Airbnb Staff Systems Engineer Interview Preparation Guide

Airbnb's Staff-level interview process emphasizes domain expertise, architectural judgment, and technical leadership. The process spans 3-6 weeks and includes a recruiter screening, technical phone screen with system design or coding components, followed by 5 intensive onsite rounds covering infrastructure coding/scripting, system architecture design, system integration, security/compliance, and behavioral/culture fit assessment. Culture fit is evaluated throughout and is critical to receiving an offer. Airbnb values demonstrated proficiency in system design, infrastructure solutions, and clear communication of technical tradeoffs.