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Uber·Software Engineer·Onsite - Behavioral / Leadership·Senior

Senior
Apr 2026

Summary

Behavioral round at Uber for a software engineering role, focused entirely on people management scenarios. Four questions, all situational, all expecting real examples. Not the vibe I was prepared for going in.

Questions Asked (4)

Q1

What is your team's scope, how do you align it with broader org goals, and what metrics does your team own?

Cross-functional AlignmentProduct Analytics & MetricsStakeholder Management
Author's notes

I fumbled the metrics part.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clearly defining your team's scope and how it fits into the broader organization's mission. Then explain how you align your team's goals with higher-level objectives, and finally detail the key metrics your team owns and how you use them to drive decisions.

Pro tip: Emphasize how you proactively communicate and collaborate with cross-functional partners to ensure alignment, and show that you understand the trade-offs between different metrics and how they impact the overall business.

1. Define Team Scope

Clearly state your team's responsibilities, the products or services you own, and how your work impacts the user experience and business.

2. Align with Org Goals

Explain how your team's objectives map to the company's strategic priorities, and give examples of how you ensure alignment through OKRs or other goal-setting frameworks.

3. Identify Key Metrics

List the specific metrics your team owns, such as latency, error rates, or user engagement, and explain why they matter for the business.

4. Show Data-Driven Decisions

Describe how you use these metrics to make informed decisions, prioritize work, and measure success, including any dashboards or monitoring tools.

5. Highlight Cross-Functional Collaboration

Discuss how you work with other teams (e.g., product, data science, operations) to ensure your metrics and goals are aligned and to drive collective outcomes.

Key Points to Mention

  • Clear definition of team scope and ownership boundaries
  • Alignment with company-level OKRs or strategic pillars
  • Specific metrics owned by the team (e.g., availability, latency, conversion rates)
  • Use of metrics to drive prioritization and measure impact
  • Examples of cross-functional collaboration to achieve shared goals
  • Understanding of trade-offs between different metrics and business outcomes

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.

Q2

Walk me through how you've handled a low performer on your team, from identifying the issue through to executing an improvement plan.

Conflict ResolutionStakeholder ManagementAdaptability & Ambiguity
Author's notes

This one I actually felt okay about.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Use the STAR method to structure your answer, focusing on a specific instance where you identified a low performer, took empathetic but decisive action, and executed a measurable improvement plan. Emphasize collaboration with the team member and stakeholders, and highlight the outcome, whether it was improvement or a necessary transition. Show how you balanced empathy with accountability and aligned with Uber's values of ownership and collaboration.

Pro tip: Frame the situation as a growth opportunity for both the individual and the team, and quantify the impact of your actions (e.g., improved performance metrics, reduced team friction). Avoid blaming the individual; instead, focus on the process and your leadership.

1. Identify the Issue

Describe how you recognized the performance gap through data, peer feedback, or your own observations. Be specific about the metrics or behaviors that signaled a problem.

2. Assess and Understand

Explain how you investigated root causes by talking with the individual, reviewing their work, and considering external factors. Show empathy and a desire to understand before acting.

3. Create an Improvement Plan

Outline the collaborative process of setting clear, measurable goals and a timeline. Include specific actions like additional training, mentorship, or pairing with a senior engineer.

4. Execute and Monitor

Detail how you provided regular feedback, tracked progress, and adjusted the plan as needed. Mention how you involved other stakeholders (e.g., HR, tech lead) appropriately.

5. Evaluate and Conclude

Share the outcome: did the person improve, or was a different role or exit necessary? Reflect on lessons learned and how you supported the team throughout.

Key Points to Mention

  • Use of data and specific metrics to identify underperformance
  • Empathetic communication and active listening to understand root causes
  • Collaborative goal-setting with clear, measurable objectives
  • Regular check-ins and constructive feedback
  • Involvement of HR or management when appropriate
  • Impact on team morale and overall productivity

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.

Q3

Tell me about a time you disagreed with your manager. What did you do and how did it play out?

Conflict ResolutionStakeholder Management
Author's notes

Classic question but I always find it awkward because you have to thread the needle between 'I pushed back thoughtfully' and 'I wasn't just a yes-person.' I picked an example about a resourcing call I disagreed with, walked through how I raised it privately first, then in a broader forum when nothing changed.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Choose a disagreement that was substantive but not personal, where you had data or user impact to back your position. Show that you listened to your manager's perspective, voiced your concerns respectfully, and then either aligned or escalated appropriately. End with the outcome and what you learned, emphasizing that you maintained a strong working relationship.

Pro tip: Frame the story so your manager is not the villain—show you understood their constraints (e.g., deadlines, org priorities) and that you disagreed on the solution, not the goal. Mention how you'd handle it differently or the same next time, demonstrating self-awareness.

1. Set the context

Briefly describe the project, your role, and the decision your manager made that you disagreed with. Keep it neutral and focused on the technical or business trade-off.

2. Explain your disagreement and rationale

State your concern clearly and back it with data, user impact, or engineering principles. Avoid making it about ego or personal preference.

3. Describe how you raised it

Explain that you sought to understand your manager's perspective first, then shared your concerns privately and respectfully. If needed, propose a compromise or a way to test your idea.

4. Show the resolution and outcome

Describe what was decided and why. If you were overruled, show you committed to the decision and supported it. If your view prevailed, show how you implemented it collaboratively.

5. Reflect on the lesson

Share what you learned about communication, influence, or decision-making, and how it improved your relationship with your manager or your approach to future disagreements.

Key Points to Mention

  • Focus on the issue, not the person—disagree with the idea, not your manager's competence.
  • Use data or user impact to support your position, not just opinion.
  • Listen first and acknowledge your manager's constraints and perspective.
  • Choose the right time and channel (e.g., private 1:1, not in a group setting).
  • Commit to the final decision even if it differs from your view, and support the team.
  • Highlight the positive outcome or strengthened relationship, and what you learned.

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.

Q4

Describe a conflict you had with a cross-functional partner, like a PM, data scientist, or another engineer. How did you work through it, and what tradeoffs did you have to navigate?

Cross-functional AlignmentConflict ResolutionTechnical Trade-offs
Author's notes

Probably the question I prepared least for.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Choose a real conflict where you and a cross-functional partner had genuinely different priorities or technical opinions, and focus on how you resolved it through data, empathy, and compromise. Structure your answer with STAR, but emphasize the tradeoffs and the collaborative process, not just the outcome.

Pro tip: Show that you can disagree without being disagreeable: explicitly state how you validated your partner's concerns and what you learned from their perspective. Uber values strong cross-functional collaboration, so highlight how you built trust and aligned on shared goals.

1. Set the context

Briefly describe the project, the cross-functional partner's role, and the conflicting priorities or technical disagreement. Make it clear why the conflict mattered to the business or users.

2. Explain the conflict

Detail the specific points of disagreement, including each side's rationale. Show that you understood your partner's perspective and the constraints they were under.

3. Describe your approach to resolution

Explain the steps you took to work through the conflict, such as setting up a 1:1, gathering data, running experiments, or proposing a compromise. Highlight active listening and empathy.

4. Discuss tradeoffs and decision

Articulate the tradeoffs you navigated (e.g., speed vs. quality, scope vs. resources) and how you ultimately made a decision or reached consensus. Mention any data or principles used.

5. Share the outcome and learnings

Describe the result, including the impact on the project and your relationship with the partner. Reflect on what you learned and how it improved your cross-functional collaboration skills.

Key Points to Mention

  • Demonstrate empathy by acknowledging your partner's goals and constraints.
  • Use data or user research to ground the discussion and avoid subjective arguments.
  • Propose a compromise or experiment to test both approaches when possible.
  • Clearly articulate the tradeoffs (e.g., technical debt vs. delivery speed, user experience vs. business metrics).
  • Highlight how you maintained a positive working relationship and built trust.
  • Conclude with the impact and a lesson learned about cross-functional collaboration.

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.