You can expect a range of questions during your interviews, reflecting the diverse skill set required for a DevOps Engineer at OWKIN. Questions will be representative of those reported by candidates and may vary by team. The goal is to illustrate patterns that you should prepare for, rather than providing a memorization list.

Technical / Domain Questions

These questions assess your technical expertise and understanding of DevOps principles and tools.

• What is your experience with CI/CD pipelines, and how have you implemented them in previous projects?
• How do you manage configuration and secrets in a cloud environment?
• Can you explain the principles of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and give examples of tools you've used?
• What strategies do you employ for monitoring and logging in production systems?
• Describe a challenging technical problem you faced and how you resolved it.

System Design / Architecture

Expect to discuss your ability to design scalable and resilient systems.

• How would you design a deployment strategy for a microservices-based application?
• What considerations do you take into account when architecting for high availability?
• Describe the trade-offs between different storage solutions for a data-intensive application.
• How would you approach designing a rollback strategy for a critical system update?
• Can you walk us through your process for creating a disaster recovery plan?

Behavioral / Leadership

Behavioral questions will gauge your soft skills and cultural fit within OWKIN.

• Describe a situation where you had to lead a team through a challenging project. What was your approach?
• How do you handle conflicts within a team, especially under tight deadlines?
• Can you give an example of how you adapted to changes in project scope or direction?
• Discuss a time when you had to mentor a junior engineer. What was your strategy?
• How do you prioritize tasks when managing multiple projects?

Problem-Solving / Case Studies

These questions will test your analytical skills and approach to problem-solving.

• Given a scenario with a failing production system, how would you diagnose the issue?
• What steps would you take to optimize a slow-running application?
• How would you approach scaling an application that has seen a sudden increase in traffic?
• Describe your process for conducting a post-mortem on a system outage.
• How would you facilitate collaboration between development and operations teams to improve deployment frequency?

Coding / Algorithms

You may also be asked to demonstrate your coding skills.

• Write a script to automate a repetitive task in a DevOps workflow.
• How would you approach writing unit tests for a CI/CD pipeline?
• Can you explain a recent coding challenge you faced and how you overcame it?
• What languages are you most comfortable coding in, and how have you applied them in your past roles?
• Discuss your experience with container orchestration tools and how they relate to your coding practices.

The visual timeline illustrates the stages of the interview process, highlighting technical versus behavioral assessments and the overall flow. Use this to plan your preparation effectively and manage your energy throughout the process. Be aware that variations may occur based on team needs or specific role requirements.

Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

Technical Expertise

Your technical knowledge is the foundation of your candidacy. This area is evaluated through direct questions and practical assessments during the interview.

• Cloud Services – Familiarity with AWS, Azure, or GCP is crucial. Be prepared to discuss your experience with these platforms and their services.
• CI/CD Tools – Proficiency in tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, or CircleCI is important. Expect questions on how you have utilized these in past projects.
• Containerization – Understanding Docker and Kubernetes will be key. Be ready to explain how you have used these technologies in your work.

Example questions:

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of using Docker?
• How have you implemented Kubernetes in a production environment?
• Describe a time you automated a deployment process.

Problem-Solving Skills

Your ability to diagnose and resolve issues will be closely scrutinized. Interviewers will look for structured thinking and creativity in your responses.

• Troubleshooting – Be prepared to discuss your approach to diagnosing and fixing issues in production.
• Optimization – Expect questions related to improving system performance or reliability.

Example questions:

• How do you prioritize issues in a production environment?
• Describe a significant challenge you encountered and how you resolved it.

Collaboration and Communication

As a DevOps Engineer, collaboration is key. Your ability to communicate with cross-functional teams will be assessed.

• Team Dynamics – Share experiences where you worked collaboratively to meet project goals.
• Mentorship – Discuss any roles you've played in mentoring or guiding junior team members.

Example questions:

• How do you handle disagreements within a team?
• Describe a successful project where collaboration was essential.

Culture Fit

Understanding OWKIN’s culture and values will be crucial. Interviewers will assess how well you align with the company's ethos.

• Adaptability – Your ability to navigate change and uncertainty will be evaluated.
• Shared Values – Consider how your personal values align with those of OWKIN.

Advanced Concepts

While less common, familiarity with advanced topics can set you apart.

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC) – Understanding tools like Terraform can be beneficial.
• Security in DevOps – Be aware of best practices related to securing cloud infrastructure.

Example questions:

• How do you implement security measures in your CI/CD pipeline?
• Discuss your experience with Infrastructure as Code and its benefits.