What is a Software Engineer at Availity?

As a Software Engineer at Availity, you are stepping into a role that directly reshapes the future of healthcare. Availity operates the nation’s premier healthcare engagement platform, processing over 13 billion transactions annually and connecting more than 2 million providers to health plans. In this position, your code does not just move data; it actively reduces administrative friction, solves complex communication challenges, and ultimately brings the industry's focus back to patient care.

Depending on your specific team—whether you are building out the Authorizations suite, engineering scalable Onboarding applications, or developing robust API gateways—your work will require a blend of deep technical expertise and strategic problem-solving. You will be responsible for the detailed design, development, and maintenance of cloud-based applications that must adhere to strict healthcare compliance standards while operating at massive scale.

This role is highly collaborative and dynamic. You will work within an Agile/Scrum environment, partnering closely with product owners, architecture teams, and fellow engineers to deliver high-quality, maintainable solutions. For mid-level to senior engineers, this role also carries a strong expectation of leadership. You will champion modern software architecture patterns, actively participate in code reviews, and mentor less-experienced engineers, ensuring that the entire team elevates its technical standards and delivery capabilities.

Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparing for an engineering interview at Availity requires a balanced focus on technical execution, cloud architecture, and behavioral alignment.

Here are the key evaluation criteria your interviewers will be looking for:

Technical Proficiency & Code Quality – You will be evaluated on your ability to write clean, maintainable, and well-structured code. Interviewers want to see your mastery of core languages like Java or JavaScript, your understanding of object-oriented and functional design principles, and your ability to implement robust unit testing.

System Design & Cloud Architecture – Availity operates heavily in the cloud. You must demonstrate a solid grasp of designing, building, and maintaining applications leveraging Amazon Web Services (AWS). Interviewers will assess your ability to build scalable distributed systems, design RESTful APIs, and utilize infrastructure-as-code tools.

Domain Adaptability & Security Awareness – While healthcare experience is not always strictly required, an understanding of how to handle sensitive data is critical. You will be evaluated on your awareness of security best practices, database design, and your ability to quickly grasp complex domain requirements like HIPAA compliance or healthcare data standards (e.g., X12, FHIR).

Leadership & Agile Collaboration – Availity values a culture of continuous learning and teamwork. Interviewers will look for your ability to thrive in an iterative Agile environment, effectively estimate work efforts, and communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. If you are interviewing for a senior role, your capacity to mentor others will be heavily scrutinized.

Interview Process Overview

The interview process for a Software Engineer at Availity is designed to be thorough, collaborative, and reflective of the actual day-to-day work environment. Your journey will typically begin with a recruiter screen to align on your background, remote work expectations, and general technical stack compatibility. This is a conversational step aimed at ensuring your career goals match the realities of the role and the company's mission.

Following the initial screen, you will move into technical evaluations. This usually involves a technical screening round focused on core programming concepts, API design, and database queries. You can expect practical coding exercises or technical discussions that evaluate your familiarity with Java, React, or AWS, depending on the specific team's focus. The goal here is to validate your hands-on coding abilities and your approach to debugging and unit testing.

The final stage is a comprehensive virtual onsite loop. This stage dives deeply into system design, architecture, and behavioral competencies. You will meet with senior engineers, engineering managers, and product stakeholders. Expect to discuss how you would architect a highly available cloud application, how you handle technical debt, and how you collaborate within a Scrum team. The onsite is also a two-way street, giving you ample opportunity to learn about Availity’s engineering culture and technical roadmap.

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This visual timeline outlines the typical progression from your initial application through the final technical and behavioral loops. Use this structure to pace your preparation, focusing first on core coding fundamentals before transitioning your study efforts toward high-level system design and leadership narratives.

Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

Technical Foundations & API Development

At the core of your evaluation is your ability to deliver functional, high-quality code. Availity’s tech stack relies heavily on Java, JavaScript (React/Vue for frontend-leaning roles), and SQL databases. You will be assessed on your ability to host and consume RESTful APIs effectively. Strong performance in this area means writing code that is not only correct but also well-structured, thoroughly commented, and easy to maintain.

Be ready to go over:

• Object-Oriented Design – Applying OOD patterns to application development and understanding their impact on maintainability.
• Database Engineering – Writing and refining SQL queries, basic database design, and modifying table definitions.
• Frontend Frameworks – For full-stack or UI-focused roles, demonstrating proficiency in React, TypeScript, and state management.
• Unit Testing & Debugging – Ensuring software quality through rigorous unit testing and effective debugging techniques.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk me through how you would design and implement a new RESTful API endpoint from scratch."
• "How do you approach optimizing a slow-running SQL query in a production environment?"
• "Describe a time you had to refactor a legacy component to improve its maintainability and testability."

Cloud Architecture & System Design

Given the scale of Availity's platform, your ability to design distributed systems in the cloud is paramount. You will be evaluated on your practical experience with AWS services (such as EC2, VPC, IAM, Lambda, and EKS). Interviewers want to see that you can design systems that are secure, highly available, and scalable, particularly when processing millions of transactions.

Be ready to go over:

• AWS Cloud Services – Practical application of core AWS components and serverless architectures.
• Infrastructure as Code – Utilizing tools like Terraform, Ansible, or Helm to automate deployments.
• Microservices Architecture – Designing decoupled systems, managing inter-service communication, and handling eventual consistency.
• Observability – Implementing monitoring and logging using tools like Splunk, New Relic, or Datadog.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Design a highly available, cloud-based system to ingest and process a high volume of healthcare transactions."
• "How do you ensure secure communication between microservices within an AWS environment?"
• "Explain your approach to implementing infrastructure as code for a new application deployment."

Agile Delivery & Technical Leadership

Availity operates in a fast-paced Agile/Scrum environment where cross-functional collaboration is essential. You will be evaluated on your ability to partner with stakeholders, identify inter-team dependencies, and estimate work efforts accurately. For senior candidates, the ability to mentor junior engineers and lead design sessions is a critical evaluation metric.

Be ready to go over:

• Agile Methodologies – Participating in stand-ups, retrospectives, and managing the backlog.
• Code Reviews – Your approach to reviewing peers' code constructively and enforcing development standards.
• Mentorship – Coaching less-experienced engineers and guiding them through complex technical challenges.
• Technical Documentation – Writing detailed business requirements, functional specifications, and system documentation.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Tell me about a time you identified a major technical risk during sprint planning. How did you communicate this to the product owner?"
• "Describe your approach to mentoring a junior engineer who is struggling to grasp a complex architectural pattern."
• "How do you balance the need to deliver features quickly with the need to manage and reduce technical debt?"

Healthcare Domain & Security (Bonus/Differentiator)

While not always a strict requirement for every engineering role, an understanding of the healthcare technology landscape will significantly set you apart. Interviewers appreciate candidates who understand the gravity of handling Protected Health Information (PHI) and the complexities of healthcare interoperability.

Be ready to go over:

• Data Security – Applying HIPAA and HITECH compliance standards to software design.
• Healthcare Standards – Familiarity with EDI, HIPAA X12 transactions, or FHIR APIs.
• Domain Context – Understanding the payer-provider relationship, prior authorizations, or revenue cycle management.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "How would you design an application to ensure that sensitive user data remains secure both at rest and in transit?"
• "What challenges do you anticipate when integrating with legacy healthcare systems, and how would you mitigate them?"

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Key Responsibilities

As a Software Engineer at Availity, your day-to-day work will revolve around designing, building, and maintaining robust cloud-based applications that serve the nation's premier healthcare ecosystem. You will spend a significant portion of your time writing fundamental code to address project specifications, developing reusable objects, and ensuring your code is backed by comprehensive unit tests. Depending on your team, your work may lean heavily toward backend API development using Java and AWS, or it may incorporate frontend responsibilities using React and TypeScript.

Collaboration is a constant in this role. You will work within a dedicated SCRUM team, participating actively in daily stand-ups, backlog grooming, and sprint retrospectives. You will partner closely with product owners, UX designers, and data engineers to review requirements, determine system gaps, and translate business needs into technical realities. You will also be responsible for estimating work efforts and identifying potential project slippage or dependencies early in the development cycle.

Beyond writing code, you will play a vital role in maintaining the technical health of your team's applications. This includes actively participating in code reviews, writing moderate to complex technical documentation, and utilizing observability tools like Splunk or New Relic to monitor system performance. If you are in a senior role, you will also dedicate time to leading architectural design sessions, evaluating new tooling, and mentoring less-experienced engineers to foster a culture of continuous technical improvement.

Role Requirements & Qualifications

To be competitive for a Software Engineer position at Availity, you need a strong foundation in modern software development practices and cloud technologies. The ideal candidate brings a mix of hands-on coding expertise and strategic architectural thinking.

• Must-have technical skills – Proficiency in Java, JavaScript, and SQL databases. Strong experience building and consuming RESTful APIs. Hands-on experience designing and maintaining applications on the AWS cloud platform.
• Must-have experience – A bachelor’s degree in computer science or an equivalent field, coupled with 4 to 8+ years of progressive experience in an Agile/iterative development environment (depending on the specific level of the role).
• Must-have soft skills – Excellent problem-solving abilities, strong written and verbal communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to collaborate across cross-functional teams.
• Nice-to-have skills – Prior experience in the healthcare industry, specifically knowledge of HIPAA, X12 transactions, or FHIR. Experience with modern frontend frameworks like React or Vue. Familiarity with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Ansible) and modern observability tools.

Common Interview Questions

Expect a mix of technical deep-dives, architectural whiteboard sessions, and behavioral questions tailored to an Agile engineering environment. The questions below represent patterns frequently encountered by candidates interviewing for software engineering roles at Availity.

Technical & Coding Fundamentals

These questions test your mastery of the core languages and frameworks used at Availity, as well as your commitment to code quality.

• Explain the principles of Object-Oriented Design and how you apply them in a language like Java.
• How do you handle state management in a complex React application?
• Walk me through your process for writing unit tests. What metrics do you use to ensure adequate coverage?
• Describe a time you had to optimize a slow SQL query. What steps did you take to identify and resolve the bottleneck?
• How do you implement robust error handling and logging in a RESTful API?

System Design & AWS Architecture

These questions evaluate your ability to think at scale and leverage cloud services effectively.

• Design a scalable, cloud-based architecture for a platform that processes millions of transactions daily.
• Explain the differences between AWS EC2, Lambda, and EKS. When would you choose one over the others?
• How do you design a microservices architecture to handle eventual consistency and network failures?
• Walk me through how you would use Terraform to provision a new environment in AWS.
• How do you secure an API Gateway and ensure that only authorized users can access specific endpoints?

Behavioral & Agile Leadership

These questions assess your cultural fit, your ability to navigate team dynamics, and your leadership potential.

• Tell me about a time you disagreed with a technical decision made by a senior engineer or architect. How did you handle it?
• Describe a situation where you had to deliver a project with ambiguous or changing requirements.
• How do you approach estimating work efforts during sprint planning? What do you do if you realize mid-sprint that a task will take much longer than expected?
• Tell me about a time you mentored a junior team member. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?
• Give an example of a time you identified a significant piece of technical debt. How did you advocate for the time to fix it?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How deeply do I need to know the healthcare industry to be hired? While healthcare experience (like knowing X12 or FHIR) is a strong differentiator and explicitly preferred for some teams, it is usually considered a "nice-to-have" rather than a strict requirement for core engineering roles. Focus on demonstrating strong foundational software engineering and cloud skills, alongside a willingness to learn the domain quickly.

Q: What is the typical timeline for the interview process? The process generally takes between three to five weeks from the initial recruiter screen to an offer. Scheduling the virtual onsite loop is usually the most time-consuming step, as it requires coordinating multiple interviewers across different teams.

Q: Does Availity support remote work for Software Engineers? Yes, Availity has an exceptional remote workforce across the United States. Most software engineering roles are listed as fully remote within the US, though the company also has headquarters in Jacksonville, FL, and an office in Bangalore, India.

Q: What is the engineering culture like at Availity? The culture is highly collaborative, Agile-driven, and focused on continuous learning. Employees frequently highlight the strong work-life balance and the supportive environment. There is a strong emphasis on mentorship, code quality, and working together to solve complex problems that directly impact patient care.

Other General Tips

• Master the STAR Method: When answering behavioral questions, structure your responses using Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Availity interviewers appreciate concise, data-backed narratives that clearly highlight your specific contributions.
• Brush up on AWS Core Services: Even if you are applying for a role that leans toward the frontend, a solid understanding of how applications are deployed and managed in AWS (VPC, IAM, EC2, API Gateway) is critical for success on these teams.
• Emphasize Quality and Testing: Availity handles sensitive healthcare data and massive transaction volumes. Make sure to naturally weave your philosophy on unit testing, CI/CD, and code reviews into your technical answers.
• Showcase Your Mentorship: If you are interviewing for a level III or IV role, explicitly discuss how you elevate the engineers around you. Share specific examples of leading design sessions, conducting thorough code reviews, and fostering a collaborative team environment.

Summary & Next Steps

Interviewing for a Software Engineer position at Availity is an opportunity to showcase your technical rigor, your architectural foresight, and your passion for building solutions that matter. The company is looking for engineers who are not only proficient in Java, React, and AWS, but who also possess the collaborative mindset required to thrive in a fast-paced Agile environment. Your ability to write clean code, design scalable cloud systems, and mentor your peers will be the key drivers of your success.

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This salary module provides a baseline understanding of the compensation landscape for software engineering roles at Availity. Use this data to set realistic expectations and to inform your negotiation strategy once you reach the offer stage, keeping in mind that total compensation may vary based on your specific experience level and geographic location.

As you prepare, focus on bridging your technical skills with the broader impact of the work. Practice articulating your system design choices clearly, review your core programming fundamentals, and prepare strong behavioral examples that demonstrate your leadership and adaptability. With focused preparation and a clear understanding of Availity’s mission to transform healthcare, you are well-positioned to excel in this interview process.