Interview Experience @ AMD, Senior Software Engineer (AI) [2024]

This year has been an exciting journey filled with interviews, challenges, and opportunities. Among these, my experience with AMD for the Senior Software Engineer position stands out. Here’s a detailed account of my interview process and the key takeaways.

How It All Started

The process began when AMD’s HR contacted me directly via LinkedIn DM. It was exciting to have such a reputed company approach me. After a brief conversation, the interview process was set in motion, and I was scheduled for my initial rounds.

Initial Rounds

Round 1: Technical Round (Resume-Based + Problem Solving) (60 mins)

The first round focused on my resume, discussing the projects I had worked on, the challenges I had faced, and the solutions I implemented.

The problem-solving segment featured a graph-based question, which I tackled confidently. The interviewer seemed satisfied with my approach, and the round ended positively.

Round 2: Machine Learning Round (Resume-Based) (60 mins)

The second round was an in-depth exploration of machine learning concepts.

Topics Covered:

• Activation functions (ReLU, PReLU, and their roles in deep learning)
• Regularization techniques and their significance
• Object detection workflows
• Residual connections in neural networks
• Non-Max Suppression

This round was thorough, but I felt confident in my responses.

The Waiting Period

After completing these rounds, I raised concerns about the job location preference — while I preferred Bangalore, the team was looking for someone in Hyderabad. Despite bringing this up during both rounds, I received no feedback for two months.

I assumed the process had ended and focused on my new role at Intel.

A Surprise Callback

Around 2.5 months later, just as I was settling into Intel, AMD’s HR reached out to schedule the next round of interviews. This was unexpected, especially since I had recently faced a rejection from Microsoft due to rescheduling issues. I hesitated initially but decided to proceed, knowing that every experience is a chance to grow.

Additional Rounds

Round 3: DSA + C++ Round (45 mins)

This round was a combination of Data Structures and Algorithms and C++ concepts:

• The DSA question was easy to understand, and I coded it efficiently in C++.
• The discussion then moved to C++ topics, including smart pointers and their usage, which I could explain well.

Round 4: Machine Learning Round (60 mins)

Interestingly, the interviewer for this round was the same person from my previous ML round. We recognized each other, and the interviewer asked, “What did I ask you last time?”

Building on our previous conversation, the discussion focused on advanced topics:

• Transformers architecture
• Different types of attention mechanisms and their applications

It was a challenging yet engaging discussion, and I appreciated the continuity from the previous interaction.

Round 5: Technical Round (Hiring Manager) (45 mins)

This round felt more like a hiring manager discussion. The interviewer thoroughly reviewed my resume and my work in the ML domain.

The conversation concerned my contributions to past projects, my technical skills, and how my experience aligned with the team’s goals. My resume seemed like a perfect match for the role, which made this round exceptionally smooth.

Round 6: HR Round (45 mins)

The final round was with HR, where we had a long discussion about:

• The job location concern was the primary reason for the earlier delays.
• The future roadmap for the role and its alignment with my career goals.

Key Takeaways

1. Consistency is Key: Even if the process gets delayed, maintaining a positive outlook and being prepared for callbacks can lead to new opportunities.
2. Tailored Communication Matters: Be clear about your preferences (like location) and express flexibility if you’re open to alternatives.
3. Build Rapport: Establishing a good connection with interviewers can make subsequent rounds more engaging and insightful.
4. Deep Dive Into ML Concepts: For ML-focused roles, being well-versed in both fundamental and advanced topics, like attention mechanisms and optimization techniques, is crucial.

Final Thoughts

Despite its twists and turns, the AMD interview process was an enriching experience. It reinforced the importance of patience, preparation, and adaptability. While the outcome of this process was still undecided, the journey itself was invaluable.

If you’re preparing for a Senior Software Engineer role at AMD, focus on DSA, C++, and ML concepts, and be ready for resume-based discussions. Good luck with your interviews, and feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn for any guidance or questions! 😊

“Every step, no matter how unexpected, brings you closer to your goals. Stay persistent and keep learning!”