The role of a Software Engineer at the University of Notre Dame is pivotal in driving innovative solutions that enhance both academic and administrative functions. As a Software Engineer, you will contribute to a variety of projects that impact students, faculty, and staff, ensuring that technology supports the university's mission of education and research. Your work will involve developing software applications, improving system functionality, and collaborating closely with cross-functional teams to address complex challenges. This position is not only about writing code; it is about being an integral part of a community that values collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement. You will engage with various stakeholders, from faculty members seeking to leverage technology in their research to administrative teams aiming to streamline operations. The complexity of the university's needs provides a stimulating environment where you can apply your technical skills to create meaningful solutions that resonate throughout the campus. Candidates can expect an inspiring yet challenging role that encourages growth and learning. The dynamic nature of the university's projects means you will encounter diverse problem spaces, making this position both critical and interesting. Whether you are working on user-facing applications or backend systems, your contributions will significantly impact the university’s technological landscape.
Initial Conversations
reportedEngage in discussions with hiring managers and team members about your past experiences related to the role.
What to demonstrate
- Engage in discussions with hiring managers and team members about your past experiences related to the role
- Depth in Linked Lists
How to prepare
- Answer aloud and timed: Explain the differences between procedural and object-oriented programming.
- Answer aloud and timed: What is a linked list, and how does it differ from an array?
Technical Evaluations
reportedParticipate in coding challenges or problem-solving exercises to assess practical skills in real-world scenarios.
What to demonstrate
- Participate in coding challenges or problem-solving exercises to assess practical skills in real-world scenarios
- Depth in Linked Lists
How to prepare
- Answer aloud and timed: Describe how you would optimize a database query.
- Answer aloud and timed: Discuss the importance of version control in software development.
Final Round
reportedMeet with key stakeholders from the team to further evaluate fit and alignment with the university's mission.
What to demonstrate
- Meet with key stakeholders from the team to further evaluate fit and alignment with the university's mission
- Depth in Linked Lists
How to prepare
- Answer aloud and timed: How do you ensure your code is maintainable and scalable?
- Answer aloud and timed: Describe a time when you faced a conflict in a team setting. How did you handle it?
PracHub editorial advice for the preparation topics above.
Research the University
Familiarize yourself with the university's mission, values, and recent initiatives. This knowledge will help you articulate why you want to work there and how you align with their goals.
Practice Behavioral Questions
Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to structure your responses to behavioral questions, ensuring you provide clear and concise examples.
Engage in Mock Interviews
Conduct mock interviews with peers or mentors to build confidence and receive feedback on your responses and presentation.
Stay Current with Technology Trends
Being aware of the latest developments in software engineering can enhance your discussions during technical interviews and demonstrate your commitment to continuous learning.
Choose a category, try a prompt, then open its approach, worked solution or follow-up when you need it.
What is a linked list, and how does it differ from an array?
What is a linked list, and how does it differ from an array?
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 a function to reverse a linked list.
Write a function to reverse a linked list.
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?
How would you implement a binary search algorithm?
How would you implement a binary search algorithm?
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?
Describe the time and space complexity of different sorting algorithms.
Describe the time and space complexity of different sorting algorithms.
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?
Provide a solution to find the longest substring without repeating characters.
Provide a solution to find the longest substring without repeating characters.
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 how you would approach solving a coding challenge in an interview setting.
Explain how you would approach solving a coding challenge in an interview setting.
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?
Describe how you would optimize a database query.
Describe how you would optimize a database query.
Approach
- Name the grain you start from and join outward from it.
- Check whether any join is one-to-many before aggregating, or the sums inflate.
- Say which index the query would use, and what makes it unusable.
- Handle the rows that do not match: that is usually the actual question.
Follow-up
- How does the query change if that join becomes one-to-many?
- What happens to this when the table is ten times larger?
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?
Explain the differences between procedural and object-oriented programming.
Explain the differences between procedural and object-oriented programming.
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?
Discuss the importance of version control in software development.
Discuss the importance of version control in software development.
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 ensure your code is maintainable and scalable?
How do you ensure your code is maintainable and scalable?
Approach
- Fix the scope first: who calls this, how often, and what they do when it fails.
- Name the read and write paths separately; they rarely have the same bottleneck.
- Choose a partition key and say what query it makes expensive.
- State the consistency you need, and where you are willing to be stale.
Follow-up
- What breaks first when traffic grows ten times?
- How does this behave when that dependency is down for an hour?
Given a hypothetical project with tight deadlines, how would you allocate resources effectively?
Given a hypothetical project with tight deadlines, how would you allocate resources effectively?
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?
If you were tasked with redesigning a legacy system, what factors would you consider?
If you were tasked with redesigning a legacy system, what factors would you consider?
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?
Explain how you would evaluate the success of a software deployment.
Explain how you would evaluate the success of a software deployment.
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?
Discuss a time you had to pivot your approach based on user feedback.
Discuss a time you had to pivot your approach based on user feedback.
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?
Describe how you would approach debugging a complex software issue.
Describe how you would approach debugging a complex software issue.
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 University of Notre Dame candidates report.
Prepare, practise & reflect
One practical outcome each day. Spend longer where you need it.
0 / 7 done01Map the University of Notre Dame loop
- Write out the reported sequence: Initial Conversations, Technical Evaluations, Final Round.
- 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 3 reported rounds, with the weakest marked.
02Work Linked Lists
- Spend the session on Linked Lists, which University of Notre Dame candidates report being tested on.
- Write one worked example in Linked Lists and time yourself on it.
Deliverable: One timed worked example in Linked Lists.
03Work Data Structures
- Spend the session on Data Structures, which University of Notre Dame candidates report being tested on.
- Write one worked example in Data Structures and time yourself on it.
Deliverable: One timed worked example in Data Structures.
04Work Linked List Operations (Add/Delete)
- Spend the session on Linked List Operations (Add/Delete), which University of Notre Dame candidates report being tested on.
- Write one worked example in Linked List Operations (Add/Delete) and time yourself on it.
Deliverable: One timed worked example in Linked List Operations (Add/Delete).
05Answer out loud: Technical / Domain Questions
- Answer aloud, timed: Explain the differences between procedural and object-oriented programming.
- Answer aloud, timed: What is a linked list, and how does it differ from an array?
Deliverable: Spoken answers to 2 reported Technical / Domain Questions question(s), under time.
06Answer out loud: Behavioral / Leadership
- Answer aloud, timed: Describe a time when you faced a conflict in a team setting. How did you handle it?
- Answer aloud, timed: What is your approach to receiving and giving constructive feedback?
Deliverable: Spoken answers to 2 reported Behavioral / Leadership question(s), under time.
07Answer out loud: Problem-Solving / Case Studies
- Answer aloud, timed: Describe how you would approach debugging a complex software issue.
- Answer aloud, timed: Given a hypothetical project with tight deadlines, how would you allocate resources effectively?
Deliverable: Spoken answers to 2 reported Problem-Solving / Case Studies 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 a time when you faced a conflict in a team setting. How did you handle it?
Describe a time when you faced a conflict in a team setting. How did you handle it?
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 is your approach to receiving and giving constructive feedback?
What is your approach to receiving and giving constructive feedback?
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?
Share an example of a project where you took a leadership role. What was the outcome?
Share an example of a project where you took a leadership role. What was the outcome?
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 prioritize tasks when you have multiple deadlines?
How do you prioritize tasks when you have multiple deadlines?
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?
Explain a situation where you had to advocate for a technical solution.
Explain a situation where you had to advocate for a technical solution.
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 a time when you faced a conflict in a team setting. How did you handle it?
- 02
What is your approach to receiving and giving constructive feedback?
- 03
Share an example of a project where you took a leadership role. What was the outcome?
- 04
How do you prioritize tasks when you have multiple deadlines?
What is the typical interview difficulty for this position?
The interview difficulty for a Software Engineer at the University of Notre Dame is generally considered moderate to difficult. Candidates often report a mix of technical and behavioral questions that require thoughtful responses and problem-solving capabilities.
University of Notre Dame Software Engineer candidate reports ↗How much preparation time is typical?
Candidates typically spend several weeks preparing, focusing on technical skills, behavioral questions, and understanding the university's mission and values.
University of Notre Dame Software Engineer candidate reports ↗What differentiates successful candidates?
Successful candidates demonstrate a blend of strong technical skills, effective problem-solving abilities, and a genuine alignment with the university's values of community and collaboration.
University of Notre Dame Software Engineer candidate reports ↗What is the typical timeline from initial screen to offer?
The timeline can vary, but candidates often experience a process that takes 4-6 weeks from the initial screening to receiving an offer, depending on the team's availability and scheduling.
University of Notre Dame Software Engineer candidate reports ↗What is the culture and working style at the University of Notre Dame?
The culture is collaborative and community-oriented, with a strong emphasis on teamwork, innovation, and shared values. Expect a supportive environment that encourages growth and learning.
University of Notre Dame Software Engineer candidate reports ↗What topics does University of Notre Dame test in interviews?
University of Notre Dame interviews most often cover Stakeholder Management, Communication, Requirements Gathering, Financial Analysis, and UX/UI Design. The exact emphasis depends on the specific role you apply for.
University of Notre Dame 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.
- 01University of Notre Dame 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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