end in two minutes, and say why this company specifically.
- Have your salary expectations, notice period and location constraints ready, and ask for the rest of the loop in writing.
Technical Assessment
reportedGauge your coding proficiency through a technical evaluation.
What to demonstrate
- Gauge your coding proficiency through a technical evaluation
- Depth in Java
How to prepare
- Answer aloud and timed: What are the common challenges you face when working with database queries and performance optimization?
- Answer aloud and timed: How would you handle exception handling to ensure system stability?
Technical Rounds
reportedEngage in deeper technical interviews, including live coding and system design discussions.
What to demonstrate
- Engage in deeper technical interviews
- Including live coding and system design discussions
How to prepare
- Answer aloud and timed: Describe your experience with Java collections and their performance characteristics.
- Answer aloud and timed: Implement a Stack data structure from scratch.
Behavioral Rounds
reportedMeet with various team members and leadership to discuss behavioral fit.
What to demonstrate
- Meet with various team members and leadership to discuss behavioral fit
- Depth in Java
How to prepare
- Prepare three examples from your own work, each with a decision you made and an outcome you can quantify.
- Re-read the description of the behavioral rounds above and write down what you would ask to confirm before it.
PracHub editorial advice for the preparation topics above.
Structure your answers
Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions to keep your responses concise and impactful.
Be honest about your skills
If you don't know an answer, it is better to explain how you would find the solution rather than guessing.
Prepare questions for the interviewer
Use the end of your interviews to ask thoughtful questions about the team culture, the biggest technical challenges, or the roadmap.
Practice your coding
Use a whiteboard or a simple text editor to practice writing clean, bug-free code for common data structure problems.
Choose a category, try a prompt, then open its approach, worked solution or follow-up when you need it.
How do you manage multi-threading and concurrency in a production environment?
How do you manage multi-threading and concurrency in a production environment?
Approach
- Say what the runtime actually does before reasoning about the code.
- Name what is shared across threads and what owns each piece of state.
- Identify the window where an invariant is briefly untrue.
- Distinguish a value from a reference to it, and say which one you handed out.
Follow-up
- What happens if two callers reach this at the same time?
- Where could this allocate more than you expect?
Implement a Stack data structure from scratch.
Implement a Stack data structure from scratch.
Approach
- Restate the input: its shape, its size, and what is guaranteed about it.
- Name the brute-force solution and its complexity before improving on it.
- Choose the data structure from the access pattern, not from familiarity.
- State the target complexity and say which constraint rules the naive version out.
Follow-up
- How does this change if the input no longer fits in memory?
- What is the worst case, and how likely is it on real data?
Write an algorithm to reverse a string.
Write an algorithm to reverse a string.
Approach
- Restate the input: its shape, its size, and what is guaranteed about it.
- Name the brute-force solution and its complexity before improving on it.
- Choose the data structure from the access pattern, not from familiarity.
- State the target complexity and say which constraint rules the naive version out.
Follow-up
- How does this change if the input no longer fits in memory?
- What is the worst case, and how likely is it on real data?
Solve a problem involving prime numbers or pattern matching.
Solve a problem involving prime numbers or pattern matching.
Approach
- Restate the input: its shape, its size, and what is guaranteed about it.
- Name the brute-force solution and its complexity before improving on it.
- Choose the data structure from the access pattern, not from familiarity.
- State the target complexity and say which constraint rules the naive version out.
Follow-up
- How does this change if the input no longer fits in memory?
- What is the worst case, and how likely is it on real data?
Explain the logic behind your solution to a specific algorithmic challenge.
Explain the logic behind your solution to a specific algorithmic challenge.
Approach
- Restate the input: its shape, its size, and what is guaranteed about it.
- Name the brute-force solution and its complexity before improving on it.
- Choose the data structure from the access pattern, not from familiarity.
- State the target complexity and say which constraint rules the naive version out.
Follow-up
- How does this change if the input no longer fits in memory?
- What is the worst case, and how likely is it on real data?
Explain why the owner filter ignores the listing index
The only index on resource is (tenant_id, status, updated_at DESC, resource_id DESC). A new endpoint returns one user's resources across all statuses, newest created first: WHERE tenant_id = $1 AND owner_user_id = $2 ORDER BY created_at DESC LIMIT 20. On a tenant with 2M rows it takes 900 ms and EXPLAIN shows a sort above a large scan. Explain precisely why the existing index cannot serve it, give the index that can, and state which of these the new index still will not help: owner_user_id alone across tenants; the same query ordered by updated_at. PostgreSQL 16.
Approach
- Separate the two jobs an index does. For filtering, a composite btree is seekable only on a left prefix, so with no predicate on status the scan can at best range over tenant_id and test owner_user_id per row; PostgreSQL 16 has no btree skip scan to jump the unconstrained column.
- For ordering, the index is sorted by (status, updated_at) within a tenant and not by created_at, so the LIMIT cannot stop early: every matching row is read and then sorted. That is the 'Sort Method: top-N heapsort' line, and it is why the plan reads 2M rows to answer with 20.
- Derive the replacement from the access path — equality, equality, then the ordering column: CREATE INDEX CONCURRENTLY ON resource (tenant_id, owner_user_id, created_at DESC). The scan seeks to the (tenant, owner) range and walks 20 entries in order, so the Sort node disappears along with the row-read.
- Treat INCLUDE (title, status) as conditional, not free. An index-only scan still visits the heap for any row whose page is not marked all-visible, so on a table taking 1.2k writes/second the win depends on autovacuum keeping the visibility map current, and the wider index costs more on every insert.
Follow-up
- 90% of rows are status='active'. Would a partial index WHERE status = 'active' change your answer, and for which of the three queries?
- A dashboard runs this for 40 owners in one page load. What changes about the design?
Replace offset paging on the resource feed with keyset
resource holds resource_id, tenant_id, owner_user_id, title, body_ref, version, status ('draft','active','archived','deleted'), created_at, updated_at, deleted_at, with an index on (tenant_id, status, updated_at DESC, resource_id DESC). The listing endpoint returns active resources for one tenant, newest update first, 50 per page, today with LIMIT 50 OFFSET n. Tenants reach page 400 and rows are created while they read. Write the keyset query, define what the cursor carries and how it is encoded, and say which part of the index each predicate uses. Assume PostgreSQL 16.
Approach
- Name the two failures separately. OFFSET 20000 makes the server produce and discard 20,000 rows, so page cost grows with depth rather than with page size. Independently, any write that changes how many rows sort above the offset moves the window between two fetches, and the direction decides which anomaly you get: an insert lands at the head of updated_at DESC and pushes already-returned rows down past the boundary, so they are returned a second time; a delete above the offset, or a row whose updated_at is bumped above the cursor, pulls rows up and one is never returned at all. Nothing in the response reveals either.
- Write the seek: WHERE tenant_id = $1 AND status = 'active' AND (updated_at, resource_id) < ($2, $3) ORDER BY updated_at DESC, resource_id DESC LIMIT 50. The row-value comparison is one index range rather than a disjunction, and both columns are NOT NULL, which is what makes that comparison well defined.
- Map each predicate onto the index: tenant_id and status are equality on the leading columns, (updated_at, resource_id) is the range, and the ORDER BY matches the index order so no Sort node appears and the scan stops after 50 rows. The DESC in the definition only matters for mixed directions — a plain ascending btree on the same columns is read backwards for this query.
- Put both sort columns in the cursor and nothing the client can tamper with into another tenant: base64 of (updated_at, resource_id), validated server-side, with tenant_id taken from the principal.
Follow-up
- The client asks for 'jump to page 400'. What do you offer instead, and what does the honest version cost?
- Sort order becomes user-selectable across four columns. How many indexes is that, and which would you refuse to add?
Can you explain the difference between an interface and an abstract class?
Can you explain the difference between an interface and an abstract class?
Approach
- Clarify what is being asked and what a complete answer contains.
- State your assumptions explicitly before working the problem.
- Say what you would check first and why it is the highest-information step.
- Work from the requirement backwards to the design.
Follow-up
- What assumption would you test first?
- How would you know your answer was wrong?
What are the common challenges you face when working with database queries and performance optimization?
What are the common challenges you face when working with database queries and performance optimization?
Approach
- Clarify what is being asked and what a complete answer contains.
- State your assumptions explicitly before working the problem.
- Say what you would check first and why it is the highest-information step.
- Work from the requirement backwards to the design.
Follow-up
- What assumption would you test first?
- How would you know your answer was wrong?
How would you handle exception handling to ensure system stability?
How would you handle exception handling to ensure system stability?
Approach
- Clarify what is being asked and what a complete answer contains.
- State your assumptions explicitly before working the problem.
- Say what you would check first and why it is the highest-information step.
- Work from the requirement backwards to the design.
Follow-up
- What assumption would you test first?
- How would you know your answer was wrong?
How do you approach debugging a complex issue in a distributed system?
How do you approach debugging a complex issue in a distributed system?
Approach
- Establish what changed and when, before forming any theory.
- Pick a bisection that eliminates candidates whichever way it turns out.
- Check the instrumentation before believing the symptom.
- Separate the trigger from the cause; the deploy is rarely the bug.
Follow-up
- What would you look at first, and what would it rule out?
- How would you tell a cause from a coincidence here?
Built from the rounds and topics Lever candidates report.
Prepare, practise & reflect
One practical outcome each day. Spend longer where you need it.
0 / 7 done01Map the Lever loop
- Write out the reported sequence: Initial Screening Call, Technical Assessment, Technical Rounds, Behavioral Rounds.
- For each round, write one sentence on what it is judging, from the description above, and mark the one you are least ready for.
Deliverable: A one-page map of the 4 reported rounds, with the weakest marked.
02Work Java
- Spend the session on Java, which Lever candidates report being tested on.
- Write one worked example in Java and time yourself on it.
Deliverable: One timed worked example in Java.
03Work Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
- Spend the session on Object-Oriented Programming (OOP), which Lever candidates report being tested on.
- Write one worked example in Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) and time yourself on it.
Deliverable: One timed worked example in Object-Oriented Programming (OOP).
04Work Multithreading / Concurrency
- Spend the session on Multithreading / Concurrency, which Lever candidates report being tested on.
- Write one worked example in Multithreading / Concurrency and time yourself on it.
Deliverable: One timed worked example in Multithreading / Concurrency.
05Answer out loud: Technical and Domain Knowledge
- Answer aloud, timed: Can you explain the difference between an interface and an abstract class?
- Answer aloud, timed: How do you manage multi-threading and concurrency in a production environment?
Deliverable: Spoken answers to 2 reported Technical and Domain Knowledge question(s), under time.
06Answer out loud: Problem-Solving and Coding
- Answer aloud, timed: Implement a Stack data structure from scratch.
- Answer aloud, timed: Write an algorithm to reverse a string.
Deliverable: Spoken answers to 2 reported Problem-Solving and Coding question(s), under time.
07Answer out loud: Behavioral and Leadership
- Answer aloud, timed: Tell me about a time you had to explain a complex technical concept to a non-technical stakeholder.
- Answer aloud, timed: How do you handle feedback during a code review?
Deliverable: Spoken answers to 2 reported Behavioral and Leadership question(s), under time.
Expand any day for tasks and deliverables. Your progress is saved on this device.
Behavioural rounds judge the decision you made and what it cost.
Describe your experience with Java collections and their performance characteristics.
Describe your experience with Java collections and their performance characteristics.
Approach
- Pick a story where you made the decision, not one where you watched it.
- State the situation in two sentences and spend the rest on the reasoning.
- Give the blast radius: what could have broken, and what you measured.
- Name the disagreement and how you resolved it with evidence.
Follow-up
- What would you do differently if you ran that again?
- How did you know your change caused the improvement?
Tell me about a time you had to explain a complex technical concept to a non-technical stakeholder.
Tell me about a time you had to explain a complex technical concept to a non-technical stakeholder.
Approach
- Pick a story where you made the decision, not one where you watched it.
- State the situation in two sentences and spend the rest on the reasoning.
- Give the blast radius: what could have broken, and what you measured.
- Name the disagreement and how you resolved it with evidence.
Follow-up
- What would you do differently if you ran that again?
- How did you know your change caused the improvement?
How do you handle feedback during a code review?
How do you handle feedback during a code review?
Approach
- Pick a story where you made the decision, not one where you watched it.
- State the situation in two sentences and spend the rest on the reasoning.
- Give the blast radius: what could have broken, and what you measured.
- Name the disagreement and how you resolved it with evidence.
Follow-up
- What would you do differently if you ran that again?
- How did you know your change caused the improvement?
Describe a situation where you had to prioritize tasks under a tight deadline.
Describe a situation where you had to prioritize tasks under a tight deadline.
Approach
- Pick a story where you made the decision, not one where you watched it.
- State the situation in two sentences and spend the rest on the reasoning.
- Give the blast radius: what could have broken, and what you measured.
- Name the disagreement and how you resolved it with evidence.
Follow-up
- What would you do differently if you ran that again?
- How did you know your change caused the improvement?
What do you know about Lever and how does your experience align with our mission?
What do you know about Lever and how does your experience align with our mission?
Approach
- Pick a story where you made the decision, not one where you watched it.
- State the situation in two sentences and spend the rest on the reasoning.
- Give the blast radius: what could have broken, and what you measured.
- Name the disagreement and how you resolved it with evidence.
Follow-up
- What would you do differently if you ran that again?
- How did you know your change caused the improvement?
How do you handle conflict within a team setting?
How do you handle conflict within a team setting?
Approach
- Pick a story where you made the decision, not one where you watched it.
- State the situation in two sentences and spend the rest on the reasoning.
- Give the blast radius: what could have broken, and what you measured.
- Name the disagreement and how you resolved it with evidence.
Follow-up
- What would you do differently if you ran that again?
- How did you know your change caused the improvement?
- 01
Describe your experience with Java collections and their performance characteristics.
- 02
Tell me about a time you had to explain a complex technical concept to a non-technical stakeholder.
- 03
How do you handle feedback during a code review?
- 04
Describe a situation where you had to prioritize tasks under a tight deadline.
How long does the interview process typically take?
The timeline can vary significantly, ranging from a few weeks to over a month. It is best to stay engaged and maintain momentum throughout the process.
Lever Software Engineer candidate reports ↗How difficult are the technical assessments?
The technical rounds are generally considered to be of average difficulty, focusing on fundamental concepts. Preparation should emphasize clarity of thought and clean, efficient coding practices.
Lever Software Engineer candidate reports ↗Is there a specific focus on behavioral questions?
Yes, behavioral questions are a critical part of the process. They allow the team to assess how you work within a team and how you handle professional challenges.
Lever Software Engineer candidate reports ↗What can I do to stand out?
Beyond technical skills, demonstrate a deep understanding of our product and a genuine passion for the problems we are solving. Being communicative and proactive during interviews will set you apart.
Lever Software Engineer candidate reports ↗What topics does Lever test in interviews?
Lever interviews most often cover Java, Project Management (General), Marketing Analytics, Quality Assurance (QA) Engineering, and Stakeholder Communication. The exact emphasis depends on the specific role you apply for.
Lever Software Engineer candidate reports ↗Sources & methodology 3 sources ↗
No official company page is cited. Rounds and questions come from candidate reports and PracHub editorial material; each source shows the date it was read.
- 01Lever Software Engineer candidate reports ↗
Company-reported rounds, questions and FAQ.
Candidate reports · Accessed 2026-09-22 - 02PracHub Software Engineer practice ↗
PracHub practice material, not company-reported.
PracHub page · Accessed 2026-09-22 - 03PracHub preparation framework ↗
PracHub preparation guidance.
PracHub page · Accessed 2026-09-22
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