Rivian Staff Software Engineer interview questions

Total of 7 rounds — quite an exhaustive process. The initial interviews leading up to the onsite panel were genuinely positive. I had engaging conversations with the recruiter and hiring manager, and the pre-panel round was enjoyable. The questions were a good mix of behavioral and technical topics, primarily focused on DSA/Algos and full-stack expertise. However, the onsite experience was unfortunately quite disappointing. The process felt disorganized, with a noticeable lack of coordination among the interviewers. I was repeatedly asked the same questions, often by interviewers who seemed disengaged and unprepared. What stood out most was the disconnect between the questions asked and the actual role I was interviewing for. I received multiple questions on topics, such as image processing, that were unrelated to the position or my area of expertise. Despite this, I did my best to engage — asking clarifying questions, attempting to steer the conversation while seeking feedback. Unfortunately, some of the interviewers were unwilling or unable to provide clarity or guidance, which made the experience even more frustrating.