LiveRamp Software Engineer Interview Questions + Guide in 2025

LiveRamp is a leader in data collaboration, specializing in consumer privacy, data ethics, and foundational identity. The company connects innovative brands with data solutions that enhance customer engagement while maintaining a strong commitment to data protection and compliance.

As a Software Engineer at LiveRamp, you will be an integral part of a dynamic and fast-paced environment where you will contribute to real production systems that handle billions of daily requests and manage over 80 petabytes of data. Your key responsibilities will include developing and maintaining software applications, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and participating in the full software development lifecycle. You will engage deeply with big data back-end engineering and full-stack application development, ensuring that the solutions you create are scalable, efficient, and user-friendly.

To excel in this role, you should possess strong coding skills, preferably in languages such as Java or Golang, and be familiar with frameworks like React for front-end development. Additionally, experience with cloud technologies (GCP, AWS, or Azure), database management systems, and Agile methodologies will be highly beneficial. A proactive mindset, coupled with a willingness to learn and adapt, will set you apart as an ideal candidate who embodies LiveRamp's values of collaboration and innovation.

This guide will help you prepare for a job interview by equipping you with insights into the expectations and technical skills required for the Software Engineer role at LiveRamp, allowing you to showcase your qualifications effectively.

The interview process for a Software Engineer position at LiveRamp is structured to assess both technical skills and cultural fit. It typically consists of several stages, each designed to evaluate different aspects of a candidate's qualifications and potential contributions to the team.

1. Initial Screening

The process begins with an initial screening, which is usually a phone call with a recruiter. This conversation lasts about 30 minutes and focuses on your background, experiences, and motivations for applying to LiveRamp. The recruiter will also provide insights into the company culture and the specifics of the role, ensuring that you have a clear understanding of what to expect.

2. Online Assessment

Following the initial screening, candidates are typically required to complete an online coding assessment. This assessment usually consists of two to three coding problems that test your algorithmic and problem-solving skills. You will have a set time to complete the assessment, and it is crucial to demonstrate your coding proficiency and ability to write clean, efficient code. The problems may include topics such as data structures, algorithms, and basic system design.

3. Technical Phone Interview

If you perform well on the online assessment, you will be invited to a technical phone interview. This interview generally lasts around 30 to 60 minutes and is conducted by an engineer from the team you are applying to. During this call, you can expect to answer technical questions related to your coding assessment, as well as discuss your previous projects and experiences. Be prepared to explain your thought process and the reasoning behind your solutions, as communication skills are highly valued.

4. Onsite Interview (or Virtual Onsite)

The final stage of the interview process is the onsite interview, which may also be conducted virtually. This stage typically consists of multiple rounds of interviews with different team members, including engineers and possibly a hiring manager. Each interview lasts about 45 minutes to an hour and covers a mix of technical and behavioral questions. You may be asked to solve coding problems on a whiteboard or through a shared coding platform, as well as discuss system design and architecture. Additionally, expect to engage in discussions about your approach to teamwork, problem-solving, and how you align with LiveRamp's values.

5. Final Evaluation

After the onsite interviews, the interview panel will convene to evaluate your performance across all stages. They will consider your technical skills, cultural fit, and overall potential to contribute to the team. If successful, you will receive an offer, which may include details about compensation, benefits, and next steps.

As you prepare for your interviews, it's essential to familiarize yourself with the types of questions that may be asked and the skills that are particularly valued at LiveRamp.

In this section, we’ll review the various interview questions that might be asked during a Software Engineer interview at LiveRamp. The interview process will likely focus on your coding skills, understanding of algorithms, and ability to work collaboratively on complex problems. Be prepared to demonstrate your technical knowledge, problem-solving abilities, and enthusiasm for the role.

Coding and Algorithms

1. Can you explain the difference between BFS and DFS? When would you use one over the other?

Understanding graph traversal algorithms is crucial for this role, as they are often used in data processing tasks.

How to Answer

Discuss the fundamental differences between the two algorithms, including their use cases and performance characteristics.

Example

"BFS is useful for finding the shortest path in unweighted graphs, while DFS is better for exploring all possible paths. I would use BFS when I need the shortest path, such as in social network analysis, and DFS when I want to explore all options, like in puzzle solving."

2. How would you implement a tic-tac-toe game in code?

This question tests your ability to translate a real-world problem into a coding solution.

How to Answer

Outline the game logic, including how to represent the board and check for wins.

Example

"I would represent the board as a 2D array and implement functions to check for wins after each move. The game loop would alternate between players until a win or draw is detected."

3. Given a set of numbers, how would you generate all possible subsets?

This question assesses your understanding of combinatorial algorithms.

How to Answer

Explain the recursive approach or iterative method you would use to generate subsets.

Example

"I would use a recursive function that includes or excludes each number, building subsets as I go. This approach ensures that all combinations are explored."

4. How do you find the shortest path between two nodes in a graph?

This question evaluates your knowledge of graph algorithms.

How to Answer

Discuss Dijkstra's algorithm or A* search algorithm, depending on the context.

Example

"I would use Dijkstra's algorithm for weighted graphs, maintaining a priority queue to explore the shortest paths first. This ensures that I find the optimal route efficiently."

5. Can you describe a time when you optimized a piece of code? What was the impact?

This question looks for practical experience in improving code performance.

How to Answer

Share a specific example, focusing on the problem, your solution, and the results.

Example

"I optimized a data processing function by reducing its time complexity from O(n^2) to O(n log n) by implementing a more efficient sorting algorithm. This change improved the overall application performance significantly."

System Design

1. How would you design a URL shortening service?

This question tests your ability to design scalable systems.

How to Answer

Discuss the components of the system, including database design, API endpoints, and scalability considerations.

Example

"I would use a relational database to store the original and shortened URLs, implementing a hash function to generate unique keys. The service would include an API for creating and retrieving URLs, with caching to improve performance."

2. Describe how you would handle data consistency in a distributed system.

This question evaluates your understanding of distributed systems.

How to Answer

Discuss strategies like eventual consistency, CAP theorem, and data replication.

Example

"I would implement eventual consistency, allowing for temporary discrepancies while ensuring that all nodes eventually converge to the same state. Techniques like conflict resolution and data versioning would be essential."

3. How would you approach designing a real-time analytics dashboard?

This question assesses your ability to design user-facing applications.

How to Answer

Outline the data flow, technologies, and user interface considerations.

Example

"I would use a combination of WebSockets for real-time updates and a backend service to aggregate data. The dashboard would be built with React for a responsive UI, displaying metrics and visualizations dynamically."

4. What considerations would you take into account when designing an API?

This question tests your understanding of API design principles.

How to Answer

Discuss RESTful principles, versioning, and security.

Example

"I would ensure the API follows RESTful principles, is well-documented, and includes versioning to maintain backward compatibility. Security measures like OAuth for authentication would also be critical."

5. How would you ensure your application is scalable?

This question evaluates your knowledge of scalability techniques.

How to Answer

Discuss load balancing, microservices architecture, and database sharding.

Example

"I would implement a microservices architecture to allow independent scaling of components. Load balancers would distribute traffic evenly, and database sharding would help manage large datasets efficiently."