FAANG-Standard Interview Preparation Guide: Staff-Level Cloud Engineer
Cloud Engineer
Staff
7 rounds
Updated 11/23/2025
This guide is based on general FAANG interview practices and may not reflect specific company procedures.
Staff-level Cloud Engineer interviews at FAANG companies typically assess deep technical expertise in cloud architecture, infrastructure design, and system scalability, combined with leadership capabilities and cross-functional influence. The process emphasizes design thinking, trade-off analysis, hands-on automation experience, and the ability to mentor others while contributing to architectural decisions.
Interview Rounds
1
Recruiter Screening
30 min3 focus topicsbehavioral
2
Technical Screen: Cloud Architecture and Design
60 min5 focus topicstechnical
3
Technical Round: Infrastructure as Code and DevOps Automation
75 min5 focus topicstechnical
4
System Design Round: Large-Scale Cloud Infrastructure Architecture
90 min6 focus topicssystem design
5
Technical Deep Dive: Production Operations and Troubleshooting
75 min4 focus topicstechnical
6
Behavioral and Leadership Round
60 min5 focus topicsbehavioral
7
Hiring Manager and Team Fit Round
45 min3 focus topicsbehavioral
Additional Information