Rippling SDE-1 Interview Experience
Summary
Successfully cleared the SDE-1 interview at Rippling with a focus on Data Structures & Algorithms and Low Level Design. The interview process included two rounds: a 60-minute DS&A session with two specific problems and a 60-minute Low Level Design round for an Employee Access Management System. The candidate received an offer after completing both rounds.
Full Experience
My interview experience at Rippling for the SDE-1 position was both challenging and enlightening. I started with the first round, which focused on Data Structures & Algorithms. The first question required me to calculate the total duration to complete all tasks and determine the order of task execution given two 2D lists representing tasks and their dependencies. The second question was similar to LeetCode 1136 - Parallel Courses, which I had encountered before but needed to apply my knowledge in a slightly different context.
For the second round, I was tasked with designing an Employee Access Management System. The problem required implementing several methods to manage access types for employees across various resources. This round tested my understanding of object-oriented design and system architecture, as I had to ensure that the methods handled multiple access types and efficiently retrieved access information.
Overall, the interview process was thorough and provided a good balance between theoretical knowledge and practical problem-solving. I felt confident in my preparation and was happy to receive an offer after successfully completing both rounds.
Interview Questions (2)
Design an Employee Access Management System with the following requirements:
Entities:
- Multiple employees (E1, E2, E3, ..., En)
- Multiple resources (R1, R2, R3, ..., Rn)
Three types of access: READ, WRITE, ADMIN
Methods to Implement:
- grant_access(employee_id, resource_id, access_type)
- revoke_access(employee_id, resource_id, access_type)
- retrieve_access(employee_id, resource_id)
- retrieve_resources(employee_id)
Preparation Tips
For the interview, I focused on practicing Data Structures & Algorithms problems, especially those related to graph theory and topological sorting. I also reviewed system design concepts and practiced designing simple systems. I made sure to understand the problem statements thoroughly and think through possible edge cases. Additionally, I prepared for behavioral questions and practiced explaining my thought process clearly.