Describe a challenging project you worked on and how you overcame obstacles

Situation: For my internship portfolio, I decided to build a real-time chat application using technologies I'd never used before — Node.js, Socket.io, and MongoDB. Task: I had 3 weeks to complete it while managing coursework. Action: I broke the project into milestones, researched documentation, and reached out to a senior student for guidance. Result: I completed the application successfully, which helped me land my internship.

All Opportunities Start Free Practice

Intuitive Surgical Software Engineer Intern

Q: Binary Tree Vertical Order Traversal - Return vertical order traversal of nodes

Practice question for Intuitive Surgical Software Engineer Intern interview focusing on Trees.

Q: Design Rate Limiter - Implement an API rate limiting system

Practice question for Intuitive Surgical Software Engineer Intern interview focusing on System Design.

Q: Merge Intervals - Merge all overlapping intervals

Practice question for Intuitive Surgical Software Engineer Intern interview focusing on Intervals.

Q: Tell me about a time you disagreed with a decision and how you handled it

Situation: In a group project, our team lead decided to use NoSQL for an e-commerce app without discussing alternatives. Task: I believed a relational database would be more suitable. Action: I scheduled a one-on-one, presented a comparison document, and suggested prototyping both approaches. Result: After the prototype, the team agreed relational was better. The lead appreciated my data-driven approach.

Remote·68 interview reviews·Medium difficulty

51% positive56% applied onlinePosted 1mo [Apply here](https://jobs.smartrecruiters.com/Intuitive/744000105029015?utm_source=Simplify&ref=Simplify)

Difficulty

2.6/ 5

Experience

Positive51%

Neutral41%

Negative8%

Interview Source

Applied online56%

Recruiter14%

Referral15%

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Surgical Software Engineer Intern Interview Reviews

Surgical Software Engineer Intern Candidate

Sep 18, 2026 · San Francisco, CA

✗ No offerNeutralAverage

Applied online and heard back in about a week. The technical interview was 45 minutes with two coding problems. Focus on time complexity and edge cases. The behavioral portion was brief but important.

Interview QuestionMedium

“Binary Tree Vertical Order Traversal - Return vertical order traversal of nodes”

TreesPractice this →

Surgical Software Engineer Intern Candidate

Nov 19, 2026 · Austin, TX

✗ No offerPositiveDifficult

Straightforward — just 2 medium leetcode-tagged problems in 45 minutes. Very fast paced though so be aware of time. A few follow-up questions for the interviewer at the end. No behavioral questions.

Interview QuestionMedium

“Design Rate Limiter - Implement an API rate limiting system”

System DesignPractice this →

Surgical Software Engineer Intern Candidate

Dec 4, 2026 · Remote

✗ No offerNegativeAverage

Online assessment was difficult, but the final round technical was just 2 leetcode questions. Studying tagged questions and general leetcode helps a lot. Interviewer was friendly and wanted me to succeed.

Interview QuestionMedium

“Tell me about a time you disagreed with a decision and how you handled it”

Leadership PrinciplesBehavioralPractice this →

Surgical Software Engineer Intern Candidate

Jan 6, 2026 · Remote

✗ No offerPositiveAverage

Interview QuestionMedium

“Merge Intervals - Merge all overlapping intervals”

IntervalsPractice this →

Surgical Software Engineer Intern Candidate

Feb 16, 2025 · San Francisco, CA

✗ No offerNeutralAverage

Just one round with 2 LC hards in 45 min. It wasn't too bad at all — if you've done a lot of LC you're gonna be fine. Make sure to check off your approach with the interviewer before you begin implementing.

Interview Question

“Word Ladder — BFS/graph traversal”

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About This Role

Focus Areas

Software DevelopmentSystem DesignBehavioral

Key Skills

Software EngineeringProblem SolvingTeamworkCommunication

Details

CompanyIntuitive

LocationRemote

Posted1mo [Apply here](https://jobs.smartrecruiters.com/Intuitive/744000105029015?utm_source=Simplify&ref=Simplify)

TierEnterprise

Frequently Asked Questions

How hard is it to get hired as a Surgical Software Engineer Intern at Intuitive?

The interview difficulty is rated 2.6/5 by candidates. 51% report a positive experience. Focus on Software Development, System Design, Behavioral to improve your chances.

How long does the Intuitive Surgical Software Engineer Intern hiring process take?

The process typically takes 2–6 weeks from application to final decision, depending on the hiring cycle and team availability.

What is the interview process like?

Most candidates go through a recruiter screen, followed by technical coding rounds, and a final interview loop. 56% of candidates applied online.

What questions are asked in a Intuitive Surgical Software Engineer Intern interview?

Common topics include data structures & algorithms (arrays, trees, graphs), system design, and behavioral questions using the STAR method. Practice with our AI mock interviewer to prepare.

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