Walmart | SE-III-ML Platform | Pending/HiringFreeze

I interviewed for a Software Engineer III role on the ML Platform team at Walmart in July. I have approximately seven years of experience and applied through their online portal.

The interview process consisted of three rounds:

Round 1: Data Structures and Algorithms (1 hour) This round focused on data structures and algorithms. I was asked to solve the following problems:

1. Two Sum problem: I proposed an O(n^2) solution and then optimized it to O(n) time and space complexity.
2. Follow-up: What if the list of numbers is sorted? I solved this using two pointers to optimize to O(1) space complexity.
3. Follow-up: Three Sum
4. Combination Sum: I suggested the approach and attempted to solve it, but my solution had a few bugs. I ran out of time and could not complete it. I enjoyed solving these problems as they were well-structured by the interviewer.

Round 2: Machine Learning/Python (1 hour) This round focused on machine learning and Python. The interviewer delved into the projects I mentioned on my resume. I was also asked how I would improve a solution I had built two years ago. I really liked this question. The round also included questions on Python and machine learning fundamentals. The feedback seemed positive, and the interviewer was relaxed and easy to talk to. We had a good discussion.

Round 3: Hiring Manager (45 minutes) This round was with the hiring manager. The questions focused on my work experience, how I would bring value to the team, and my expectations from the role.

Verdict: The process was pending, but due to a hiring freeze and reorganization within the team, the process did not complete. As my notice period was about to expire, I accepted another offer.