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Roku's Interview Process (2026)

Blog / Roku's Interview Process (2026)

The Roku software engineer interview process typically runs across four to six stages and generally takes three to four weeks from first contact to offer. The exact format can vary by team, but most candidates move through a recruiter screen, a technical screen, and a virtual onsite loop covering coding, system design, and behavioral rounds.

Recruiter Screen: Usually around 30 minutes, this is a standard intro call covering your background, your interest in Roku, and high-level logistics like salary expectations.
Technical Screen or EM Deep Dive: This stage varies by team. It may be a live coding session on HackerRank, or a more conversational technical deep dive with an engineering manager covering your CV and architectural thinking.
Virtual Onsite Loop: The main event, typically spanning four to six hours and sometimes split across two days. It generally includes one to two coding rounds, one to two system design rounds, and a behavioral round with a senior leader.

To prepare effectively for the onsite loop, focus your study plan on these key areas:

Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA): Algorithmic problem-solving at medium to hard difficulty.
High-Level Design (HLD): Scalable distributed system design.
Low-Level Design (LLD): Object-oriented design, class structures, and design patterns.
Behavioral: Culture fit and values-based questions.

1. Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA)Roku's coding rounds tend to sit at LeetCode medium to hard difficulty, with a focus on clean code, edge case handling, and a clear explanation of time and space complexity. Topics that have come up recently include grid traversal and DFS (think Max Area of Island), dynamic programming (Minimum Cost for Tickets), and classic data structure implementations like LRU Cache.Graph and matrix problems appear regularly, so make sure you're solid on graphs and dynamic programming questions before your onsite. Our top 100 DSA questions are a good benchmark for the level of difficulty you should be targeting.Roku often uses HackerRank for live coding, and some interviewers will go quiet while you work. Get comfortable thinking out loud and narrating your approach, even when no one is prompting you.

2. High-Level Design (HLD)Senior-level candidates can expect at least one HLD round focused on scalability, microservices, and database choices. Recent candidates have reported questions like designing a video streaming platform and designing an ad delivery system, which maps closely to Roku's actual product.The onsite rounds are not always rigidly labeled, so a coding discussion can pivot into an HLD conversation. Being able to talk fluently about content delivery, latency trade-offs, and service architecture will serve you well. Work through our High-Level Design case studies and use the System Design Whiteboard to practice drawing out your architectures before the interview.

3. Low-Level Design (LLD)A lot of candidates are caught off guard by how much weight Roku puts on LLD. Expect questions around class diagrams, design patterns, and API signatures rather than just distributed systems. One example that has come up is designing a grocery subscription model, which is a classic object-oriented design exercise.Review how to build clean, extensible code structures and be ready to discuss trade-offs between patterns. Our Low-Level Design practice section has worked examples worth going through, including the Parking Lot System and API Rate Limiter, which are representative of the style of question you might face.

4. BehavioralRoku explicitly screens for cultural alignment around three values: no-ego, ownership, and transparency. The behavioral round is often conducted by a director or senior leader, so treat it seriously rather than as a warm-up.Prepare stories around past conflicts, failures, and times you operated with ambiguity. Structuring your answers using the STAR principle keeps your responses focused and easy to follow.The biggest watch-out is being defensive when an interviewer pushes back on your approach. Roku's interviewers will challenge your thinking, and how you respond to that is part of the evaluation. Our Behavioral Interview Course covers how to handle these moments well.

ConclusionRoku's process rewards candidates who are technically sharp, adaptable, and genuinely collaborative. The best preparation combines consistent DSA practice, hands-on system design work, and a clear personal narrative for the behavioral round. Follow the Roku Interview Roadmap for a structured, stage-by-stage plan to get you ready.