Cepheid Software Engineer Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 6 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Candidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Cepheid.
Cepheid
Software Engineer Intern
Intern Average Positive experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
It was a casual interview at the start of COVID. The head of engineering called me and we had a chat. They asked me some behavioral questions, mostly about my background and what I can do. We also talked a bit about his project and how I might fit in.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- Could you design and build a pneumatic pump system if tasked?
- Regarding designing and manufacturing a pneumatic pump system, would you be capable of undertaking this?
Cepheid
Software Engineer
Mid Average Negative experience No offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Take home Background check
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Coding
A Cepheid recruiter reached out via LinkedIn. I first had a recruiter call, then received some questionnaires about my skills. After that, I had a phone interview with two software engineers. It seemed to go well, and they asked about Java threads, backend development, and why I was leaving my current role. They also asked for code samples. The recruiter then said the phone interview went well and they'd set up an in-person interview. A coordinator was supposed to call with the schedule, and the recruiter called again with another assignment that took a few hours, which I felt I did well on. I filled out a CDA, but the coordinator never called back, and my emails/messages went unanswered, which was unprofessional. A few days after the supposed interview, the recruiter called saying they didn't set up the interview and chose someone else, which contradicted previous communications. I emailed them about the unprofessional handling of the situation. Six days later, I got a generic email thanking me for my work, mentioning a communication issue on their end but not being clear. They didn't explain why they stopped communicating or why the interview wasn't set up. My experience was very negative; I wouldn't recommend interviewing here because they make you do a lot of work and then drop you without explanation, even after expressing positive impressions and scheduling an interview.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- Could you explain what a deadlock is?
- What's the reason for your departure from your current company?
- Can you provide a sample of Java code you've developed previously?
Cepheid
Software Engineer
Senior Easy Positive experience Accept offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Take home Onsite Offer
Interview formats
Technical Coding System Design Behavioral
HR handled the entire interview process, which was well-organized but a bit slow due to scheduling. It was thorough, mostly technical with engineers asking reasonable, somewhat easy technical and design questions. There was a take-home programming task. The process involved three visits: one with junior staff, one with senior staff, and a final offer discussion.
Confirmed questions4 questions
- There were questions about Java technical skills.
- Design questions were asked.
- Algorithm questions were part of the interview.
Cepheid Software Engineer Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from Cepheid interview reports.
“What are some details about Java?”
Read reports →“What about the details of C++?”
Read reports →“Could you explain what a deadlock is?”
Read reports →“Could you tell me about threads?”
Read reports →“Regarding designing and manufacturing a pneumatic pump system, would you be capable of undertaking this?”
Read report →“Can you elaborate on the details of Java?”
Read report →“Could you design and build a pneumatic pump system if tasked?”
Read report →“Can you solve some algorithm problems?”
Read report →“Could you solve the problem using a programming language of your choice?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 6 Cepheid interview reports.