What is a Software Engineer?

At AURORA, the role of a Software Engineer is pivotal to the mission of delivering the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly. Unlike typical software roles that focus solely on digital products, engineers here work at the intersection of complex hardware, real-world physics, and advanced artificial intelligence. You are building the Aurora Driver—the brain that powers autonomous trucks and passenger vehicles.

This position demands a high degree of responsibility. The code you write directly impacts the safety and reliability of vehicles moving through the physical world. Whether you are working on the Perception team interpreting sensor data, the Motion Planning team deciding the vehicle's path, or the Cloud Infrastructure team managing petabytes of simulation data, your contributions are critical. You will work in a high-stakes, technically rigorous environment where "good enough" is not an option; precision and robustness are the standards.

You will collaborate closely with hardware engineers, research scientists, and operations teams. The work ranges from low-level systems optimization and signal processing to high-level full-stack development for internal tooling. This role offers the unique opportunity to solve unsolved problems in robotics and AI, contributing to a product that is fundamentally changing the logistics and transportation industries.

Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparing for an interview at AURORA requires more than just brushing up on algorithms. You must demonstrate a mindset that prioritizes safety, scalability, and systems thinking. The interviewers are looking for engineers who can navigate ambiguity and deliver high-quality solutions under constraints.

Key Evaluation Criteria

Technical Fluency and Agility – You must demonstrate deep proficiency in your primary language (typically C++ or Python for core robotics, or React/Node for tools). Interviewers evaluate not just if your code works, but if it is clean, efficient, and maintainable. You should be comfortable switching contexts, such as moving from algorithmic problem-solving to discussing practical implementation details.

Systems Thinking and Design – For many roles, you will be asked to design complex systems. This measures your ability to understand how software interacts with hardware and the physical environment. You need to show you can anticipate failure modes, manage latency, and design for reliability in a distributed or robotics-centric system.

Problem Solving in Ambiguity – Autonomous driving involves solving problems that often have no textbook answer. Interviewers look for candidates who can break down vague requirements (e.g., "design a reasonable robotics system") into concrete, actionable engineering tasks. They value a structured approach where you state assumptions clearly and justify your trade-offs.

Collaboration and Communication – AURORA operates in cross-functional teams. You will be evaluated on how well you communicate technical concepts to different audiences. This includes your ability to accept feedback during a code review simulation or explain a complex technical decision to a non-expert.

Interview Process Overview

The interview process at AURORA is designed to be rigorous yet reflective of the actual work environment. While the specific steps can vary depending on the team (e.g., Core Robotics vs. Internal Tools) and location, the general flow is consistent. Candidates typically report a process that emphasizes technical competence and cultural alignment.

Expect to start with an online assessment (OA) or a technical screen. The OA often focuses on standard algorithmic problems, ranging from easy to medium difficulty. Following this, you will likely engage in a virtual onsite loop. This stage is intense and includes multiple rounds covering coding, system design, and behavioral questions. Unlike some competitors who focus purely on abstract puzzles, AURORA interviewers often introduce practical elements—candidates have reported using collaborative tools like Jamboard for live problem-solving, discussing signal processing, or even sketching system architectures.

The philosophy here is to assess your ability to think on your feet. Recent data suggests the process can sometimes feel fluid; you might face changes in scheduling or interview steps as the company iterates on its hiring practices. However, communication is generally reported as friendly and fast. The goal is to see how you handle the "chaotic" nature of a startup environment while maintaining engineering discipline.

This timeline illustrates the typical progression from application to offer. Note that the "Technical Screen" may sometimes be replaced or augmented by a take-home project or an online coding assessment depending on the specific role. Candidates should be prepared for a "Virtual Onsite" that is mentally demanding, often lasting 4–5 hours across multiple sessions.

Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

To succeed, you must prepare for specific technical domains. Based on recent candidate experiences, AURORA tailors its questions heavily toward the specific team you are applying for.

Algorithmic Problem Solving

This is the baseline for all engineering roles. You will face coding challenges that test your grasp of data structures and algorithms.

• Why it matters: Efficiency is critical in real-time systems like autonomous vehicles.
• Evaluation: Can you write bug-free code? do you understand Time/Space complexity?
• Be ready to go over:
  • Graph traversals (BFS/DFS) – Essential for mapping and routing.
  • Dynamic Programming – Often used in optimization problems.
  • Array and String manipulation – Standard filtering and parsing tasks.
• Example questions:
  • "Solve a LeetCode Hard problem involving graph optimization."
  • "Process a stream of sensor data to filter noise (Sliding Window)."

System Design (Robotics & Infrastructure)

For mid-to-senior roles, and specifically for robotics teams, this is a make-or-break section.

• Why it matters: You are building components of a larger, safety-critical distributed system.
• Evaluation: Ability to define interfaces, handle constraints (latency, power), and ensure reliability.
• Be ready to go over:
  • Robotics Systems – Designing a control loop or a sensor data pipeline.
  • Scalability – How to handle petabytes of simulation data.
  • Trade-offs – Consistency vs. Availability in the context of a moving vehicle.
• Example scenarios:
  • "Design a reasonable robotics system for an autonomous delivery bot."
  • "Architect a system to ingest and process Lidar data in real-time."

Domain-Specific Knowledge (Hardware vs. Web)

The content here diverges based on the role. You must know which "track" you are on.

• Why it matters: A Perception Engineer needs different skills than a Full-Stack Tools Engineer.
• Evaluation: Depth of knowledge in your specific stack.
• Be ready to go over:
  • For Robotics/Hardware: CAD drawings, signal processing, circuit basics, and C++ memory management.
  • For Web/Tools: React, MongoDB, JavaScript Promises, and User Authentication (OAuth/Sessions).
• Example questions:
  • "Explain how you would handle asynchronous operations using Promises."
  • "Draw a circuit diagram for a simple sensor interface."

The word cloud above highlights the duality of the AURORA interview. You see a mix of "Robotics," "System Design," and "C++" alongside "React," "MongoDB," and "Authentication." This confirms that you must tailor your prep: if you are applying for an AV role, focus on the former; if for Internal Tools, focus on the latter. "LeetCode" remains a central theme for all.

Key Responsibilities

As a Software Engineer at AURORA, your day-to-day work is centered on solving difficult technical challenges that have real-world physical consequences. You will spend a significant portion of your time designing and implementing high-performance code, likely in C++ for onboard systems or Python/Go for infrastructure and simulation.

Collaboration is a daily requirement. You will not be coding in a silo. You will work with Triage teams to investigate on-road events, analyze logs to understand why the Aurora Driver made a specific decision, and implement fixes or improvements. For those in simulation, you will build virtual worlds that allow the car to "drive" millions of miles nightly, requiring massive scale and optimization.

You are also responsible for the "tooling" that makes development possible. This might involve building web interfaces that allow operators to visualize car telemetry in real-time or creating pipelines that verify code safety before it ever touches a vehicle. You will own your projects from concept to deployment, often requiring you to write design docs, conduct rigorous code reviews, and participate in on-call rotations to support the fleet.

Role Requirements & Qualifications

Candidates who succeed at AURORA typically possess a strong foundation in computer science fundamentals combined with a specialized skill set relevant to their team.

• Must-Have Skills:

  • Strong Coding Proficiency: Expert-level fluency in C++ (for onboard/robotics) or Python (for infrastructure/ML). For web roles, modern JavaScript/TypeScript and React are essential.
  • Algorithmic Foundation: A solid grasp of data structures and algorithms is non-negotiable.
  • Communication: The ability to explain complex technical trade-offs clearly to cross-functional stakeholders.

• Nice-to-Have Skills:

  • Robotics Experience: Familiarity with ROS (Robot Operating System), kinematics, or control theory.
  • Automotive Standards: Experience with safety-critical systems (ISO 26262) or real-time operating systems (RTOS).
  • Cloud Platforms: Experience with AWS, Docker, or Kubernetes, especially for simulation and infrastructure roles.
  • Hardware Knowledge: Basic understanding of sensors (Lidar, Radar, Cameras) and signal processing.

Common Interview Questions

These questions are drawn from candidate reports and represent the types of challenges you will face. They are not verbatim but illustrate the patterns used by AURORA interviewers.

Technical & Algorithmic

• "Given a set of sensor data points, how would you filter out outliers efficiently?"
• "Solve a LeetCode Hard problem involving graph pathfinding (e.g., shortest path in a dynamic grid)."
• "Implement a function to handle large integer arithmetic."
• "How would you manage memory manually in C++ to prevent leaks in a long-running process?"

System Design & Architecture

• "Design a system to secure user sessions and protect API routes." (For Full-Stack roles)
• "Design a high-level architecture for a robotics system that navigates a warehouse."
• "How would you architect a data pipeline to process terabytes of log data from a fleet of trucks?"

Behavioral & Experience

• "Tell me about a time you had a technical disagreement with a colleague. How did you resolve it?"
• "Describe a situation where you had to deliver a feature with incomplete requirements."
• "Why are you interested in autonomous vehicles, and why specifically AURORA?"

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How difficult are the technical interviews compared to other tech giants? The difficulty is comparable to top-tier tech companies (FAANG). Candidates report facing LeetCode Medium to Hard questions. However, AURORA places a heavier emphasis on practical application and system design, especially regarding robotics and physical constraints, which can add a layer of complexity.

Q: Do I need a background in robotics to apply? Not necessarily. While roles in Perception or Motion Planning require deep domain knowledge, AURORA hires many Generalist Software Engineers for Infrastructure, Cloud, Simulation, and Internal Tools. For these roles, strong general engineering skills are sufficient, though an interest in the domain is expected.

Q: What is the "Virtual Onsite" experience like? It is typically a full day of interviews (4-5 rounds). Expect a mix of coding on a shared platform, system design discussions using virtual whiteboards (like Jamboard), and behavioral sessions. Candidates have noted that being able to "draw" or visualize your thoughts is crucial during the design rounds.

Q: Is the interview process consistent across all locations? While the core competency evaluation is consistent, the specific focus may shift. For example, recent reports from the UK office highlighted full-stack web technologies (React/Mongo), whereas Mountain View interviews often lean heavier into core robotics and C++. Always clarify the specific team's focus with your recruiter.

Other General Tips

• Clarify the Context: When asked a design question, immediately clarify if the context is a "standard web app" or a "robotics system." The constraints (latency, connectivity, power) are vastly different. Showing you understand this distinction is a major plus.
• Prepare for "Chaotic" Scheduling: Some candidates have reported changes in interview steps or rescheduling. Stay flexible and patient; this is often reflective of a fast-moving company environment. Use the time to prep more.
• Brush up on Physics/Math: If you are interviewing for a core engineering role, don't be surprised by questions that touch on basic signal processing, vectors, or geometry. It differentiates you from a pure "application" developer.
• Show Your Work: In virtual interviews, use the provided tools (or ask to share your screen) to draw diagrams. Visualizing your thought process is critical when discussing complex architectures.

Summary & Next Steps

Becoming a Software Engineer at AURORA is an opportunity to work on one of the most exciting and difficult technical challenges of our time. The role requires a blend of elite coding skills, systems thinking, and a passion for safety and reliability. Whether you are optimizing C++ for an autonomous truck or building the React dashboards that monitor the fleet, your work will have a tangible impact on the physical world.

To succeed, prioritize your preparation around algorithms, system design, and the specific technical stack of the team you are applying to. Be ready to demonstrate not just how you code, but why you make specific engineering decisions. Approach the process with curiosity and confidence—interviews here are collaborative, and the team is looking for colleagues who can solve problems alongside them.

The compensation data above provides a baseline for what you can expect. AURORA is known to offer competitive packages that include equity, reflecting the high-growth potential of the company. Use this information to benchmark your expectations, but remember that total compensation often correlates heavily with your level of experience and performance during the technical deep dives.

Prepare thoroughly, stay adaptable, and go into your interview ready to show how you can help build the future of transportation. Good luck!