SDE (Backend Engineer)

Google’s interview process typically consists of an initial online coding test followed by two to three technical rounds focusing on data structures, algorithms, and system design, and finally an HR round. The difficulty is high, with emphasis on clean code, optimal solutions, and clear communication. Candidates are advised to practice mock interviews, articulate their thought process, and be prepared for behavioral questions about teamwork and impact.

Round 1: Online coding assessment (DSA & problem solving) → Round 2: Technical interview (system design, backend concepts, coding) → Round 3: HR interview (culture fit, compensation discussion)

Google is renowned for its open, innovative culture that encourages engineers to experiment and ship at scale. Employees benefit from strong mentorship, generous learning resources, and a balanced work‑life environment that supports flexibility and personal growth.

Graduation degree: B.E. or B.Tech (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related engineering streams. Minimum CGPA/percentage: 6.5 CGPA (or 65%). Batch year: 2020‑2027. No active backlogs at the time of joining. Candidates must have 1‑4 years (SDE‑1) or 4+ years (SDE‑2) of professional backend development experience in Java.

Kiwi, operating under the brand Gokiwi Tech, is an emerging fintech startup focused on building a seamless digital payments ecosystem for Indian consumers and merchants. Founded by a group of ex‑banking and tech professionals, the company leverages modern cloud‑native architecture to deliver high‑throughput, low‑latency services such as UPI payments, card processing, and bill‑payment aggregation. With a growing user base across Tier‑1 and Tier‑2 cities, Kiwi is backed by prominent angel investors and is on a rapid hiring spree to scale its engineering team. The organization prides itself on a culture of ownership, rapid experimentation, and a strong emphasis on data‑driven decision making. The role of a Software Development Engineer (Backend) places you at the heart of Kiwi’s core product. You will join a tight‑knit backend engineering squad responsible for designing, building, and operating a fleet of Java micro‑services that run on Kubernetes. From day one you will be writing production‑grade code, shipping features end‑to‑end, and participating in on‑call rotations that give you real‑world exposure to high‑scale systems. The position is open for both SDE‑1 (1‑4 years experience) and SDE‑2 (4+ years experience) candidates, with responsibilities scaling with seniority. Key responsibilities include: 1. Develop and maintain Java (17+) micro‑services using Spring Boot and Spring MVC. 2. Design robust REST APIs, write database migrations, and implement comprehensive unit/integration tests. 3. Integrate with third‑party partners (payment gateways, KYC providers) handling callbacks, idempotency, retries, and reconciliation. 4. Optimize data access patterns on PostgreSQL/MySQL, detect and fix N+1 queries, and tune indexes. 5. Build background jobs and message‑driven workflows using Kafka/RabbitMQ. 6. Debug production incidents using distributed tracing, logs, metrics, and partner response analysis. 7. Participate in code reviews, contribute to CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions), and improve observability (OpenTelemetry, Grafana). 8. Mentor junior engineers, share best practices, and drive technical discussions on scalability and reliability. 9. Contribute to infrastructure automation on AWS (EKS, RDS, Secrets Manager) and container orchestration. 10. Write clear documentation, incident post‑mortems, and support on‑call duties. The tech stack revolves around Java 17, Spring ecosystem, PostgreSQL, Redis, Docker, Kubernetes, AWS services, and modern observability tools. Kiwi offers a clear growth path: high‑performing SDE‑1s can progress to SDE‑2 within 12‑18 months, followed by Lead Engineer and Architecture roles. The company encourages continuous learning, provides a budget for certifications, and hosts regular tech talks. Joining Kiwi means working on mission‑critical fintech products, gaining exposure to end‑to‑end payment flows, and collaborating with a passionate team that values innovation, ownership, and work‑life balance.