Interview plan template

Use Template
to edit & run interviews

Infrastructure Engineer interview questionsProblem-solving Test round

A 60 min interview plan with a time-boxed script, what each question is for, and the signals to score against. Key skills: Problem Solving, Analytical Thinking, Troubleshooting, Performance Optimization, Incident Response.

Click "Use template" to edit

Introduction

5 min
•

Hi, I’m [YOUR_NAME], and I’m a [YOUR_TITLE] at [COMPANY_NAME]. I’m excited to learn more about your experience today.

•

Could you briefly introduce yourself and share what attracted you to apply for this position?

What this question is for, and what to listen for

Purpose

Assess communication skills, alignment with the role, and initial confidence.

Signals to score

  • Clear introduction provided
  • Relevant experience mentioned
  • Motivations for applying explained
  • Alignment with team values
  • Specific skills highlighted
  • Response is concise and organized
  • Understanding of role requirements

Follow-up questions

  • What excites you most about this position?
  • How does your background align with our team’s work?
•

Great, thank you for sharing! In the next 50 minutes, we’ll work through some problem-solving challenges related to infrastructure engineering. After that, you can ask any questions you have about the role or the company.

Problem-Solving Challenge

50 min
•

Scenario: You are responsible for maintaining the infrastructure of a web application. Suddenly, the application becomes very slow. How would you approach diagnosing and resolving this issue?

What this question is for, and what to listen for

Purpose

Assess problem-solving, analytical thinking, troubleshooting, and incident response skills.

Signals to score

  • Identifies potential bottlenecks
  • Considers server load and resource usage
  • Checks network issues
  • Reviews application logs
  • Prioritizes user impact
  • Communicates effectively
  • Proposes a structured plan

Follow-up questions

  • What tools would you use to monitor the application?
  • How would you determine if the issue is network-related?
  • What steps would you take to isolate the problem?
  • How would you communicate with the team during this incident?
•

If you had more time, what would you change in your approach to this problem?

What this question is for, and what to listen for

Purpose

Assess the candidate's ability to reflect on their work, identify areas for improvement, and demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Signals to score

  • Recognizes limits in their original answer.
  • Points out clear areas to improve.
  • Suggests specific changes.
  • Talks about how changes could help performance.
  • Shares ideas clearly and logically.
  • Shows a desire to learn and improve.

Follow-up questions

  • What additional tools or resources would you consider?
  • How could you improve communication during the incident?
•

Great job on the problem-solving exercise!

Closing

5 min
•

Do you have any questions for me about the team or the company?

What this question is for, and what to listen for

Purpose

Gauge the candidate’s curiosity and interest in the role.

Signals to score

  • Thoughtful questions asked
  • Interest in company culture
  • Curiosity about growth expressed
  • Questions about role raised
  • Inquiries about team challenges
  • Engagement with responses shown
  • Desire to learn next steps
  • Focus on company values expressed

Follow-up questions

  • What interests you most about this team?
  • Are there any areas of the role you’d like to explore further?
•

Thank you for your time today. We’ll be in touch soon regarding the next steps.

Use Template
to edit & run interviews
Interview Template
Position
Infrastructure Engineer
Round
Problem-solving Test for 60 min
Key skills
Problem Solving, Analytical Thinking, Troubleshooting, Performance Optimization, Incident Response

Infrastructure Engineer interviews — common questions

Who is this Infrastructure Engineer interview plan for?
It is written for the interviewer, not the candidate: the hiring manager, engineer or panel member running the Problem-solving Test round for a Infrastructure Engineer role. It gives you a 60 min script to follow in the conversation — 4 questions with what each one is for and the signals to score against — so you are not writing the round from scratch the night before.
What does the Problem-solving Test round assess?
This round is focused on: Problem Solving, Analytical Thinking, Troubleshooting, Performance Optimization, Incident Response. It works through Introduction, Problem-Solving Challenge and Closing, scoring against 28 observable signals, with follow-up prompts on all 4 questions for going deeper where an answer is thin.
How is the 60 min split up?
Introduction (5 min), Problem-Solving Challenge (50 min), Closing (5 min). The timings are there so the round stays on schedule and every candidate gets the same shape of interview — which is what makes two candidates comparable afterwards.
What other rounds should I run for a Infrastructure Engineer?

A single round does not cover a whole role. The other rounds in this library for a Infrastructure Engineer: