Staff-Level Systems Engineer Interview Preparation Guide - FAANG Standards
Systems Engineer
Staff
8 rounds
Updated 11/23/2025
This guide is based on general FAANG interview practices and may not reflect specific company procedures.
Staff-level Systems Engineer interviews at FAANG companies assess your deep expertise in designing and operating large-scale, complex technical systems. The interview process evaluates your ability to architect scalable infrastructure solutions, lead complex technical initiatives across teams, mentor senior engineers, make strategic technology decisions, and operate systems reliably at massive scale. Expect a rigorous assessment spanning technical depth, architectural thinking, operational excellence, security consciousness, and leadership capabilities.
Interview Rounds
1
Recruiter Screening Call
30 min4 focus topicsculture fit
2
Technical Phone Screen - Systems Fundamentals
60 min6 focus topicstechnical
3
System Architecture Design - Round 1
75 min6 focus topicssystem design
4
System Architecture Design - Round 2
75 min6 focus topicssystem design
5
Infrastructure & Operations Deep Dive
60 min6 focus topicstechnical
6
Security & Compliance Architecture
60 min6 focus topicstechnical
7
Leadership & Mentorship Behavioral Interview
60 min6 focus topicsbehavioral
8
Bar Raiser / Hiring Manager Round
60 min6 focus topicsbehavioral
Additional Information