A lot of people say NVIDIA ‘s interview was "tough and challenging," which I didn't believe before.
Until you experience a round down yourself - you can really say it's 'face to the point of skepticism'.
From the electric interview, to the technical interview, to the on-site, each step is very detailed, and it can also be seen that NVIDIA's requirements for the candidates are not only algorithmic, but also pay more attention to the ability of engineering landing.
This article combines my own experience and the feedback of several friends to organize a complete NVIDIA interview review + question summaries + preparation suggestions, I hope to help students preparing for this company.
NVIDIA overall interview process
According to NVIDIA official descriptionand Glassdoor 2025 data, the interview process for software engineering positions typically includes the following stages (average length is about 24-30 days):
- Apply with Recruiter Screen: After submitting your resume, the recruitment specialist will conduct preliminary screening. There may be a 30-60 minute phone/video screening to discuss background, motivations and basics.
- Technical Screen: 1-2 rounds of phone/virtual interviews covering coding and fundamental concepts.
- Onsite/virtual loop interview: 4-6 rounds (virtual or live) including coding, system design, project in-depth discussions, Behavioral, and team matching.
- Offer stage: Decisions are usually made within a few weeks.
Recruiter Screen: Relaxed but Well-Prepared
This round is mainly HR to understand your background, the atmosphere is not tense, but the preparation should be fine. The interviewer will usually let you briefly introduce yourself, and then ask about the details of the project along with your resume, for example, I was asked at that time:
- What was the most challenging part of the project you did?
- What is the difference between a list and a tuple in Python?
- Why did you want to come to NVIDIA?
These questions may sound simple, but they are actually about whether you are clear and logical. Especially in the case of motivation, it's best to tell why you are interested in NVIDIA in the context of your own experience, such as the product, direction, or team atmosphere.
Technical side: a real hardcore session
This round begins with a real competition. There are usually three types of questions: model structure, engineering implementation, and algorithmic questions.
Model structure related
The interviewer will ask in-depth questions about the thinking behind the model design, such as:
- The overall architecture of the model
- The Role of Optimization Modules in Performance Improvement
- What's trade-off in the design process
The question here is about depth of understanding, not whether you can memorize the principles of the framework. It is better to be able to tell "why it is designed this way" and "what improvements it brings" in the context of a project.
Engineering skills and C++ fundamentals
This piece of the test is very detailed. Frequently asked questions are included:
- Memory management, underlying logic of pointer usage
- Model inference acceleration methods such as dynamic batching and continuous batching
This part is easy to see whether you have really done performance optimization or underlying implementation, it is recommended to review the optimization points you have done in your project in advance.
algorithmic question
Algorithmic questions are not pure LeetCode type, but more thinking and logic oriented. For example:
- Ball weighing problems (finding the heavier ball)
- Double egg problem (optimal number of attempts)
- Register overflow analyzes this kind of bottom-biased problem
Overall difficulty is moderate to high, but examines thought processes and reasoning skills.
On-site interviews: a comprehensive examination of skills and compatibility
On-site usually consists of two parts: HR and Behavioral.
HR interview mainly focuses on whether you fit into the team culture, and will ask some communication and collaboration questions, such as how to resolve disagreements between you and your team members, and what project you are most proud of.
The Hiring Manager will usually bring team members along to the interview, focusing on your way of thinking, project logic, and problem-solving strategies. Most of the questions center around the resume, so be sure to eat through the content of their own writing, do not appear "written but not clear" situation.
The Behavioral side is also very important and it is recommended to use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to organize your answers. For example, when you talk about a conflict or challenge in a project, you should first talk about the background, and then talk about your task, specific actions and results. This is well organized and also demonstrates leadership and collaboration skills.
To summarize: both technology and thinking are required
NVIDIA's interviews really test underlying understanding, engineering ability, and how well you can articulate your thought process. When preparing, in addition to brushing up on the questions, it is more important to review your own projects and think clearly about the reasons and impacts behind each key decision.
One sentence summary:
Being able to write code is just the fundamentals; being able to articulate why you write the way you do is what NVIDIA wants to see.
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Disclaimer: This article is based on the author's personal interview coaching experience, anonymous feedback from multiple 2024-2025 candidates, and public sources (such as NVIDIA's official recruitment page, Glassdoor, Levels.fyi and other platform data).
