Locus

Role: SDE 2

College: Not Specified

Interview Date: October 29, 2025

Interview Type: Full-Time

Result: Selected

Difficulty: Not Specified (Overall smooth and professional)

Rounds: 4 rounds

Topics Asked: Data Structures, Algorithms, Low-Level Design, System Design, Behavioral, Projects

Experience:

This candidate, with 3+ years of experience, was contacted by a recruiter and the process started quickly.

Round 1 – Online Assessment: This round had two questions.
- **DSA + LLD Hybrid Question:** The candidate was asked to design a Bank System with different functionalities. The problem was structured in four stages, where passing test cases of one stage unlocked the next. This tested both coding ability and design thinking.
- **System Design Case Study:** A detailed design statement was provided, followed by 16 multiple-choice questions based on it. This assessed understanding of scalability, consistency, database choice, and API design concepts.
The candidate cleared this round and received a call from HR the next day.

Round 2 – HR / Culture Fit (30 mins): This round focused on behavioral aspects and cultural alignment. Topics included motivations for joining Locus, current role challenges, and expectations.

Round 3 – System Design (1 hr 30 mins): Conducted with a Senior Engineering Manager, the core problem was to design a Flash Sale System, similar to Flipkart's Big Billion Days. Discussion points included rate limiting, cache usage, handling inventory consistency, queue-based order processing, scaling under heavy load, and database choices.

Round 4 – Discussion with VP of Engineering (45 mins): This round involved a deep discussion about the candidate's past projects and one side project. The VP of Engineering was reportedly building something similar, leading to an engaging technical discussion.

All rounds were completed in a single day, and the candidate received an offer the same evening. The overall experience was described as smooth, fast-paced, and very professional, highlighting Locus's well-structured process for testing technical depth and system design understanding.