1. What is a Software Engineer at Atrium Health?
At Atrium Health (now part of Advocate Health), a Software Engineer—often titled internally as a Solutions Developer or Data Engineer—plays a pivotal role in transforming complex healthcare data into actionable insights that improve patient outcomes. You are not just writing code; you are building the digital nervous system that supports clinical operations, revenue cycles, and enterprise reporting.
In this role, you will analyze, develop, and enhance operational data platforms to meet complex business needs. You will work within the Enterprise Corporate and Operational Reporting departments, often focusing on the Epic EHR ecosystem (Electronic Health Record). Your work directly impacts how doctors, nurses, and administrators access critical information. Whether you are building ETL pipelines in Azure/Fabric, designing data models in Snowflake, or creating visualizations in PowerBI, your technical contributions enable the organization to deliver the best care for all.
This position combines deep technical rigor with a mission-driven purpose. You will collaborate with operational leaders to translate vague business requirements into robust, validated data solutions. As part of the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, your work operates at a massive scale, touching the lives of nearly 6 million patients across the Southeast and Midwest.
2. Common Interview Questions
See every interview question for this role
Sign up free to access the full question bank for this company and role.
Sign up freeAlready have an account? Sign inPractice questions from our question bank
Curated questions for Atrium Health from real interviews. Click any question to practice and review the answer.
Sign up to see all questions
Create a free account to access every interview question for this role.
Sign up freeAlready have an account? Sign in3. Getting Ready for Your Interviews
Preparing for an interview at Atrium Health requires a shift in mindset from pure coding challenges to applied problem-solving within a regulated healthcare environment. The team looks for candidates who can bridge the gap between technical data engineering and clinical reality.
Your evaluation will focus on the following key criteria:
Technical Proficiency & Data Fluency You must demonstrate strong capabilities in SQL, data modeling, and ETL/ELT processes. Interviewers will evaluate your ability to manipulate data from raw sources (like an EHR) into usable solutions using tools like SSIS, Azure Data Factory, or Informatica. Proficiency in scripting languages (Python/Java) and cloud platforms (Snowflake/Azure) is highly valued.
Healthcare Domain Knowledge Unlike general tech companies, Atrium Health values context. Understanding the Epic ecosystem (Cogito, Clarity, Caboodle) or general healthcare workflows (Revenue Cycle, ERP) is a significant differentiator. You will be evaluated on your ability to understand "why" the data matters, not just "how" to move it.
Communication & stakeholder Management You will frequently interface with non-technical stakeholders. Interviewers will assess your ability to translate business requirements into technical specifications and your skill in documenting your work clearly. They want to see that you can manage expectations and lead projects with minimal oversight.
Mission Alignment & Adaptability Healthcare is a dynamic, fast-changing environment. You will be evaluated on your ability to manage change, learn new tools (such as proprietary Epic modules), and mentor junior teammates. A commitment to customer service and patient privacy is non-negotiable.
4. Interview Process Overview
The interview process at Atrium Health is thorough and structured, designed to assess both your technical aptitude and your cultural fit within a large healthcare enterprise. Generally, the process moves at a steady pace, reflecting the organization's emphasis on finding long-term fits rather than rapid-fire hiring.
Expect an initial screening with a recruiter to discuss your background, salary expectations, and interest in healthcare technology. If you pass this stage, you will move to a hiring manager interview, which focuses on your resume deep-dive and behavioral questions. The core of the process usually involves a technical panel or a series of interviews with senior developers and team leads. These sessions will probe your SQL knowledge, experience with data warehousing, and understanding of EHR workflows. While you may not face "LeetCode" style algorithm grinding, expect practical scenarios regarding data transformation and system design.
The final stages often involve a discussion on "soft skills," focusing on project management, mentorship, and how you handle conflicting priorities. The team values collaboration highly, so expect questions about how you work with cross-functional partners.
The timeline above illustrates the typical flow from application to offer. Note that for roles involving Epic or Workday, the process may include specific questions about your certification status or your aptitude to learn these proprietary systems quickly. Use the time between the recruiter screen and the panel to brush up on your SQL joins and data modeling concepts.
5. Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas
The interview team at Atrium Health focuses on specific competencies required to maintain their enterprise data solutions. Based on job descriptions and candidate insights, you should prepare for the following areas:
Data Engineering & SQL Proficiency
This is the cornerstone of the role. You will be expected to write complex queries and understand how to optimize data retrieval.
- SQL Mastery: Be ready to write hand-written SQL to solve data retrieval problems. Understand complex joins, window functions, and performance tuning.
- ETL/ELT Design: Explain how you move data from source to destination. Discuss tools like SSIS, Azure Data Factory (ADF), or Informatica.
- Data Modeling: Understand the difference between Star and Snowflake schemas, and when to use normalized vs. denormalized data.
Healthcare Technology & Epic Ecosystem
Since this role heavily involves Epic, familiarity with this ecosystem is a major evaluation point.
- Epic Modules: Be prepared to discuss Cogito, Clarity, Caboodle, or SlicerDicer. If you lack this experience, show a strong aptitude for learning complex enterprise software.
- Interoperability: Understand concepts regarding data integration (API, HL7, FHIR) and how different hospital systems (ERP, EHR) talk to each other.
- Privacy & Compliance: Be ready to discuss handling PII (Personally Identifiable Information) and PHI (Protected Health Information).
Business Intelligence & Visualization
You must be able to present data, not just store it.
- Reporting Tools: Expect questions on your experience with PowerBI, Tableau, or Business Objects.
- Data Storytelling: How do you take a raw dataset and answer a specific business question for a hospital administrator?
- Requirement Translation: How do you handle a request when a stakeholder asks for "data on patient flow" without specific parameters?
Project Management & Behavioral Skills
- Project Leadership: Be ready to give examples of medium-to-large scale projects you have led.
- Change Management: How do you handle updates to a live system? How do you ensure adoption of new tools?
- Mentorship: Be prepared to discuss how you support junior developers and review their code.
