Publix Software Engineer Interview Guide

Publix Super Markets, Inc. is the largest employee-owned company in the nation, recognized for its award-winning technology department, Publix Technology. With over 2100 associates, Publix Technology delivers innovative solutions to nearly 1400 retail stores and over 200,000 internal team members across 8 states. This remarkable collaboration continuously earns Publix a spot on Fortune Magazine's Best Companies to Work list.

If you are thinking about joining Publix as a Software Engineer, this role presents opportunities ranging from hands-on development and systems analysis to leading technological advancements across various domains such as AI/ML, digital platforms, and cloud engineering. You will work in a hybrid environment with numerous benefits, including stock ownership, 401(k) plans, and paid parental leave.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the interview process, some commonly asked questions, and valuable tips tailored for a Publix Software Engineer position. Let's get started!

Submitting Your Application

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

Tailoring your CV 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 CV happens to be among the shortlisted few, a recruiter from the Publix 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.

The screening round typically includes a mix of behavioral and technical questions relevant to the Software Engineer position. Your familiarity with modern technologies, problem-solving capabilities, and alignment with Publix’s values may be assessed.

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 Publix Software Engineer role is usually conducted through virtual means, including video conference and screen sharing. Questions in this 1-hour long interview stage may revolve around software engineering fundamentals, .NET framework, cloud solutions (preferably Microsoft Azure), and full-stack development skills.

Depending on the seniority of the position, you may also be assigned take-home exercises or coding assessments to solve problems related to AI/ML systems, enterprise databases, or system design.

Onsite Interview Rounds

Followed by a second recruiter call outlining the next stage, you’ll be invited to attend the onsite interview loop. Multiple interview rounds, varying with the role, will be conducted during your day at the Publix office. Your technical prowess, including programming, system design, and problem-solving capabilities, will be evaluated against the finalized candidates throughout these interviews.

Additionally, for more senior positions, you might have a presentation round where you discuss the take-home exercises or past projects, emphasizing problem-solving, innovation, and alignment with Publix's goals.

Quick Tips For Publix Software Engineer Interviews

A few tips for acing your Publix interview include:

• Understand the Publix Technology Stack: Familiarize yourself with the technology stack used in Publix, including .NET, Microsoft Azure, and other tools mentioned in the job postings. This will help you answer situational and technical questions more accurately.

• Be Prepared for Behavioral Questions: Publix values a collaborative and employee-focused culture. Prepare examples from your past experience that showcase your team-working abilities, problem-solving skills, and dedication to innovation.

• Practice Coding and System Design: Make use of Interview Query to practice coding problems and system design scenarios that may be a part of your technical interviews. This will help improve your confidence and performance during the interview stages.

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

• How would you analyze noisy and volatile asset price data to ensure accuracy? You are working at a global trading company analyzing the price of a particular asset over time. The dataset is noisy, volatile, and not guaranteed to be completely accurate. How would you analyze this data to ensure there aren't any discrepancies?

• Create a function digit_accumulator to sum every digit in a floating-point number represented as a 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.

Example:

Input: python s = "123.0045" Output: ```python def digit_accumulator(s) -> 15

Since 1 + 2 + 3 + 0 + 0 + 4 + 5 = 15 ```

• What are time series models and why are they needed over simpler regression models? Explain what time series models are and discuss their necessity compared to less complicated regression models.

• How would you determine if the difference between this month and the previous month is significant in a time series dataset? Given a time series dataset grouped monthly for the past five years, describe the method to find out if the difference between this month and the previous month is significant.

• How would you analyze noisy and volatile asset price data to ensure accuracy? If you are working at a global trading company analyzing a noisy and volatile asset price dataset, explain how you would analyze the data to ensure there are no discrepancies.

• How would you set up an A/B test to optimize button color and position for higher click-through rates? A team wants to A/B test multiple changes in a sign-up funnel. For instance, they want to test if changing a button from red to blue and/or from the top to the bottom of the page will increase click-through rates. How would you design this test?

• How would you verify that a user is actually a high school student attending the school represented by their sticker? Instagram is releasing a feature for high schoolers to identify their school and receive a sticker for their profile. How would you ensure that a user is genuinely a high school student attending the specified school?

What is the average salary for a Software Engineer at Publix?

Q: What is the interview process like for a Software Engineer at Publix?
The interview process at Publix typically involves a phone screening followed by in-person interviews. The process is streamlined but ensure that the job title matches your expertise to avoid mismatches, such as turning up for a sys admin role when you're expecting a software engineering position.

Q: What are the roles and responsibilities of a Software Engineer at Publix?
Roles and responsibilities for a Software Engineer at Publix include hands-on development work, overseeing the full systems development life cycle (SDLC), performing problem determination and resolution for complex issues, and working in a cross-functional team environment. Specific roles could involve working with platforms like Windows, Oracle, and development frameworks such as .NET and Azure.

Q: What are the required qualifications to apply for a Software Engineering position at Publix?
Candidates typically need a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent experience. Depending on the level, 5-7+ years of software engineering experience is required, with specific experience in technologies like .NET, SQL Server, Oracle, JavaScript frameworks (Angular, React), and cloud services, particularly Azure.

Q: What is the work environment like for a Software Engineer at Publix?
Publix offers a hybrid work environment requiring at least 8 days per month on-site in Lakeland, FL. The company values a collaborative atmosphere and fosters professional growth with opportunities in various technical disciplines.

Q: What benefits does Publix offer to its Software Engineers?
Publix provides an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, 401(k) retirement savings, group health, dental, and vision plans, paid time off, paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement, and free hot lunches at facilities with a cafeteria. Additionally, associates can receive a year-end bonus equivalent to one month's extra pay.

Ready to ace your interview?

Preparing for a software engineering interview at Publix? Look no further! While Publix boasts a variety of positions across multiple levels, their streamlined interview process helps ensure you find the right fit, even if it means breaking out of a sys admin role or understanding the depth of a help desk position. Whether it’s the Supply Chain Platform, ServiceNow Developer, Pharmacy Core Platform, or another area, knowing what to expect can be your key to success.

If you want more insights about the company, check out our main Publix Interview Guide, where we have covered many interview questions that could be asked. We’ve also created interview guides for other roles, such as senior software engineer and data analyst, where you can learn more about Publix’s 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 Publix software engineering 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!