Do you dream of working on products used by millions of users? Are you excited by the frontiers of digital connection? Do you want to work on never-been-done-before problems? If so, software engineering (SWE) at Meta could be a great fit for you.
Meta’s mission is to connect the world. The company operates at the cutting edge of digital connection and communication, and is responsible for some of the most popular products around the world, including:
Virtual reality (VR) hardware and software, including Oculus (now rebranded as Quest)
Social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, and Threads
Communication applications like Messenger and WhatsApp
An incredible team of software engineers supports these products and many others. SWEs at Meta code and maintain key products, platforms, and infrastructure in partnership with product managers, designers, and data scientists. Meta moves fast, but the culture is known to be welcoming, supportive, and non-hierarchical.
This guide was written with the help of multiple software engineers at Meta.
What does a Meta SWE do?
SWEs at Meta typically either support a product or work on the infrastructure required to run Meta’s distributed products and services. Specialist roles do exist, especially in iOS/Android engineering and in evolving technologies like machine learning and augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR).
Product engineers are assigned to specific products, like Instagram, Quest, or WhatsApp. As a product engineer, you’ll typically focus on improving, enhancing, and maintaining these products.
Infrastructure engineers focus on the various systems that make up Meta. As an infrastructure SWE, you’ll analyze and improve key metrics like system efficiency, scalability, and stability.
Open job descriptions for product SWEs include items like:
Full-stack development with a variety of coding languages.
Create consumer products and features using internal programming language Hack.
Implement web or mobile interfaces using XHTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Work closely with our PM and design teams to define feature specifications and build products leveraging frameworks like React & React Native.
Proactively identify and drive changes as needed for assigned codebase, product area and/or systems.
Meanwhile, a typical job description for an infrastructure SWE includes:
Code using primarily C/C++, Java, PHP, and Hack.
Design core, backend software components.
Interface with other teams to incorporate their innovations and vice versa.
Conduct design and code reviews.
Analyze and improve efficiency, scalability, and stability of various system resources.
Like other large tech companies, the expectations for junior vs. senior SWEs vary.
A junior SWE should expect to complete tasks as part of a larger project, such as coding medium to large features (each with many tasks) independently. A mid-level SWE would be expected to take ownership of larger projects, and senior SWEs would be expected to set project direction and goals while mentoring and supporting junior SWEs.
Compensation increases with responsibility. According to Levels.FYI:
An entry-level SWE (L1) makes $195K with a $142K base salary.
Mid-level SWEs (L4 and L5) make between $300K and $405K, with base salaries between $177K and $207K.
Senior SWEs (L6 and above) make at least $618K with $247K in base salary.
What are the typical job requirements for a Meta SWE?
Excluding interns, Meta SWE candidates typically need:
Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in computer science, engineering, or a similar field. At least 1-3 years minimum of programming experience and experience building large-scale applications. You should also have at least a year’s experience designing and completing features without guidance.
Specialized Experience: At least 1-2 years of experience in the specialization given in the job description. For example, product engineers should have experience with web/mobile interfaces and be comfortable with languages like JavaScript, XHTML, and CSS. Infrastructure engineers should have experience with C/C++, Java, and PHP.
Differentiate yourself by learning Hack, an object-oriented language developed by Meta.
Recommendations before you begin applying for Meta SWE roles
Get to know Meta’s suite of products. You’ll likely run into questions on how to design or optimize Meta systems and products later in your onsite interview. Begin familiarizing yourself with Meta’s products now so that you can design intelligently.
Revamp your resume. Meta’s company culture prizes the ability to communicate clearly and effectively, and your resume is the perfect way to demonstrate this from the beginning. Make sure you can tell a coherent, compelling story around all the experiences listed on your resume and why you’re an ideal candidate.
Practice with mock interviews. Exponent's coaching services are your best friend. Don’t limit your pool of mock partners to other SWEs and peers in tech. Grab a non-tech friend and describe the most recent project you spearheaded. Communicating effectively with engineers and non-technical collaborators will be critical to your success.
Lean on your community. Find a few Meta SWEs on Exponent or LinkedIn and ask about their experiences. They’ve gone through what you’re going through now, and they’re great sources of information and support.
Interview Process
Typically, there are three stages to Meta software engineer interviews:
A short recruiter screen where you’ll get standard behavioral questions.
A technical screen, where you’ll answer one or two data structures and algorithms (DS&A) questions in under 35 minutes.
An onsite interview consisting of at least three rounds, including coding, system design, and behavioral questions.
The process from recruiter screen to offer can take 4-8 weeks.
Recruiter Screen
The first interview, a 30-minute recruiter phone screen, is fairly straightforward and primarily based on your resume. Expect questions about your past work experience, major projects listed on your resume, and why you want to work at Meta.
This interview is standard and short. Prepare an “elevator pitch” that positions you as an ideal candidate in terms of fit, both experiential (by reviewing your resume and connecting your experience to the job description) and cultural. Our biggest tip for the recruiter screen is to practice talking through your resume succinctly, clearly, and in a way that fits Meta’s story and guiding principles.
Your recruiter will also share details about the rest of the interview process, so be prepared with any questions.
Technical Screen
Next, you’ll meet a Meta software engineer to solve one or two coding problems in about 35 minutes.
The questions will assess your knowledge of basic data structures and algorithms as well as CS fundamentals. Choose your strongest language and practice solving problems using CoderPad with a timer. Aim to be able to solve medium-hard problems in about 15 minutes.
The onsite Meta software engineer interview consists of 3-5 conversations covering:
Coding questions
A system design round
Behavioral questions
Coding
Coding rounds during the onsite are similar to the initial tech screen but may be more challenging. You’ll have 40 minutes to solve one or two problems, discuss edge cases, and summarize next steps you’d take to optimize further.
What are Meta coding interviewers looking for?
Meta is assessing you in four main focus areas:
Problem-solving: Can you comprehend challenging problems and devise solutions to them? Do you optimize your solutions for space and time complexity?
Coding: Can you translate your ideas into code? Is the code logical, readable, and organized?
Verification: Are you running tests to verify your solution is working as planned? Can you explain why your solution is good? Are you able to catch your bugs?
Communication: Can you communicate your ideas and concepts? Do you know how to ask the right questions to get to the root of a problem?
Your code doesn’t have to be perfect. The interviewer will not compile your code, so small mistakes won’t derail your interview. However, interviewers are looking for candidates who can find and fix their own mistakes. As you practice, be sure to run plenty of tests and explain why your solution makes sense.
User interface or front-end engineering candidates will be expected to code in JavaScript. SWE candidates applying for generalist roles will get to pick their strongest language for the coding interview.
How to prepare
The best preparation for coding interviews is practice. Recent Meta SWE interviewees recommend that candidates practice solving many different types of DS&A questions rather than getting good at one or two types.
It’s hard to predict the exact question you’ll get, but common questions look like this:
Given an array of integers where each element is, at most, k places away from its sorted position, code an efficient function that sorts the array.
Given a root of a Binary Search Tree (BST) and a number, implement a function to find the largest key in the tree that is smaller than the given number.
We want to build a simple calculator. Write a function that accepts a string as input and returns the answer as a number. It should follow the standard order of operations and support addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
If you’re new to coding interviews, it’s helpful to watch real SWEs at companies like Meta, Google, and more work through coding questions. Start with these:
Here are some additional tips for acing coding interviews:
Stick to a schedule. Block out regular intervals to practice writing code. Time yourself to get through coding challenges in 15 to 20 minutes.
Practice coding without tools. You won’t have access to a compiler, syntax highlighter, or autocomplete in the interview. Practice coding in a text editor to get a realistic idea of how the interview will run.
Review core algorithms. Meta won’t ask you dynamic programming questions, but it’s worth reviewing basic graph search, binary search, and sorting algorithms.
Review common data structures. Arrays, stacks, queues, hash tables, and trees are all fair game. Review their structures, pros and cons in terms of efficiency, and common applications of each.
Ask questions before you start. Many candidates jump into a solution before fully exploring the problem space. Before you write your first line of code, fully understand the problem. Ask clarifying questions and break the problem into digestible chunks, if needed.
System Design
Next, you’ll have a 45-minute system design round. You’ll be expected to lead the conversation given a vague prompt such as “Design Instagram.” Common questions include:
You’ll be expected to scope the problem, identify requirements, choose appropriate components and APIs, design a high-level system, evaluate edge cases, and consider scalability, robustness, and efficiency.
What are Meta system design interviewers looking for?
Overall, your interviewers want to see that you can solve a significant engineering problem—something you’ll do every day on the job. Generally, the emphasis will be on whether you can build a product or API that meets user needs and scales appropriately.
Meta is looking for a few key signals:
Problem navigation: Can you break an ambiguous problem down effectively? Can you ask the right questions to understand and then design around requirements and constraints?
Design: Can you build a working solution that meets the needs of its intended users?
Technical excellence: Can you dive deep into technical details without losing sight of the big picture? Can you identify and articulate technical dependencies and weigh tradeoffs? Can you mitigate risk and scale systems?
Communication: Can you communicate your ideas? Is your reasoning clear? Can you incorporate interviewer feedback effectively?
How to prepare
Interviewers are most interested in how you think about components and design robust, scalable systems.
If you haven’t interviewed recently, your CS and system design fundamentals may be rusty. Check out Exponent’s Fundamentals of System Design course for a thorough refresher and many real-world mock interviews. Get comfortable discussing:
Testability: How will you know the components you’ve chosen are correct?
Usability: How will you quickly assess the end user’s experience with the system or product? How will you pivot to address changing needs?
Extensibility: How will your system change over time?
Security: Can your design survive DDOS, spoofing, tampering,
repudiation, etc.?
Portability: How will your design execute in different environments?
Availability: How does your design handle failures?
Scalability: How will your design handle changes in traffic?
Operational characteristics: How will you diagnose or debug problems when they occur?
You’ll have 45 minutes to clarify the problem, design your system, and assess your solutions. We recommend you practice the following framework, timing yourself until you’ve got a sense of how long each step takes you.
First, define the problem. Ask clarifying questions until you thoroughly understand the task and have a concrete set of requirements.
Then design a high-level system. Start simple and expand later if needed.
Deep dive into the component-level decisions. Explain each component choice (emphasizing the APIs) and the data model. Whiteboard your design, articulating your thought process throughout.
Identify bottlenecks and scale your system.
Finally, review your design. Run through your requirements again, suggest any changes you’d make given more information, summarize tradeoffs, and answer any questions.
What are Meta behavioral interviewers looking for?
Behavioral interviews mainly assess culture fit, ability to collaborate effectively on a team, and ability to lead. Meta’s culture is famously fast-paced, so interviewers are looking for candidates who can succeed without much direct oversight.
Meta looks for these key signals in behavioral interviews:
Resolving conflict: How do you resolve conflict? Can you empathize with others and respect differing opinions?
Growing continuously: Do you proactively seek growth opportunities? Can you take constructive criticism as an opportunity to improve?
Embracing ambiguity: Are you comfortable making decisions, even when lacking clarity? How do you react when your priorities shift quickly?
Driving results: How have you been impactful in the past? Are you self-directed in reaching goals despite obstacles?
Communicating effectively: Are you a team player? Can you effectively communicate with cross-functional partners?
How to prepare
To prepare for behavioral interviews, first review Meta’s mission and core principles. When reviewing your resume and crafting your narratives for behavioral interviews, focus on actions you took that mesh with these values:
Move fast. We build and learn faster than anyone else. Acting with urgency, we don’t wait until next week to do something we could do today. We continuously work to speed up our highest-priority initiatives by methodically removing barriers that get in the way. It’s about moving fast in one direction together–as a company and as individuals.
Focus on long-term impact. We emphasize long-term thinking that encourages us to extend the timeline for the impact we have, rather than optimizing for near-term wins. We should take on the challenges that will be the most impactful, even if the full results won’t be seen for years.
Build awesome things. We push ourselves to ship things that are not just good, but also awe-inspiring. We’ve already built products that are useful to billions of people. In our next chapter, we’ll focus more on inspiring them as well, in everything we do.
Live in the future. Let’s build the future of work that we want, with an in-person focus designed to support a strong, valuable experience for our people who have chosen to work from the office and a thoughtful and intentional approach to where we invest in remote work. This also means being early adopters of the future products we build to help people feel present together wherever they are.
Be direct and respect your colleagues. We create a culture where we are straightforward and willing to have hard conversations with each other. At the same time, we are also respectful and when we share feedback, we recognize that many of the world’s leading experts work here.
Meta, metamates, and me. We are stewards of our company and our mission. We have a sense of responsibility for our collective success and to each other as teammates. It’s about taking care of our company and each other.
It can be hard to predict behavioral questions, so we recommend preparing a story bank to pull from. As you tweak your story bank and prep for common behavioral questions, ask yourself:
What do I do to ensure that my actions align with my team and my company?
Why do I want to work at Meta? What about Meta’s vision resonates best with me?
How have I shown leadership in my past projects and personal relationships?
How have I been an effective communicator and collaborator? What has my experience taught me, and what will I bring to Meta?
Use the STAR framework to keep answers succinct and straightforward, but be cautious of practicing to the point you sound robotic. Interviewers want to see authenticity.
Invest time into studying code. Don’t let the coding interview stress you out. Practice plenty of sample questions with a timer while narrating your process—practice writing code in a plain text doc for the most realistic experience.
Communication, communication, communication. Remember to communicate. SWEs at Meta work at the intersection of multiple teams, so your ability to communicate as a team player is crucial.
Ask questions. It can feel daunting at first, but Meta is interested in curiosity and forthrightness in interviewees. Ask clarifying questions during technical rounds, and don’t be afraid to ask interviewees about Meta life and culture. This signals interest, forges connections with interviewers, and helps you stay on track when answering questions.
FAQs
What are some additional ways I can level up my coding skill set in preparation? There are tons of resources out there! Alongside the previously mentioned opportunities, Meta suggests Topcoder, GeeksQuiz, and CareerCup as coding resources.
Does Meta offer internships and junior SWE positions? Yes! Meta offers roles that give PhD students, recent grads, and summer interns the opportunity to be paired with a 1:1 mentor and learn more about life at Meta. Find out more on the Meta Students & Grads page.
What are Meta’s principles? Meta has six core values that drive the culture of the company. These are: move fast; focus on long-term impact; build awesome things; live in the future; be direct and respect your colleagues; meta, metamates, me. Incorporating these into your application can help strengthen your alignment with the company’s vision.