Senior Software Engineer, Performance Platform

As a Senior Software Engineer on the Performance Platform team at DoorDash, you will develop and maintain essential components that enable engineers to measure and tune service performance. Your role will involve tackling technical challenges, collaborating with various stakeholders, and mentoring junior engineers, all while driving impactful initiatives that enhance scalability and efficiency across DoorDash's systems.

To excel in the Senior Software Engineer role at DoorDash, candidates should have over 5 years of experience in software engineering, particularly with backend platform or infrastructure teams. Proficiency in object-oriented programming languages like Java, Kotlin, Go, or C/C# is essential. Additionally, experience in building scalable platform components and a product-centric approach to problem-solving will be crucial for your success on the team.

DoorDash is not just about delivering food, but also delivering opportunities for growth to its engineers. As a Senior Software Engineer, you will have the chance to lead cross-functional pods, mentor junior team members, and actively engage in key initiatives, providing a robust environment for professional development and personal growth within the company.

A typical day for a Senior Software Engineer at DoorDash involves collaborating with various teams to identify performance challenges and strategize solutions. You’ll dedicate your time to developing tools and frameworks, participating in engineering discussions, and mentoring peers. Each day offers a chance to tackle unique challenges and contribute significantly to the performance optimization of DoorDash's services.

The Performance Platform team at DoorDash is unique because of its mission to integrate performance deeply within the software development lifecycle. The team fosters a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and mentorship. Your contributions directly impact the efficiency and scalability of systems across the organization, while also enhancing the overall developer experience within DoorDash.

In answering this question, focus on specific projects you've worked on that illustrate your ability to build or maintain backend components. Highlight your role in those projects, any challenges you faced and overcame, and the impact your work had on system performance or efficiency.

It’s important to outline the OOP languages you are proficient in, such as Java or C++. Then, provide examples of how you've used these languages to solve problems, create tools, or optimize systems, stressing your ability to apply these languages in a real-world context.

Discuss your methodology for performance optimization, including how you analyze performance metrics, identify bottlenecks, and apply coding best practices. Use specific examples to demonstrate your systematic approach and the tools or frameworks you leverage.

Detail your mentoring experience by talking about how you've supported junior engineers, perhaps through code reviews, pair programming, or formal training sessions. Highlight the importance of knowledge sharing within the engineering team and how it contributes to overall success.

Provide a clear story where you worked with various stakeholders to identify and solve a technical issue. Emphasize the communication techniques you used, the collaborative tools or methods employed, and how the resolution improved the project or overall team workflow.

Discuss specific challenges related to scalability, such as increasing user load or data management issues, and explain how you addressed them. It’s essential to show analytical thinking and problem-solving skills during such instances.

In your answer, underscore key design principles like simplicity, modularity, and maintainability. Provide examples of how you've applied these principles in your previous work, highlighting decision-making processes and project outcomes.

Share a detailed account of a complex problem, focusing on your problem-solving approach, the steps taken to resolve it, and the final results. Emphasizing data-driven decision-making can also enhance your response.

Discuss your strategies for managing conflicting priorities, including communication techniques, prioritization frameworks, and how you ensure project objectives are met without alienating stakeholders.

Express your excitement for the role by aligning your skills and interests with DoorDash's mission. Discuss the appeal of integrating performance into the development lifecycle and how you envision contributing to the team’s goals.