Senior Software Development Engineer (ZDX)

As a Senior Software Development Engineer (ZDX) at Zscaler, you'll be responsible for developing product features focused on data transformations, enrichment, and analytics. You'll write efficient and maintainable code, participate in code reviews, and actively mentor junior engineers to foster their growth. Collaborating with product managers and UX designers will also be a vital part of your role, ensuring you translate complex requirements into functional specifications.

To qualify for the Senior Software Development Engineer position at Zscaler, you need a minimum of 3 years of software development experience, particularly in core Java and distributed computing. A BS degree is required, and experience with topics such as real-time analysis of large volumes of streaming data, CI/CD systems like Jenkins, and development of microservices is critical. Mastery of unit testing in a Test-Driven Development (TDD) environment is also important.

At Zscaler, the work environment for a Senior Software Development Engineer is fast-paced, collaborative, and innovative. The culture fosters creativity with a focus on inclusivity, allowing team members to contribute actively to projects and discussions while supporting one another. The role is hybrid, requiring three days in the office in the beautiful San Jose, California, fostering team synergy and collaboration while still allowing for flexibility.

Mentorship plays a significant role for Senior Software Development Engineers at Zscaler. In addition to leading projects and delivering high-quality code, you'll have the opportunity to guide and mentor junior engineers. This involves sharing your expertise, offering constructive feedback during code reviews, and supporting them in developing their skills to maximize their contribution to the team.

As a Senior Software Development Engineer at Zscaler, you can expect a comprehensive benefits program that includes health plans, vacation and sick leave, parental leave options, and retirement plans. Additionally, educational reimbursement and various in-office perks are part of our commitment to supporting employees and their families throughout different life stages.

When answering this question, describe specific projects where you successfully implemented microservices architecture, focusing on your role and the technologies used. Discuss challenges faced, how you overcame them, and the benefits realized from applying a microservices approach in terms of scalability and maintainability.

Detail your approach to maintaining code quality. Mention tools and systems you use, like code reviews, automated testing, and continuous integration/deployment practices. Include examples of how you've improved code quality in past projects and the metrics you monitored to assess its effectiveness.

Share specific examples of systems you've developed or worked on that involve real-time data processing. Highlight the technologies used and the challenges of handling large volumes of data. Discuss the importance of accuracy and timeliness in your solutions and how you ensured these criteria were met.

Explain your approach to facilitating effective collaboration. You might discuss regular meetings or use of integration tools to ensure the front-end and back-end teams are synced on requirements and changes. Provide examples of successful projects where strong collaboration led to positive results.

Mention specific metrics you track, such as code coverage, response times of APIs, and system performance. Explain how these metrics help guide your development process and decision-making, and give examples of situations where metrics informed improvements or changes.

Share a detailed story about a challenge, focusing on the context, the specific issue, and the steps you took to resolve it. Highlight any lessons learned and how this experience shaped your approach to future challenges in software development.

List the languages and frameworks where you have extensive experience, particularly those relevant to the Senior Software Development Engineer role such as Java, Spring Boot, and various database management systems. Provide examples of how you've applied these technologies in real projects.

Discuss your strategies for continuous learning, such as online courses, workshops, or collaboration with peers. Mention any recent technologies you've mastered and how you applied them in a project setting. Illustrate your adaptability and motivation to stay current in the software development landscape.

Share a specific instance where you identified performance bottlenecks in an application and the steps taken to rectify them. Discuss any profiling tools you used, the changes made, and the measurable improvements observed after optimization.

Explain your preferred methods for unit testing and how you’ve applied Test-Driven Development (TDD) practices in past projects. Provide examples of frameworks you use, such as JUnit or TestNG, and discuss the benefits of TDD that you've experienced firsthand.