Software Engineer, Framework Engineering Interview Process at Asana (Reykjavik Office)

The interview process for the Software Engineer, Framework Engineering position at Asana’s Reykjavik office is both thorough and focused on technical expertise, system design, and team collaboration. This role involves developing and maintaining frameworks that support Asana’s engineering teams, ensuring that core systems are scalable, maintainable, and easy to use. Based on my experience and feedback from others, here’s a detailed breakdown of the interview process, including examples and tips for preparation.

1. Resume Screening and Initial Contact

The first step is resume screening, where the recruiter looks for:

• Strong software engineering background, particularly in building scalable systems and frameworks.
• Familiarity with core technologies used at Asana, such as React, Node.js, Python, and AWS or other cloud technologies.
• Experience with framework development, tooling, and improving developer productivity.
• Collaboration skills, as you will be working across teams to ensure that frameworks are adopted and that teams have the right tools to develop high-quality software.

Once your resume aligns with these criteria, you’ll be contacted for an initial phone screen.

2. Recruiter Phone Screen

The recruiter phone screen typically lasts 30-45 minutes. This call is designed to assess:

• Motivation: The recruiter will ask about your interest in Asana, why you want to work in the Framework Engineering team, and what excites you about Asana’s mission.

  Example:

  “Why do you want to work in Framework Engineering at Asana, and what excites you about the role?”

• Technical Background: Expect a brief discussion of your experience with frameworks and how you’ve built systems that improve engineering productivity.

  Example:

  “Can you tell me about a framework or tool you’ve built that improved developer workflows or system scalability?”

• Team Fit: Asana values collaborative environments, so be prepared to talk about how you work with other engineers, product teams, and possibly designers to ensure smooth integrations of frameworks.

  Example:

  “Tell me about a time when you had to collaborate with multiple teams to build a solution. How did you manage priorities?”

The recruiter will also provide information about the hybrid work model, which includes some in-office days (typically 3 days a week in Asana’s Reykjavik office) and remote work flexibility.

3. Technical Interview

The technical interview typically lasts 60 minutes and focuses on assessing your problem-solving and system design skills. Expect to be tested on:

• System Design: You will be asked to design a system or a framework that can scale to support Asana’s growing needs. You will need to explain how you would handle performance, scalability, and maintainability of the system you design.

  Example:

  “Design a framework for a feature that allows Asana users to manage large datasets. How would you ensure that the system is scalable, efficient, and easy to maintain?”

  Example:

  “How would you design a shared component library to be used across multiple teams within Asana?”

• Code Analysis and Problem-Solving: Expect coding challenges that assess your ability to write clean, efficient code. The problems may involve algorithms, data structures, and system design.

  Example:

  “Given a large dataset, how would you optimize a search function to handle multiple concurrent queries?”

• Debugging and Troubleshooting: You may be presented with a scenario where you need to troubleshoot a problem with an existing framework or tool.

  Example:

  “You have a framework used by multiple teams, but it’s experiencing performance issues. How would you go about diagnosing and solving the problem?“

4. Behavioral Interview

The behavioral interview typically lasts 45-60 minutes and is designed to assess your leadership skills, problem-solving ability, and how you handle collaboration within teams. You’ll be asked about your experience managing cross-functional projects and how you lead engineering teams:

• Team Leadership: Be prepared to talk about how you have led teams to build scalable systems and frameworks.

  Example:

  “Describe a situation where you had to lead a team through a difficult technical challenge. How did you ensure the team remained focused and motivated?”

• Collaboration and Conflict Resolution: Asana places great emphasis on teamwork, so you’ll be asked about your ability to collaborate across different teams (e.g., engineering, product, design).

  Example:

  “Can you describe a time when you had to resolve a conflict between team members or between different departments? How did you approach it?”

• Continuous Improvement: Asana values engineers who focus on continuous improvement, so expect questions about how you gather feedback and iterate on systems and frameworks.

  Example:

  “Tell me about a time when you identified an area for improvement in your engineering team’s processes or tools. What changes did you make, and what was the impact?“

5. System Design Exercise or Case Study

In some cases, you may be asked to complete a system design exercise or case study. This is typically an in-depth exercise that evaluates your ability to design frameworks and systems to solve real-world engineering challenges. You will need to:

• Design a system from scratch, taking into account performance, scalability, and how different parts of the system will work together.

• Discuss trade-offs between different technical solutions and how you would balance engineering needs with business objectives.

  Example:

  “Design a framework that supports real-time collaboration across Asana’s product offerings. How would you ensure the system is scalable, fault-tolerant, and maintainable?”

This round tests your architectural thinking and your ability to consider both the big picture and detailed technical aspects of system design.

6. Final Interview with Senior Leadership

The final interview typically involves meeting with senior leadership, such as the VP of Engineering or Engineering Director. This interview is focused on assessing:

• Long-term Vision: Leadership will want to know how you plan to scale and evolve Asana’s framework engineering efforts as the company grows.

  Example:

  “Where do you see the future of framework engineering at Asana, and what role do you think it will play in Asana’s growth?”

• Cultural Fit: Asana’s culture places a strong emphasis on radical inclusion, collaboration, and transparency. You will be asked about how you foster these values within your teams.

  Example:

  “How do you ensure your engineering teams are inclusive and aligned with the company’s values? Can you provide an example of how you’ve promoted collaboration across teams?“

7. Offer and Negotiation

If successful, you’ll receive an offer. The compensation for this role typically includes:

• Base salary: The expected salary range is €70,000 to €100,000, depending on experience and market conditions.
• Equity and bonuses: Asana offers equity as part of the compensation package, along with performance-based bonuses.
• Benefits: Asana offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, wellness programs, mental health support, and career development opportunities.

Preparation Tips

• Master System Design: Be prepared to design systems and frameworks that are scalable, maintainable, and can handle high-volume usage.
• Understand the Developer Experience: Given that the role involves frameworks, understand how frameworks impact the developer experience and how to improve it.
• Brush up on Technical Skills: Review Apex, React, Node.js, Python, and other relevant technologies that Asana uses in its engineering stack.
• Focus on Collaboration: Asana values collaboration. Be ready to discuss how you have worked with cross-functional teams and ensured alignment between engineering and product teams.
• Show Leadership: Be prepared to demonstrate your leadership style, including how you mentor engineers, promote a growth mindset, and navigate challenging technical problems.