Android Engineer - job 1 of 2

The Android Engineer at Via is primarily responsible for enhancing the driver experience by developing and maintaining core features of the mobile application. This includes collaborating with designers and backend engineers, tackling complex production issues, and managing mobile infrastructure services hosted on AWS. These responsibilities ensure that the application remains user-friendly and reliable for drivers worldwide.

Candidates for the Android Engineer position at Via should have 2-3 years of hands-on experience with Android development, focusing on Kotlin and Java. A strong understanding of the Android application lifecycle, app architecture patterns, and performance optimization is crucial. Additional familiarity with AWS and concurrent programming using Kotlin Coroutines or RxJava is preferred, making the ideal candidate someone who can handle both mobile and backend integration.

As an Android Engineer at Via, your work directly supports the company’s mission to transform public transportation. By enhancing the mobile app that drivers rely on, you’re helping to create more efficient and accessible transportation solutions. This, in turn, impacts cities globally by making them greener and more connected through better transit options.

The Android Engineer role at Via functions within a collaborative team environment that includes designers, backend engineers, and product managers. This structure fosters innovation and promotes effective problem-solving, as team members work together to deliver high-quality, user-friendly applications for drivers. The team operates in a hybrid model, enhancing flexibility and collaboration.

At Via, Android Engineers benefit from a robust career development framework that encourages continuous learning and growth. Opportunities for advancement in technical skills, leadership roles, and transitions into different areas of interest, such as backend development or product management, are common. The company also values employees’ contributions and promotes a culture of recognition and support.

When asked about your experience with Kotlin and Java, it's important to discuss specific projects where you've used these technologies. Highlight any innovative features you developed, challenges you overcame, and how you leveraged Kotlin's capabilities for cleaner code or performance enhancements.

In your response, discuss your approach to diagnosing problems quickly, such as using logging and debugging tools. Emphasize your experience in resolving critical issues under pressure, and illustrate how you prioritize user experience while ensuring minimal disruption.

Share techniques you’ve employed to optimize app performance, like memory management practices, minimizing resource usage, and leveraging background tasks efficiently, especially using Kotlin Coroutines or RxJava. Discuss any measurable improvements you’ve achieved in user experience as a result.

You should explain the various stages of the Android application lifecycle, including activity and fragment management. Discuss why understanding this lifecycle is essential for managing resources efficiently and how it impacts user experience with seamless transitions and state management.

Mention specific tools like Android Profiler, Logcat, and debug modes in your IDE. Describe how you use these tools to trace issues and ensure your application runs smoothly, highlighting your problem-solving approach during development.

Explain your commitment to continuous learning by mentioning platforms like Android Developer Blog, GitHub repositories, coding forums, or participation in developer communities. Describe how this knowledge influences your work and enables you to implement best practices in your projects.

Provide detailed examples of a feature you designed and developed, such as integrating Google Maps API for location services. Discuss the challenges faced, the architecture decisions made, and the positive impact it had on the user experience.

Share your knowledge of deploying mobile applications that interact with AWS backend services. Describe specific services you've used, such as AWS Lambda or DynamoDB, and how they enhance the functionality and scalability of your Android applications.

Discuss your communication style and teamwork philosophy when working with cross-functional teams. Emphasize the importance of feedback loops, understanding user needs, and iterating on designs to create user-centric applications that meet business objectives.

In your answer, elaborate on different architectural patterns such as MVC, MVVM, and MVP. Discuss how using these patterns helps in maintaining clean code, enhances scalability, and improves testing in Android applications, while also reflecting on your real-world applications of these concepts.