Blue Origin Software Engineer Interview Questions + Guide in 2024

Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, envisions a future where millions of people live and work in space for the benefit of Earth. The company’s mission revolves around developing reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems. They emphasize a culture grounded in safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join Blue Origin’s diverse team as they rewrite the history of spaceflight.

The Software Engineer role at Blue Origin is an opportunity to impact space exploration significantly. You will be tasked with designing, developing, and implementing software solutions integral to Blue Origin’s aerospace operations. This position will entail working closely with a multidisciplinary team to ensure seamless software integrations from vehicle design to mission operations.

This comprehensive resource will equip you with the knowledge and insights you need to navigate the interview process and answer the commonly asked Blue Origin Software Engineer interview questions successfully. By completing this guide, you’ll be well-prepared to demonstrate your abilities and passion for space exploration.

The interview process usually depends on the role and seniority; however, you can expect the following on a Blue Origin software engineer interview:

Recruiter Call Screening

If your CV catches the recruiter’s eye, you will receive a call from Blue Origin’s Talent Acquisition Team. The recruiter will verify key details such as your experience, skills, and why you want to join Blue Origin. The screening typically involves discussing your background, previous projects, and relevant technologies.

The recruiter call may also include some behavioral questions. This call typically lasts about 30 minutes and sets the stage for the subsequent technical evaluations.

Technical Virtual Interview

Navigating the initial recruiter screening successfully will lead to a technical screening round. This is usually conducted through virtual means, such as phone or video calls. The technical screening could involve one or more team members and may encompass questions about your general programming knowledge, specific domain expertise, and a coding exercise or problem.

The technical interview lasts about an hour and delves into your programming prowess, problem-solving skills, and familiarity with the technical stack relevant to the role you’re applying for.

Presentation and Panel Interviews

If you successfully pass the technical screening, the next step is an onsite or virtual ‘full-day’ interview. You’ll need to prepare a presentation on a topic relevant to the role or a past project. Generally, this presentation lasts around 60 minutes: 45 minutes of presenting followed by 15 minutes of questions.

After the presentation, you’ll typically have several one-on-one or panel interviews with team members and hiring managers. These interviews will include a mix of technical, behavioral, and situational questions. Sometimes, real-scenario problems and case studies may also be included.

Onsite Interview Rounds

During the onsite interview, you may go through multiple interview rounds over the day. These sessions typically consist of in-depth technical interviews, problem-solving exercises, and further discussion of your presentation. The interview panel may continually evaluate your compatibility with Blue Origin’s mission, vision, and the specific team you’re aiming to join.

Practice for the Blue Origin Software Engineer interview with these recently asked interview questions:

Blue Origin Software Engineer Coding and Algorithms Interview Questions

Coding and algorithms questions arise in 83% of Blue Origin job interviews. They are particularly prevalent in business analyst (97%) and software engineer (97%) interviews.

1. Identify all duplicate values in a list of integers.

Given a list of integers, identify all the duplicate values in the list. Assume that the list can contain both positive and negative numbers, and the order of the list does not matter. A number is considered a duplicate if it appears more than once in the list. Return a list of the duplicate numbers.

2. Select the top five most expensive projects by budget to employee count ratio.

Write a query to account for duplicate rows in the employee_projects table and select the top five most expensive projects by budget to employee count ratio.

3. Create a subquery or common table expression to find the top 3 ads and return join results.

Create a subquery or common table expression named top_ads containing the top 3 ads by popularity and return the number of rows resulting from different join operations with the ads table.

4. Find employees who joined before their manager.

Given two tables, employees and managers, find the names of all employees who joined before their manager.

5. Write a function to rotate a matrix by 90 degrees clockwise.

Given an array filled with random values, write a function rotate_matrix to rotate the array by 90 degrees in the clockwise direction.

For practicing Coding and Algorithms, consider using the Python learning path or the full list of Algorithms questions in our database.

Blue Origin Software Engineer Analytics and Experiments Interview Questions

Analytics and experiments questions are virtually non-existent in Blue Origin job interviews, with a frequency of 0%. They are most infrequently asked during software engineer interviews, appearing in only 10% of such interviews.

6. How do we select the best 10,000 customers for a pre-launch of a new show on Amazon Prime Video?

You are working as a data scientist at Amazon Prime Video, and they want to test the launch of a new show on 10,000 customers first. How would you go about selecting the best 10,000 customers for the pre-launch?

7. What would the process look like for pre-launching a TV show on Amazon Prime to measure its performance?

Describe the steps and metrics you would use to pre-launch a TV show on Amazon Prime and measure its performance.

8. How would you evaluate the results of an A/B test on an eCommerce checkout page for free shipping?

You ran an A/B test on an eCommerce checkout page to see if surfacing free shipping increases conversions. The control group had no free shipping specification, while the experiment group did. How would you evaluate the results and determine if the test was successful?

9. How would you conduct an experiment to test displaying ETA as a range instead of a direct estimate at Uber?

A PM at Uber is considering a feature to display ETA as a range (e.g., 3-7 minutes) instead of a direct estimate (e.g., 5 minutes). How would you conduct this experiment and determine if the results are significant?

10. How would you decide whether Google should build a game feature for Google Home?

Your co-worker has an idea to build a game feature for Google Home. How would you go about deciding whether Google should build it?

11. How would you measure the effectiveness of giving extra pay to delivery drivers during peak hours at a food delivery company?

You work at a food delivery company and need to measure the effectiveness of giving extra pay to delivery drivers during peak hours to meet consumer demand. How would you measure this?

For practicing Analytics and Experiments, consider using the product metrics learning path and the data analytics learning path. These resources can help you understand and apply key concepts effectively.

Blue Origin Software Engineer Statistics and Probability Interview Questions

Statistics and probability questions do not come up in Blue Origin job interviews. There are no specific positions for which these questions are asked, as indicated by the data.

12. How would you explain what a p-value is to someone who is not technical?

Explain the concept of a p-value in simple terms to someone without a technical background.

13. What is the difference between Logistic and Linear Regression, and when would you use one instead of the other?

Describe the differences between Logistic and Linear Regression and provide practical scenarios for using each method.

For practicing Statistics and Probability questions, consider using the Statistics and A/B testing learning path and the Probability learning path. These resources will help you understand and solve complex problems effectively.

Blue Origin Software Engineer Machine Learning Interview Questions

Machine learning questions do not come up in Blue Origin job interviews. No specific positions were found where these questions are asked.

14. What is the difference between Logistic and Linear Regression? When would you use one instead of the other in practice?

Explain the key differences between Logistic and Linear Regression. Describe scenarios where each method is more appropriate to use in practice.

To get ready for machine learning interview questions, we recommend taking the machine learning course.

Here are some tips to help you ace your software engineer interview at Blue Origin:

1. Deep Dive into Blue Origin’s Mission: Understand Blue Origin’s long-term goals and vision. Tailor your responses to reflect alignment with their mission of enabling millions of people to live and work in space.

2. Prepare for Technical Rigor: Brush up on fundamental computer science concepts, algorithms, and data structures. Practicing coding problems on platforms like LeetCode can be beneficial.

3. Practice Your Presentation: Ensure that your presentation is clear, concise, and well-structured. Practicing your delivery multiple times and preparing for potential questions can help ease any nerves.

What is the average salary for a software engineer at Blue Origin?

What does Blue Origin seek in a software engineer candidate?

Blue Origin values candidates who can showcase their technical expertise, leadership qualities, and commitment to quality and safety. They are looking for problem-solvers who bring creativity, innovation, and a passion for space exploration. Applicants should be open to feedback, able to collaborate effectively, and committed to fostering a culture of inclusion within the team.

What are the required skills for a software engineer at Blue Origin?

Here is a list of the required skills that Blue Origin looks for in its software engineers:

1. Proficiency in languages like Java, Python, TypeScript, or JavaScript.

2. Strong understanding of computer science fundamentals, including algorithms and data structures.

3. Experience in building web interfaces using Angular or React.

4. Familiarity with AWS components and DevOps tools like Docker and Kubernetes.

5. Solid communication skills and problem-solving abilities.

6. At least 2 years of relevant experience and flexibility to work in an environment with evolving requirements.

Blue Origin seeks innovative software engineers to shape the future of space travel. By excelling in technical problem-solving and demonstrating expertise in software development and aerospace algorithms, you’ll stand out as a top candidate.

You may also visit our career page and discover the life-changing projects you could be a part of. Your perfect role awaits you at Blue Origin.

Best of luck with your interview, and we can’t wait to see how you will innovate!