Senior SWE building Google's core Ads infrastructure in C++

Senior Software Engineer role on Google Ads, working on the systems behind search, display, shopping, travel, and video advertising products. Expect deep C++ systems questions plus design reviews and code-quality leadership expectations typical of Google's senior IC track.

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Likely format

Google's standard SWE loop: phone screen(s) with coding, followed by an onsite/virtual loop of coding, system design, and Googleyness/leadership interviews.

What this interview tests

C++ systems design and performance
Design reviews and cross-team technical decision-making
Code review standards and best practices
Production issue triage and debugging at scale
Software architecture ownership

Common question themes

Walk through the design of a large-scale C++ system you built

How do you decide between competing technical approaches in a design review

Describe your code review philosophy and standards

Debug a production issue from symptom to root cause

Data structures/algorithms problem relevant to ads serving scale

A time you led a technical decision or mentored another engineer

How candidates describe it

Real Senior Software Engineer interview stories — retold from candidates' public write-ups, with sources.

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