American Battery Solutions Inc. (ABS) is at the forefront of developing next-generation battery energy storage systems, powering the vehicles of today and tomorrow. At ABS, we focus on designing advanced lithium-ion battery solutions for diverse applications, ranging from autonomous systems to large-scale grid storage.

In joining the ABS team as a Software Engineer, you'll be responsible for the design, development, and implementation of software for cutting-edge Battery Management Systems (BMS). This role requires expertise in software and controls development, battery algorithms, functional safety, and CAN communications. With robust collaboration with global cross-functional teams and a focus on safety, quality, and innovation, you'll contribute to the evolution of energy storage technology.

Explore this guide to get insights on ABS’s interview process, commonly asked questions, and tips to excel. Let's get started on your journey with Interview Query!

Submitting Your Application

The first step is to submit a compelling application that reflects your technical skills and interest in joining American Battery Solutions Inc. as a Software Engineer. Whether you were contacted by a recruiter or have taken the initiative yourself, carefully review the job description and tailor your resume according to the prerequisites.

Tailoring your resume may include identifying specific keywords that the hiring manager might use to filter resumes and crafting a targeted cover letter. Furthermore, don’t forget to highlight relevant skills and mention your work experiences.

Recruiter/Hiring Manager Call Screening

If your resume happens to be among the shortlisted few, a recruiter from the American Battery Solutions Talent Acquisition Team will make contact and verify key details like your experiences and skill level. Behavioral questions may also be a part of the screening process.

In some cases, the hiring manager may be present during the screening round to answer your queries about the role and the company itself. They may also engage in surface-level technical and behavioral discussions.

The whole recruiter call should take about 30 minutes.

Technical Virtual Interview

Successfully navigating the recruiter round will present you with an invitation for the technical screening round. Technical screening for the Software Engineer role at American Battery Solutions usually is conducted through virtual means, including video conference and screen sharing. Questions in this 1-hour long interview stage may revolve around BMS software, CAN communications, and C/C++ development, among other related topics.

Depending on the seniority of the position, you may also be required to solve technical problems in real-time or be given a take-home assignment that you need to complete within a specified timeframe.

Onsite Interview Rounds

Following a second recruiter call outlining the next stage, you’ll be invited to attend the onsite interview loop. Multiple interview rounds will be conducted during your day at the American Battery Solutions office. Your technical prowess, including software development, algorithm design, and your experience with battery management systems, will be evaluated against the other finalized candidates throughout these interviews.

If you were assigned take-home exercises, a presentation round may also be conducted during the onsite interview.

Quick Tips For American Battery Solutions Interviews

A few tips for acing your American Battery Solutions Software Engineer interview include:

• Know Your Batteries: Be well-versed in Battery Management Systems, CAN communications, and safety requirements since these are core components of the job.
• Proficiency in Relevant Tools: Familiarize yourself with tools such as Matlab/Simulink/Stateflow, C/C++, and CANalyzer. You may face questions or practical assessments involving these.
• Multi-Disciplinary Skills: Highlight your ability to work across different environments, from software and controls to hardware. Demonstrating experience with Hardware-In-the-Loop systems could give you an edge.

Typically, interviews at American Battery Solutions Inc. vary by role and team, but commonly Software Engineer interviews follow a fairly standardized process across these question topics.

• Write a function digit_accumulator to sum every digit in a floating-point number string. You are given a string that represents some floating-point number. Write a function, digit_accumulator, that returns the sum of every digit in the string.

• Describe strategies to reduce tech debt and improve developer turnaround time. Suppose that you work at a fintech startup. Recently, management has raised the issue of the increased amount of developer hours needed to implement relatively simple features, citing tech debt as the primary cause. How would you go around decreasing tech debt and decreasing developer turnaround time?

• Create a function to find the nearest common ancestor of two nodes in a binary tree. You are given a binary tree of unique positive numbers. Each node in the tree is implemented as a dictionary with the keys left and right, indicating the node's left and right neighbors, respectively, and data that holds an integer value. Given two nodes as input (value1 and value2), write a function to return the value of the nearest node that is a parent to both nodes. If one of the nodes doesn't exist in the tree, return -1.

• Develop a function to determine the robot's path in a 4x4 matrix. A robot has been designed to navigate a two-dimensional 4x4 matrix by only moving forward or turning right when blocked by a wall of the matrix. Its starting position is in the top left corner of the matrix, denoted by (0,0), and the robot's final destination is the bottom right corner. Determine the full path of the robot before it hits the final destination or starts repeating the path.

• How would you improve Google Maps? As the PM on Google Maps, what specific features or enhancements would you implement to improve the user experience?

• What metrics would you check to see if your feature improvements are successful? Identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) you would monitor to evaluate the success of your feature improvements on Google Maps.

• What factors could have biased Jetco's boarding time study results? Jetco's study showed the fastest average boarding times. What potential biases or factors could have influenced these results, and what would you investigate further?

• How would you decrease tech debt and developer turnaround time at a fintech startup? Management has raised concerns about increased developer hours due to tech debt. What strategies would you implement to reduce tech debt and improve developer turnaround time?

• How would you design an incentive scheme for Uber drivers to go into high-demand city areas? Design an incentive scheme that encourages Uber drivers to operate in city areas where demand is high.

• Would you recommend a customer success manager or a free trial for Square's new software product? Square's CEO wants to hire a customer success manager, while another executive suggests a free trial. What would be your recommendation to get new or existing customers to use the new product, and why?

• How would you evaluate a method to match users with their siblings on Facebook? A product manager at Facebook has asked you to develop a method to match users to their siblings. How would you evaluate the effectiveness of this method or algorithm? What metrics might you use?

• How would you decrease tech debt and developer turnaround time at a fintech startup? Management at a fintech startup has raised concerns about increased developer hours needed to implement simple features due to tech debt. How would you address decreasing tech debt and improving developer turnaround time?

• What metrics and statistical methods would you use to identify dishonest users in a sports app? You work for a company with a sports app that tracks running, jogging, and cycling data. To identify dishonest users, such as those driving a car while claiming to bike, what metrics would you analyze and what statistical methods would you use to detect athletic anomalies?

What is the average salary for a Software Engineer at American Battery Solutions Inc.?

Q: What is the role of a Software Engineer at American Battery Solutions Inc.? The Software Engineer at American Battery Solutions Inc. is responsible for the design, development, and execution of Battery Management System (BMS) software for both 48V and high-voltage lithium-ion battery systems. This includes working on battery algorithms, functional safety, and CAN communications, among other tasks.

Q: What qualifications are required for the Software Engineer position at ABS? A candidate should have a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science or a related field, and a minimum of three years of experience in automotive or similar electrical systems. Proficiency in Battery Management System software, Matlab/Simulink/Stateflow, C/C++ software development, and experience with CAN and High Voltage batteries are also essential.

Q: What are the working conditions and physical requirements for this role? The role involves prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Occasionally, employees might need to move around industrial environments and lift up to 30 pounds. The working environment includes both a temperature-controlled office and occasional work in outdoor weather conditions or moderately loud industrial environments.

Q: What benefits does ABS offer to its employees? ABS provides a comprehensive benefits package that includes four weeks of paid time off, 15 holidays, health insurance (medical, dental, vision), short and long-term disability insurance, a 401K savings plan with matching contributions, tuition assistance, and career development opportunities.

Q: Why join American Battery Solutions Inc.? At ABS, you will be part of a dynamic team developing next-generation battery energy storage systems for various applications, from autonomous robots to electric vehicles. The company is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, offering competitive salaries, equity eligibility, and comprehensive benefits. Plus, the location in Hudson, MA, offers a vibrant community and a variety of activities.

If you want more insights about the company, check out our main American Battery Solutions Interview Guide, where we have covered many interview questions that could be asked. We’ve also created interview guides for other roles, such as software engineer and data analyst, where you can learn more about American Battery Solutions' interview process for different positions.

At Interview Query, we empower you to unlock your interview prowess with a comprehensive toolkit, equipping you with the knowledge, confidence, and strategic guidance to conquer every American Battery Solutions interview question and challenge.

You can check out all our company interview guides for better preparation, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Good luck with your interview!