Software Engineer · Phone Screen · System Design

Rippling — Software Engineer ❌ Failed

Level: Unknown Level

Round: Phone Screen · Type: System Design · Difficulty: 7/10 · Duration: 60 min · Interviewer: Neutral

Topics: System Design, API Design, Database Design, Time Series Database

Location: San Francisco Bay Area

Interview date: 2026-01-22

Got offer: False

Summary

I prepared for two system design questions: a news aggregator and a metrics monitoring system. I was interviewed on the metrics monitoring system and was asked to design the SDK API. The interviewer asked detailed questions about the implementation of the time series database and why it's so fast. I also had to write the schema for each table. I have not received a response after two days, so I believe I failed.

Details

The focus of the interview was on designing a metrics monitoring system, with a particular emphasis on the SDK API design. The interviewer probed deeply into the underlying mechanisms of time series databases and the reasoning behind their performance. I had to provide detailed table schemas.

Preparation Tips:

• System Design: Brush up on system design principles, particularly in the context of metrics monitoring systems.
• API Design: Pay close attention to API design principles and best practices, especially for SDKs.
• Time Series Databases: Gain a thorough understanding of how time series databases work, including their internal optimizations and data structures.
• Database Schemas: Be prepared to design detailed database schemas, including table structures and data types.