Core Problem Solving and Algorithms

This evaluation area focuses on your algorithmic thinking and data manipulation skills. You will need to show that you can solve complex computational problems and query databases efficiently.

Be ready to go over:

• Algorithmic Correctness – Solving classic data structure and algorithm problems under timed constraints.
• SQL Querying – Writing efficient queries to join, filter, and aggregate relational data.
• Data Parsing – Handling, cleaning, and extracting insights from unstructured text or semi-structured data formats.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Basic natural language processing concepts, such as term frequency calculations (TF-IDF).

Example scenarios:

• Writing a SQL query to identify patients who have had multiple diagnostic tests within a specific timeframe, ordered by test date.
• Implementing an algorithm to parse a stream of medical codes and identify the most frequently occurring patterns.

As a Software Engineer at Tempus Labs, your day-to-day responsibilities will revolve around building and maintaining the software systems that power our precision medicine platform. You will write high-quality, maintainable code across our modern tech stack, which heavily features JavaScript, TypeScript, Node.js, React, and Python. You will be responsible for the entire lifecycle of your services, from initial design and database modeling to deployment and monitoring.

Collaboration is a core part of the role. You will work closely with product managers to define feature requirements, translate them into technical specifications, and execute them within agile sprints. Additionally, you will partner with data scientists and machine learning engineers to integrate advanced predictive models into our production pipelines, ensuring they can process clinical data reliably and at scale.

You will also contribute to the overall engineering culture by participating in rigorous code reviews, sharing knowledge through design docs, and mentoring junior team members. You will continuously look for opportunities to optimize system performance, improve developer tooling, and ensure our systems adhere to strict healthcare data security and compliance standards.

A successful candidate for the Software Engineer position must possess a strong foundation in computer science and practical software development.

• Must-have technical skills – Strong proficiency in JavaScript or TypeScript (particularly with Node.js and React), solid SQL querying skills, and experience building and consuming RESTful APIs.
• Must-have experience – Prior professional experience working on production-grade web applications, designing relational databases, and participating in agile software development lifecycles.
• Nice-to-have skills – Familiarity with Python, experience with NoSQL databases, cloud infrastructure (AWS or GCP), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), or working in a regulated environment such as healthcare or biotech.
• Soft skills – Strong communication skills, a highly collaborative mindset, the ability to navigate ambiguous requirements, and a genuine interest in leveraging technology to improve healthcare outcomes.

Q: What is the typical timeline for the hiring process? **A: ** The entire process generally takes between three to five weeks from the initial recruiter screen to the final decision. The speed often depends on candidate availability and the scheduling of the multi-session virtual onsite.

Q: Can I use any programming language during the technical rounds? **A: ** While recruiters may mention that you can choose your preferred language, our engineering stack is heavily focused on JavaScript and Node.js. Candidates who complete the live coding sessions in JavaScript often find it easier to demonstrate the specific framework knowledge our teams look for.

Q: How heavily is SQL evaluated in the interview process? **A: ** SQL is a core requirement and is tested during both the online assessment and the onsite rounds. You should be highly comfortable writing queries that involve complex joins, aggregations, and subqueries.

Q: What is the structure of the system design round? **A: ** The system design round is a one-hour conversational interview with two engineers. You will be asked to design a high-level architecture for a realistic healthcare application, focusing on scalability, database selection, API design, and data flow.

Q: What is the working style and engineering culture like? **A: ** The engineering culture is fast-paced, collaborative, and highly mission-driven. Teams work in agile sprints and prioritize shipping features quickly to keep pace with shifting clinical and product priorities, requiring engineers to be adaptable and proactive.

• Master the JavaScript Ecosystem: Given our heavy reliance on Node.js, Express, and React, brush up on core language concepts such as promises, async/await, closures, and state management before your technical rounds.
• Practice SQL Aggregations: Ensure you can comfortably write and optimize queries on the fly. Focus on relational database design principles and understand when to normalize versus denormalize data.
• Be Ready for Behavioral Scenarios: Prepare concrete examples of how you have handled shifting priorities, resolved technical disagreements, and collaborated with product managers in past roles.
• Ask Clarifying Questions: During both the coding and system design rounds, avoid jumping straight into a solution. Take a few minutes to clarify requirements, discuss edge cases, and outline your approach with your interviewers.

Becoming a Software Engineer at Tempus Labs offers a unique opportunity to apply your technical skills to meaningful, life-saving challenges. The work you do will directly impact the scale and speed at which precision medicine is delivered to patients. By systematically preparing for the technical rigor of our coding, SQL, and system design evaluations, you can position yourself as a standout candidate.

The compensation data reflects our commitment to attracting top-tier engineering talent. Use this information to understand the competitive market rate for your experience level and to guide your expectations as you progress through the final stages of the interview process.

As you prepare to take the next steps, focus on mastering the core technical concepts outlined in this guide and refining your behavioral narratives. With focused preparation and a clear understanding of our engineering expectations, you can confidently navigate the interview loop. For additional insights, real candidate experiences, and detailed preparation resources, explore the engineering section on Dataford.