Success at Tempus AI requires a balanced preparation strategy that covers core computer science fundamentals, practical system building, and behavioral readiness. You should approach your preparation with a focus on writing clean, production-ready code and demonstrating a strong interest in the company's healthcare mission.

Technical Correctness & Accuracy – During the coding challenges and live programming sessions, your interviewers will evaluate the correctness of your solution above all else. Ensure you write clean code, handle edge cases systematically, and thoroughly test your logic before declaring a problem solved.

Practical System Design – You must be ready to design practical, real-world services rather than highly theoretical architectures. Focus on REST API design, database schemas, microservices communication, and the trade-offs between SQL and NoSQL databases in a healthcare data context.

Mission Alignment & Agility – Tempus AI operates in a highly regulated yet rapidly evolving industry. Show that you are comfortable with ambiguity, capable of learning complex scientific concepts, and motivated by the prospect of improving patient outcomes through software engineering.

The interview loop for a Software Engineer is designed to test both your immediate coding capabilities and your long-term architectural thinking. The process moves quickly, often initiating within days of your application, and demands consistent performance across both automated and live evaluation stages.

The process begins with an initial recruiter screen, followed by a rigorous online technical assessment. If you pass the assessment, you will move to a hiring manager screen or go directly to a multi-stage virtual onsite interview. Tempus AI places a strong emphasis on practical coding and system design, meaning you will spend the majority of your interview time writing code, designing APIs, and discussing system architecture with senior engineers.

The visual timeline above outlines the typical progression of the software engineering interview loop from the initial touchpoint to the final decision. Candidates should use this sequence to pace their preparation, ensuring they master the online assessment requirements before shifting focus to system design and architectural deep dives. While the stages are standardized, individual teams may adjust the technical focus of the onsite rounds based on the specific engineering stack.

Online Assessment & Codility

The online assessment is your first technical hurdle and is typically hosted on platforms like Codility. It is designed to filter for solid programming fundamentals and strong SQL querying skills.

You will face a timed, multi-question test that usually consists of algorithmic challenges and a dedicated SQL problem. Unlike other tech companies that focus purely on LeetCode algorithms, Tempus AI heavily evaluates your ability to manipulate data using SQL.

Be ready to go over:

• SQL Aggregations and Joins – Writing multi-table joins, using window functions, and filtering complex datasets.
• Data Structure Manipulation – Efficiently using arrays, hash maps, and strings to solve algorithmic problems.
• Language-Specific Implementations – Solving coding challenges using languages like JavaScript or Python depending on the test requirements.

Example scenarios:

• Writing a SQL query to identify patient cohorts who have undergone specific treatments within a precise timeframe.
• Implementing an algorithm to parse and validate complex clinical data strings.

Live Coding & Pair Programming

The live coding round is a collaborative session with two engineering team members. It focuses on your ability to build functional, clean, and maintainable software components rather than solving abstract riddles.

During this hour, you will write code in a shared environment. You may be asked to build a small web service, implement REST API endpoints, or write interactive frontend components. The interviewers will observe your coding style, your familiarity with modern frameworks, and how you structure your code.

Be ready to go over:

• REST API Development – Setting up routes, handling HTTP requests, and returning structured JSON data using frameworks like Express or FastAPI.
• Asynchronous Programming – Managing asynchronous operations, promises, and API integrations smoothly.
• React Components – Creating functional, stateful UI components that interact with backend services.
• Advanced concepts –
  • Middleware integration for authentication and logging.
  • Error handling and input validation in web frameworks.

Example scenarios:

• Building a basic Express server with endpoints to create, read, update, and delete patient records.
• Creating a React component that fetches data from a mock API and displays it in a searchable table.

System Design & Architecture

The system design session evaluates your ability to architect scalable, resilient, and secure software systems. This is a conversational interview where you will lead the whiteboarding or diagramming process.

You will design a system from scratch, discussing data models, network protocols, caching strategies, and service boundaries. Because Tempus AI handles sensitive healthcare data, incorporating security, data privacy, and compliance considerations into your design will highly differentiate your performance.

Be ready to go over:

• Data Modeling – Choosing between relational databases and NoSQL solutions for complex clinical and genomic data.
• Scalability and Performance – Implementing caching layers, load balancers, and message queues to handle high-traffic volumes.
• API Design – Designing clean, versioned, and secure APIs for internal and external consumption.
• Advanced concepts –
  • Microservices communication patterns (gRPC vs. REST vs. Event-driven).
  • Data compliance and security architectures (HIPAA, encryption at rest and in transit).

Example scenarios:

• Designing a system that ingests, processes, and stores genomic sequencing data from multiple external laboratories.
• Architecting a secure, high-throughput API gateway that handles authentication and rate limiting for healthcare providers.

Behavioral & Product Alignment

The behavioral rounds assess your soft skills, your collaboration style, and how you align with the fast-paced, mission-driven culture at Tempus AI. You will speak with product managers, engineering leads, and directors.

Interviewers want to see that you can communicate complex technical ideas to non-technical stakeholders, adapt to changing product requirements, and work effectively within cross-functional teams. They will also explore your career motivations and your genuine interest in the intersection of healthcare and technology.

Be ready to go over:

• Cross-Functional Collaboration – How you partner with product managers, QA, and data scientists to deliver features.
• Conflict Resolution – Navigating technical disagreements and reaching a consensus with your team.
• Prioritization and Delivery – Managing your time and deliverables when faced with tight deadlines or shifting requirements.

Example scenarios:

• Describing a situation where you had to make a technical compromise to meet a critical product launch deadline.
• Sharing an experience where you had to explain a complex technical limitation to a product manager and propose an alternative solution.