Real, anonymous reports from people who interviewed for Software Engineer at Leidos, newest first and distilled into what to expect across the loop.
After the recruiter reached out, I ended up with a pretty light-touch process that still felt structured. I started with a behavioral-focused round, and what surprised me was how little truly deep technical work there was compared to what I expected. A short technical trivia segment showed up during that first conversation, then the next stage went fully technical with a small set of coding-style prompts—leetcode easy in feel—and I was done in about an hour total per interview.
My process started with a phone screening, and then I moved into a one-on-one interview that felt strangely unstructured. The questions I got didn’t line up with the technologies and languages described for the job, and that mismatch threw me off more than the difficulty of the questions themselves.
The interview process generally follows a structured flow, starting with a recruiter screening, followed by a mix of behavioral and technical interviews, often in a panel format. Candidates noted that the overall experience felt organized and professional, with a focus on communication and fit rather than high-pressure tactics.
Technical interviews typically include light coding questions or conceptual discussions focused on software fundamentals and languages relevant to the role. Candidates reported that the technical depth varied, with some experiencing challenging questions while others found the focus more on basic understanding and problem-solving.
Behavioral interviews are a significant component, emphasizing personal experiences, fit, and communication skills. Questions often revolve around past projects, challenges faced, and motivations for applying, creating a conversational atmosphere rather than a strict interrogation.
Overall, candidates described the interview environment as friendly and approachable, with interviewers aiming to understand the candidate rather than catch them off guard. This supportive atmosphere contributed to a less stressful experience, even during technical discussions.
Candidates expressed mixed feelings about post-interview communication, with some experiencing delays or lack of clarity regarding next steps. While some received timely feedback, others felt uncertain due to inconsistent follow-up, impacting their overall impression of the process.
There was a noticeable variation in expectations based on the role level, with some candidates feeling that the technical depth required was higher than anticipated for junior positions. This led to some confusion regarding the alignment between job descriptions and interview content.