Preparing for an interview at Autonomous Solutions requires more than just brushing up on coding algorithms. Your interviewers want to see how you bridge the gap between software logic and physical hardware realities.

Focus your preparation on these key evaluation criteria:

Technical Proficiency (C/C++ & RTOS) – You must demonstrate a deep understanding of embedded C/C++, memory management, and real-time constraints. Interviewers will look for your ability to write efficient, low-latency code that operates safely within strict resource limitations.

Hardware-Software Integration – This evaluates your comfort level working close to the metal. You should be prepared to discuss how you read schematics, interface with microcontrollers, and utilize communication protocols like CAN bus, SPI, I2C, and UART.

Problem-Solving & Debugging – Embedded systems are notoriously difficult to debug. You will be evaluated on your systematic approach to isolating issues using both software debugging tools and hardware instruments like oscilloscopes and logic analyzers.

Safety-First Mindset & Culture Fit – Because your code will control large autonomous vehicles, a rigorous approach to testing, fault tolerance, and functional safety is critical. Interviewers will assess how you handle edge cases, navigate ambiguity, and collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams.

The interview process for an Embedded Engineer at Autonomous Solutions is designed to be rigorous, practical, and highly relevant to the daily challenges of robotics and automation. Rather than focusing exclusively on abstract computer science puzzles, the process emphasizes real-world embedded systems problems, architectural decisions, and your hands-on experience with hardware.

Typically, the process begins with a recruiter screen to align on your background, location preferences (Mendon or Logan, UT), and role expectations. This is followed by a technical phone or video screen with an engineering manager or senior engineer, which usually involves a mix of C/C++ trivia, protocol knowledge, and a lightweight coding exercise. The final stage is a comprehensive onsite or virtual panel interview. During this stage, you will meet with various members of the engineering team to dive deep into system design, hardware troubleshooting, and behavioral scenarios.

Autonomous Solutions values engineers who are collaborative and practical. Expect interviewers to probe deeply into the specific contributions you made on past projects, asking why you chose certain microcontrollers, how you handled race conditions, and how you ensured system safety.

This visual timeline outlines the typical progression from your initial application to the final offer stage, including the technical screens and panel interviews. Use this to pace your preparation, ensuring your foundational C/C++ knowledge is sharp for the early rounds, while saving your deep-dive architectural and behavioral preparation for the final panel. Note that the exact structure may vary slightly depending on whether you are interviewing for a Project-Based role or a Level III position.

To succeed in your interviews, you must demonstrate mastery across several core technical domains. Interviewers will use a mix of whiteboard problems, code reviews, and scenario-based questions to assess your depth.

C and C++ Programming Fundamentals

At the heart of any embedded role is a flawless understanding of C and C++. Autonomous Solutions relies on these languages for their performance and deterministic execution. You will be evaluated on your ability to manage memory safely, understand pointers and references, and utilize object-oriented principles in a resource-constrained environment. Strong candidates do not just write working code; they write code that is optimized for specific architectures.

Be ready to go over:

• Memory Management – Stack vs. heap, memory leaks, dynamic allocation risks in embedded systems, and custom allocators.
• Pointers and Bit Manipulation – Pointer arithmetic, function pointers, bit masking, shifting, and setting/clearing specific hardware registers.
• Concurrency and Interrupts – Volatile variables, atomic operations, Interrupt Service Routines (ISRs), and handling shared resources safely.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Modern C++ features (C++11/14/17) suitable for embedded systems, template metaprogramming, and compiler optimization flags.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Write a macro to set, clear, and toggle a specific bit in a 32-bit register."
• "Explain the volatile keyword and provide a specific scenario where omitting it would cause a bug in an ISR."
• "Implement a thread-safe circular buffer in C++ for UART data reception."

Hardware Communication and Protocols

Autonomous vehicles rely on a complex network of sensors, controllers, and actuators. You must prove you understand how to make these components talk to each other reliably. Interviewers will test your theoretical knowledge of various serial protocols and your practical experience in implementing them. A strong performance involves knowing the trade-offs of each protocol and how to handle communication failures gracefully.

Be ready to go over:

• CAN Bus – Arbitration, frame formats, CAN FD, and handling bus-off states. This is crucial for automotive and heavy machinery applications.
• Serial Protocols – The specific differences, advantages, and limitations of SPI, I2C, and UART/USART.
• Hardware Interfaces – Reading basic schematics, understanding pull-up/pull-down resistors, and GPIO configuration.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Ethernet/IP for industrial automation, wireless telemetry protocols, and timing analysis.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk me through the arbitration process on a CAN bus. What happens if two nodes transmit simultaneously?"
• "You are interfacing a microcontroller with an I2C sensor, but the bus is stuck low. How do you troubleshoot this?"
• "Compare SPI and I2C. When would you choose one over the other for a high-speed ADC?"

Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) and Architecture

Standard operating systems cannot guarantee the deterministic response times required by fast-moving autonomous vehicles. You will be evaluated on your ability to design software that meets strict timing deadlines using an RTOS. Interviewers want to see how you structure tasks, manage priorities, and avoid common concurrency pitfalls.

Be ready to go over:

• Task Management – Task scheduling, context switching, and priority assignment.
• Synchronization Primitives – Mutexes, semaphores, message queues, and event flags.
• Concurrency Hazards – Identifying and resolving deadlocks, race conditions, and priority inversion.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Rate monotonic scheduling, watchdog timer strategies, and memory protection units (MPUs).

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Explain priority inversion and describe how a priority inheritance protocol solves it."
• "How do you decide whether to process data inside an ISR or defer it to a background task using a semaphore?"
• "Design the software architecture for a vehicle control unit that must read steering sensors every 10ms and transmit CAN messages every 50ms."

Debugging and System Triage

Things will go wrong in the field. Your ability to methodically track down bugs that span both hardware and software is critical. Interviewers will present you with vague failure symptoms and ask you to walk through your debugging process. Strong candidates will ask clarifying questions, form hypotheses, and explain exactly which tools (software or hardware) they would use to isolate the root cause.

Be ready to go over:

• Tool Usage – When and how to use oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and multimeters.
• Software Debugging – JTAG/SWD, GDB, logging strategies, and core dump analysis.
• System-Level Triage – Differentiating between a hardware failure, a software bug, and an environmental issue (e.g., EMI/noise).

Example questions or scenarios:

• "A vehicle occasionally ignores a stop command, but only when operating at high speeds. Walk me through your debugging steps."
• "You suspect a race condition is causing a system crash. How do you prove it?"