Verily QA Engineer interview questions & guide 2026

The questions you will face during the Verily interview process are designed to evaluate your functional testing expertise, data validation skills, domain knowledge, and behavioral alignment with the company's mission. The following questions are representative of what candidates have experienced in real interviews and are organized by core competency.

SQL & Data Validation

Because Verily platforms process massive volumes of clinical and health data, verifying data integrity is a major part of the role. Expect questions that test your ability to query databases and validate complex data sets.

• Write a SQL query to find duplicate patient records across two separate clinical trial databases.
• How do you validate data integrity when data is migrated from a legacy clinical database to a new cloud-based schema?

Preparing for an interview at Verily requires a balanced approach. You must demonstrate strong technical fundamentals while showing a deep respect for the regulatory and ethical standards of the healthcare industry.

Role-Related Knowledge – You must show a deep understanding of core QA methodologies, test planning, and defect lifecycle management. Be ready to explain how you design test strategies that cover functional, regression, and integration testing.

Data & Analytical Skills – Data is at the core of precision health. You will be evaluated on your ability to write clean SQL queries and analyze data structures to verify that back-end data matches front-end expectations.

Problem-Solving & Adaptability – Interviewers want to see how you approach ambiguous scenarios. When faced with a complex software system, you should be able to break it down logically, identify potential failure points, and propose structured testing solutions.

Mission Alignment & Communication – Verily values candidates who are genuinely passionate about improving healthcare through technology. Your communication should be clear, structured, and empathetic, reflecting your ability to work with diverse stakeholders.

The interview process at Verily is thorough, structured, and designed to evaluate both your immediate technical capabilities and your long-term potential within the team. Candidates can expect a multi-stage process that moves relatively quickly, with scheduling teams often praised for their prompt communication.

The journey begins with an initial recruiter phone screen, which focuses on your background, interest in the company, and basic alignment with the role. Following a successful screen, you will move into the technical screening phase, which typically consists of two virtual interviews. One of these sessions will focus on functional QA scenarios and past experience, while the other is a dedicated technical test focusing heavily on SQL and data validation.

If you pass the technical screens, you will be invited to a comprehensive virtual or onsite loop. This loop typically consists of four 45-minute sessions, featuring interviews with three QA Engineers and one Software Developer. The final step in the process is a conversation with the Director or Hiring Manager to discuss team fit, high-level strategy, and career alignment.

The timeline shown above represents the typical progression for a QA Engineer candidate. Use this overview to pace your preparation, ensuring you focus heavily on SQL and functional testing fundamentals before your technical screens, while reserving time for behavioral and system-level preparation prior to the onsite loop.

To succeed at Verily, you must perform consistently across several core evaluation areas. Understanding what interviewers look for in each of these areas will help you structure your preparation.

SQL & Data Validation

Data integrity is paramount in clinical and health applications. You will face a dedicated SQL test designed to evaluate your ability to query databases, manipulate data, and identify anomalies. Interviewers want to see that you can write correct, optimized queries under pressure.

Be ready to go over:

• Complex Joins – Utilizing inner, left, right, and outer joins to combine data from multiple clinical tables.
• Aggregation & Filtering – Using GROUP BY, HAVING, and aggregate functions (COUNT, SUM, AVG) to audit and validate metrics.
• Subqueries & CTEs – Structuring readable queries to isolate specific subsets of data for validation.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Window functions (ROW_NUMBER, RANK) and basic database optimization techniques.

Example scenarios:

• "You are given a database of patient clinical trials. Write a query to identify any patients who have duplicate enrollment records but differing birth dates."
• "Write a query to find the average heart rate recorded per patient per day, filtering out any records with null or corrupted sensor readings."

Healthcare Regulations & Compliance

While you do not need to be an expert in FDA law, having a solid grasp of how healthcare regulations impact software development is a massive differentiator. Interviewers want to see that you respect the stakes of medical software and understand that "moving fast and breaking things" is not an acceptable strategy in this domain.

Be ready to go over:

• FDA Software Review Process – The general purpose of FDA reviews for software and the distinction between regulated and non-regulated applications.
• GxP & SaMD – The core principles of Good Practice (GxP) and how Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) is validated.
• Traceability & Documentation – The importance of maintaining clear test documentation, requirements traceability matrices, and defect logs for audit purposes.

Example scenarios:

• "How would you approach testing a software update for an application that directly controls a wearable medical sensor versus a general wellness tracking app?"
• "Explain how you would document a test execution to ensure it meets the traceability standards required for an external regulatory audit."

Functional QA Methodology & Problem-Solving

This area evaluates your core testing instincts. Interviewers want to see how you translate product requirements into comprehensive test plans, prioritize testing activities, and handle complex technical challenges.

Be ready to go over:

• Test Case Design – Writing clear, comprehensive, and reusable test cases that cover positive, negative, and edge-case scenarios.
• Risk-Based Testing – Identifying critical paths and high-risk areas of an application to optimize testing when time is constrained.
• Defect Lifecycle Management – How you document, prioritize, and track bugs from discovery through to verification.

Example scenarios:

• "Walk me through how you would design a test plan for a new feature that allows clinical trial participants to upload medical documents securely."
• "Describe a time when you discovered a critical bug right before a major production release. What steps did you take to mitigate the risk and communicate with stakeholders?"

As a QA Engineer at Verily, your day-to-day work is dynamic and highly collaborative. You are responsible for ensuring that the software products delivered to clinical partners, researchers, and patients meet the highest standards of quality and regulatory compliance.

You will spend a significant portion of your time designing, implementing, and executing test strategies for both web-based platforms and mobile applications. This involves writing detailed test plans, executing manual tests for complex user journeys, and developing automated test scripts to streamline regression testing. You will also work extensively with databases, writing SQL scripts to validate data pipelines and ensure that clinical data is ingested, processed, and stored accurately.

Collaboration is central to this role. You will work side-by-side with software developers to understand system architecture, participate in design reviews to identify potential quality issues early in the development lifecycle, and partner with product managers to clarify requirements. Additionally, you will interface with regulatory and compliance teams to ensure that all testing activities are documented in accordance with healthcare standards, creating a robust audit trail for every release.

To be competitive for the QA Engineer position at Verily, you should possess a strong blend of technical expertise, testing acumen, and soft skills suited for a highly collaborative environment.

• Must-have skills – Strong proficiency in SQL with a proven track record of validating database integrity. Solid understanding of functional QA methodologies, test planning, and defect tracking. Excellent communication skills and the ability to articulate technical issues clearly to both engineering and non-technical stakeholders.
• Nice-to-have skills – Prior experience working in a regulated industry, such as healthcare, medical devices, or biotech. Familiarity with FDA software review processes, GxP guidelines, or SaMD validation. Experience with test automation frameworks (e.g., Selenium, Cypress, Appium) or scripting languages like Python or Java.
• Experience level – Typically requires 3+ years of professional software quality assurance experience, with a strong preference for candidates who have worked on complex, data-heavy systems.
• Soft skills – Strong attention to detail, a proactive approach to problem-solving, and a highly collaborative mindset. You must be comfortable navigating ambiguity and adapting to evolving requirements.

Q: How technical is the SQL portion of the interview? A: The SQL evaluation is highly practical and rigorous. You should expect to write queries during a live coding session. It is designed to test real-world proficiency rather than theoretical knowledge, focusing on joins, aggregations, subqueries, and data validation techniques.

Q: Do I need prior healthcare or FDA experience to get hired? A: No, prior healthcare experience is not a strict requirement, but it is considered a strong plus. If you do not have a healthcare background, you can stand out by demonstrating a strong willingness to learn and showing that you understand the high stakes and documentation requirements of testing software in a regulated environment.

Q: What is the company culture like for QA Engineers? A: The culture is highly collaborative, mission-driven, and quality-focused. Engineers at Verily are passionate about the intersection of technology and health, and there is a strong respect for the QA function because everyone understands that software quality directly impacts patient outcomes.

Q: How fast does the interview process move? A: Candidates generally report that the recruiting team is highly responsive and schedules interviews quickly. The entire process from recruiter screen to final interview can often be completed in a matter of weeks, depending on candidate and interviewer availability.

To maximize your chances of success during the Verily interview loop, keep these practical tips in mind:

• Do your homework on Verily: Make sure you have a clear, articulate answer for why you want to work at Verily specifically. Understand their business model, their major initiatives (like clinical trial platforms), and how they differ from traditional tech companies.
• Use the STAR method: When answering behavioral questions, structure your responses using the Situation, Task, Action, and Result framework. Focus heavily on the Action you took and the tangible Result of your efforts, especially when discussing past examples of handling quality challenges.
• Be ready to explain your testing philosophy: Interviewers want to know how you think about quality. Be prepared to discuss how you balance manual and automated testing, how you handle tight deadlines, and how you advocate for quality throughout the software development lifecycle.

• Show a respect for documentation: In a regulated environment, undocumented testing is untested software. Highlight your experience in writing clear, detailed test plans and maintaining traceability throughout your testing process.

Securing a QA Engineer role at Verily is an exceptional opportunity to apply your technical skills to work that genuinely matters. By ensuring the quality, reliability, and safety of precision health platforms, you play a direct role in improving patient outcomes and advancing clinical research.

To prepare effectively, focus on mastering your SQL fundamentals, refining your functional testing strategies, and understanding the unique regulatory landscape of healthcare software. Approach your interviews with a collaborative mindset, a strong attention to detail, and a clear passion for Verily's mission.

The compensation insights shown above reflect the competitive packages offered to technical professionals at Verily. When evaluating an offer, consider the entire package, which typically includes a competitive base salary, equity options, and comprehensive benefits designed to support your well-being.

For additional practice questions, real candidate experiences, and deep-dive preparation resources, you can explore more insights on Dataford to help you walk into your interviews with complete confidence. Good luck with your preparation!