Round Structure

In this segment, we’re introduced to one of the most critical and career-defining parts of the ML interview process: system design. Especially at senior and staff levels, this round reveals our ability to lead and think holistically.

• System design interviews evaluate both breadth and depth—we’re expected to understand the full ML pipeline from data ingestion to deployment and monitoring.
• This round is less about solving isolated problems and more about architecting end-to-end solutions that operate under real-world constraints.
• We must demonstrate our ability to make trade-offs involving scalability, latency, noisy data, evolving product requirements, and long-term maintenance.
• Strong performance here often distinguishes mid-level candidates from senior or leadership-level hires.
• Ultimately, it’s our chance to show that we can design ML systems that work, scale, and deliver value in production—not just in theory.

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