There's already a thread with older loop data but a lot of it is from 2024-early 2025. Process and difficulty calibration shifts a lot at companies going through headcount changes, so I want to collect fresher data.
If you've done a Robinhood loop in 2026, drop what you have. Format that makes comparison easy: Role + level (e.g., Senior SWE, L5, or whatever their internal level name is) Timeline from application/recruiter reach-out to final decision Rounds breakdown (phone screen, technical screen, onsite count + types) LC difficulty if applicable (easy/medium/hard, and what topic areas) Behavioral style (STAR structured? Conversational? Situation-heavy?) Offer or no offer (optional, just helpful for calibration) Comp range if you got an offer and want to share
I'll start with what I have secondhand. A friend did a data engineering loop in Q1 2026 for a senior role. Total timeline was about 5 weeks from recruiter reach-out to offer. One 45-minute phone screen (mix of SQL and a short coding problem, Python), followed by a virtual onsite with 4 rounds: system design, two coding rounds, and one behavioral/cross-functional round. They said the coding problems were medium difficulty, one on graphs, one on arrays. The system design focused on a data pipeline architecture, which makes sense for a fintech DE role. Offer came in around $165k base for NYC, mid-level RSU grant.
That's one data point. Really need more, especially for SWE roles, product roles, and anyone who's done their security engineering loop recently since I've heard that one is different.
Drop what you have.
5 replies
marketer_mei
Did a senior backend SWE loop in February 2026. NYC role. Timeline was 6 weeks total but 4 of those weeks were basically waiting. Recruiter screen was easy, mostly resume and culture stuff. Then a 60-minute technical phone screen, one medium-hard LC problem (dynamic programming, not the worst DP I've seen but not trivial), and a design component asking how I'd think about rate limiting at scale.
Onsite was 5 rounds virtual: 2 coding (medium LC each), 1 system design (design a notifications service, very fintech-flavored), 1 behavioral with hiring manager, 1 called "leadership principles" but it was just more behavioral. Offer came through. Base was $175k, which is fine for NYC senior but not top-of-market.
pm_priya
Did a senior PM loop in April 2026. 5 rounds total: product sense, analytical, strategy, behavioral, and a cross-functional leadership round. No coding obviously. The analytical round had a metrics question and a case study about retention. They wanted SQL comfort but didn't make you write actual queries. Timeline 4 weeks. No offer, which is fine, it was a stretch role.
qa_quinn
SDET loop in March. Shorter process than SWE: recruiter screen, one technical screen (test strategy discussion + a small coding problem in Python), then onsite with 3 rounds. One was automation framework design, one was more general coding, one behavioral. Whole thing took 3 weeks. Got an offer at $148k base for Menlo Park, which is tight for the area but they were flexible on the remote hybrid question for SDET roles at least.
de_derek
Good to know SDET has a shorter process. Makes sense. Thanks for the detail on the automation framework round, I hadn't heard that one called out specifically before.
contractor_kai
Infrastructure role, late 2025 so slightly older data but process likely similar. 4-week timeline, 2 coding rounds on the onsite, 1 system design (infra-flavored, distributed storage topic), 1 behavioral. They moved fast once I cleared the phone screen. Offer was $185k base for someone at their L5 equivalent, NYC.