1. What is an Engineering Manager?

At Airbnb, the role of an Engineering Manager (EM) is pivotal to maintaining the delicate balance between technical excellence and the company's "Belonging" mission. Unlike many organizations where EMs purely focus on people management, Airbnb expects its leaders to possess deep technical literacy while driving the culture of the team. You are not just managing resources; you are stewarding the platform that millions of hosts and guests rely on daily.

The impact of this position is high-visibility and high-stakes. You will likely lead teams responsible for critical components of the Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), such as payments, search relevance, trust and safety, or the core booking flow. Airbnb operates in a unique space where digital products manifest in physical, real-world experiences. Therefore, your engineering decisions directly affect the safety and quality of a user's trip or a host's livelihood.

This role requires a leader who can navigate ambiguity. Following the company’s shift to a more functional organization structure, Engineering Managers are expected to collaborate closely with Design and Product peers to ship cohesive features. You will be the bridge between high-level business strategy and low-level implementation details, ensuring your team builds scalable, reliable systems that embody the "Host" mentality.

2. Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparation for Airbnb is distinct because the company places equal weight on technical ability and cultural alignment. You cannot pass by simply being a great architect; you must also demonstrate that you are a "Core Values" fit. Approach your preparation holistically, focusing on how you lead people and how you design systems.

Key evaluation criteria for this role include:

Technical Architecture & System Design – Airbnb operates a massive distributed system. Interviewers evaluate your ability to design scalable, fault-tolerant systems. You must demonstrate an understanding of microservices, database choices, caching strategies, and trade-offs. You are expected to guide the technical conversation, even if you aren't writing production code daily.

People Leadership & Development – This criterion assesses how you build and maintain high-performing teams. You need to show how you handle performance management, mentorship, hiring, and conflict resolution. Airbnb values managers who are empathetic and invested in the career growth of their direct reports.

Core Values Alignment – This is the most famous part of the Airbnb loop. You will be evaluated on traits like "Be a Host," "Cereal Entrepreneur," and "Embrace the Adventure." This is not a "culture fit" check; it is a rigorous "culture add" evaluation. You must show authenticity and a genuine passion for the mission.

Cross-Functional Partnership – Often tested in the "Business Partner" round, this area evaluates how you work with Product Managers, Designers, and Data Scientists. You need to demonstrate product sense and the ability to negotiate priorities to deliver value to the user.

3. Interview Process Overview

The interview process for an Engineering Manager at Airbnb is rigorous and structured. It generally begins with a Recruiter Screen to align on your background and interest. This is followed by a Technical Screen, which may involve a deep dive into your past projects or a system design discussion, depending on the specific team's needs.

If you pass the screening stage, you will move to the Onsite Loop (currently virtual). This loop is comprehensive, typically consisting of 4 to 5 rounds. You should expect a heavy emphasis on System Design (often two rounds) and behavioral questions. A unique aspect of Airbnb's process is the "Core Values" interview, which is a standalone round conducted by interviewers from outside your immediate organization to ensure an unbiased assessment of your alignment with the company ethos.

Candidates often report that the process feels conversational but intense. The interviewers are looking for signals of "hosting"—meaning they want to see if you can communicate complex ideas clearly and make them feel comfortable, just as a host would for a guest. Expect the pace to be fast, and be ready to pivot between high-level strategy and technical details.

This timeline illustrates the typical flow from application to offer. Note the distinct separation of the "Core Values" round in the onsite stage; this is a "gatekeeper" round. If you do not pass Core Values, you will not be hired, regardless of your technical performance. Use this visual to structure your study plan, ensuring you allocate enough time to behavioral prep alongside your system design practice.

4. Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

Based on candidate experiences, the Airbnb Engineering Manager loop is broken down into specific functional areas. You must be prepared to demonstrate depth in each.

System Design & Architecture

For an EM role, you are expected to possess strong architectural skills. You will likely face 1 or 2 rounds dedicated to this. The goal is to see if you can design a system that scales to Airbnb's level of traffic while handling complexity.

Be ready to go over:

• Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) – Understanding how to break down a monolith into microservices.
• Data Modeling – Choosing the right database (SQL vs. NoSQL) for specific use cases like booking availability or messaging.
• Scalability & Reliability – Handling peak traffic, caching strategies (Redis/Memcached), and load balancing.
• Advanced concepts – Idempotency in payments, consistency models in distributed systems, and real-time data processing.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Design a system for real-time availability updates for millions of listings."
• "How would you architect the Airbnb messaging platform?"
• "Design a feed generation system for user recommendations."

Project Retrospective (Experience Deep Dive)

This round focuses on your track record. You will be asked to walk through a complex project you led. The interviewer wants to understand your personal contribution, the technical challenges you faced, and how you navigated organizational hurdles.

Be ready to go over:

• Technical challenges – Specific hard problems your team solved.
• Project management – How you handled timelines, scope creep, and stakeholder expectations.
• Outcome & Impact – Metrics that improved as a result of your work.

People Management & Leadership

This is standard for any EM role but critical at Airbnb. You will discuss your philosophy on management.

Be ready to go over:

• Team building – Hiring strategies and onboarding.
• Performance management – Handling underperformers and growing high achievers.
• Conflict resolution – Mediating disputes between engineers or between engineering and product.

The "Business Partner" Round

Recent interview reports highlight a specific "Business Partner" round. This is usually conducted by a Product Manager or Designer. The focus here is on collaboration and product thinking.

Be ready to go over:

• Prioritization – How you decide what to build when resources are limited.
• Product sense – Understanding the "why" behind a feature.
• Collaboration – Examples of how you resolved a disagreement with a PM or Designer.

The word cloud above highlights the most frequently discussed topics in Airbnb EM interviews. Notice the prominence of "System Design," "Culture," "Scalability," and "Conflict." This reinforces that while technical skills are the baseline, your ability to navigate human and cultural dynamics is equally weighted. Prioritize your preparation to ensure you have strong stories for "Conflict" and "Culture" alongside your technical study.

5. Key Responsibilities

As an Engineering Manager at Airbnb, your day-to-day work revolves around enabling your team to do their best work. You are responsible for the health and delivery of your engineering squad. This involves running effective sprints, clearing roadblocks, and ensuring that the technical debt is managed alongside new feature development.

You will collaborate heavily with cross-functional partners. Airbnb works in a matrixed environment where you will partner with Product Managers to define the roadmap and with Designers to ensure the user experience is world-class. You are the technical voice in these room, ensuring that product requirements are feasible and scalable.

Furthermore, you are a culture carrier. You will spend a significant portion of your time on recruiting—hiring is a priority for every manager. You will also conduct weekly 1:1s, write performance reviews, and create growth plans for your engineers. You are expected to foster an inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong, mirroring the product's mission.

6. Role Requirements & Qualifications

To be competitive for this role, you need a mix of hard technical skills and proven leadership experience.

• Technical Background – You should have a strong background in software engineering, ideally with experience in languages like Java, Ruby, or JavaScript (React), as these are core to Airbnb's stack. Experience with distributed systems and cloud infrastructure (AWS) is highly valued.
• Management Experience – Typically, candidates need 2+ years of direct people management experience. This means you have formally managed a team, conducted performance reviews, and handled hiring/firing decisions.
• Scale – Experience working on consumer-facing products at scale is a significant advantage. Understanding the nuances of high-traffic systems differentiates strong candidates.

Must-have skills:

• Proficiency in System Design principles.
• Experience managing teams of 5+ engineers.
• Strong cross-functional communication skills.

Nice-to-have skills:

• Experience in the travel, hospitality, or marketplace domains.
• Background in mobile development (iOS/Android) if applying for mobile-specific teams.

7. Common Interview Questions

The following questions are representative of what you might face in an Airbnb Engineering Manager interview. They are drawn from candidate data and reflect the company's focus on design, culture, and leadership. Do not memorize answers; use these to identify the types of stories you need to prepare.

System Design & Technical

• "Design a key-value store."
• "How would you design a system to prevent double-booking on Airbnb?"
• "Design a type-ahead search for Airbnb locations."
• "How would you handle a sudden spike in traffic during a Super Bowl event?"

Behavioral & Management

• "Tell me about a time you had to manage a low performer. What was the outcome?"
• "Describe a conflict you had with a product manager regarding the roadmap. How did you resolve it?"
• "How do you keep high-performing engineers motivated?"
• "Tell me about a time you had to deliver bad news to your team."

Core Values & Culture

• "Tell me about a time you went above and beyond for a customer or colleague." (Host mentality)
• "Teach me something in 5 minutes." (Curiosity)
• "Describe a time you turned a negative situation into a positive one."
• "Why Airbnb?" (Be specific about the mission).

These questions are based on real interview experiences from candidates who interviewed at this company. You can practice answering them interactively on Dataford to better prepare for your interview.

8. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the "Core Values" round really that important? Yes. It is often a veto round. Even if you ace the system design and management rounds, a "no" on Core Values will likely result in a rejection. Treat this round with the same seriousness as a technical round.

Q: Do I need to code during the interview? For Engineering Manager roles, live coding is less common than System Design, but it depends on the specific team and level. However, you must be "code literate" and able to read/debug code or discuss algorithms intelligently. You should clarify this with your recruiter.

Q: What is the "Business Partner" round looking for? This round tests your empathy and collaboration. They want to know that you won't just say "no" to product ideas, but that you will work constructively to find technical solutions that meet business goals.

Q: Does Airbnb offer remote work? Yes, Airbnb has a "Live and Work Anywhere" policy. This is a significant part of their current culture and operational model, so being comfortable managing distributed teams is a plus.

Q: How difficult is the System Design round? It is considered challenging. You are expected to drive the conversation. The interviewer will give you a vague prompt (e.g., "Design Airbnb Experiences"), and you must gather requirements, define the API, design the database schema, and discuss scaling trade-offs within 45 minutes.

9. Other General Tips

Know the Two-Sided Marketplace: Airbnb is a classic two-sided marketplace (Hosts and Guests). When answering product or design questions, always consider the implications for both sides. A feature good for guests might be bad for hosts. Showing this nuance demonstrates deep domain understanding.

Structure Your Answers: Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for all behavioral questions. Airbnb interviewers take detailed notes, and a structured answer helps them capture the data points they need to advocate for you.

Be "Mission-Obsessed": Airbnb prides itself on being a mission-driven company. Read Brian Chesky’s letters and recent company announcements. Referencing the mission of "Belonging" authentically in your answers can set you apart from candidates who treat it as just another tech job.

Prepare for the "Why": In the architecture rounds, don't just pick a technology (e.g., "I'd use Kafka"). Explain why you chose it over the alternatives. The "why" is more important than the "what."

10. Summary & Next Steps

Becoming an Engineering Manager at Airbnb is an opportunity to work at a company that has defined the sharing economy. The role demands a unique combination of high-level systems thinking, compassionate people leadership, and a genuine commitment to the company's values. The bar is high, but the work is impactful—you are building the infrastructure that allows strangers to trust one another globally.

To succeed, focus your preparation on System Design (specifically for marketplaces), People Management scenarios, and your personal narrative regarding the Core Values. Practice articulating your past experiences clearly, highlighting your specific contributions and the "why" behind your decisions.

The module above provides an estimate of the compensation package. Airbnb is known for competitive compensation, often including a significant equity component (RSUs). When evaluating the offer, consider the liquidity of the stock and the total compensation package, which is generally top-tier for the tech industry.

You have the roadmap; now it is time to execute. Approach the process with curiosity and the "Host" mentality, and you will be well-positioned to succeed. Good luck!