Cyngn Software Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

The interview process was really smooth. The recruiter was super responsive to my questions, and I knew what they were looking for. It seemed like a cool place to work, but I didn't end up getting an offer.

The interview started with an initial screening by the hiring manager. Then the final stage was three back-to-back sessions, each 45 minutes long, with the hiring manager and two team members. The first final round session focused on technical questions about modern control theory, my background, and PhD research. The second session was entirely about C++ coding, not Leetcode style, but more to assess my understanding of C++ coding. The third session was a disaster, the interviewer was aggressive and impolite, asking basic questions which I answered, but his biased attitude led to my rejection.

The interview process was long, similar to Amazon/Microsoft. It was all whiteboard and nothing else. I was booked for 6+ hours, from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM. They didn't even give me lunch, or 15 minutes to grab a bite. One person offered doughnuts from the morning, which were all half-eaten. The office space looked like a college LAN party, with no cubicles or private offices, just a big open area with cheap desks and chairs. They had Nerf guns and free beer, which might appeal to recent grads but not professionals. When I spoke with the manager, I asked about their revenue, as they boasted about turning down a huge sum from a big company. He didn't provide a clear answer, which made me uneasy.