20 Niantic Interview Questions and Answers

Niantic, the company behind popular augmented reality games like Pokemon Go and Ingress, is known for its cutting-edge technology. If you’re lucky enough to snag an interview with this company, you can expect to be asked some tough questions about your technical skills and experience.

To help you prepare, we’ve compiled a list of sample Niantic interview questions and answers. With these, you can be sure you’re ready for anything the interviewer throws your way.

Niantic Interview Process

The interview process at Niantic can vary depending on the position you are applying for. However, most positions will require at least one phone screen and one onsite interview. The onsite interview will usually consist of 3-4 interviews, which may include a mix of technical and behavioral questions. For some positions, you may also be asked to do a take-home assignment or case study. Overall, the interview process can be lengthy, but most people report having a positive experience.

1. How would you go about building a high-performance application?

This question is a great way to show your technical skills and knowledge of how to build applications. You can answer this question by describing the steps you would take to create an application that meets performance standards.

Example: “I would first identify the requirements for the project, including what the app needs to do and any constraints I have on time or budget. Next, I would determine which programming language best suits the project’s needs. Then, I would start coding the application using test-driven development. Finally, I would run unit tests to ensure the code is error-free before deploying it.”

2. Describe your experience with software development.

This question is an opportunity to show your knowledge of software development and the skills you have that can be applied to a role at Niantic. If you don’t have experience with software development, consider describing other technical or creative projects you’ve worked on in the past.

Example: “I started my career as a graphic designer but quickly realized I wanted more opportunities for creativity. So, I took some programming classes and learned how to code HTML and CSS. This allowed me to create websites and apps from scratch, which was a great way to combine my design background with my coding knowledge.”

3. What technologies have you worked with in the past?

Niantic is a cutting-edge company that uses the latest technology to create its products. An interviewer may ask this question to see if you have experience with similar technologies and how you would apply your knowledge to their organization. In your answer, try to highlight any relevant skills or experiences you have with AR development.

Example: “I’ve worked with several mapping technologies in my past roles, including Google Maps API, Mapbox and OpenStreetMap. I also have some experience working with Unity 3D game engines for augmented reality applications.”

4. Do you have any experience working with AR/VR technology or games?

This question is a great way to show the interviewer that you have experience with Niantic’s products and services. If you don’t, consider discussing your interest in AR/VR technology or games.

Example: “I’ve been interested in VR since I was a kid. My parents bought me an Oculus Rift when it first came out, but I haven’t had much time to use it because of school and work. However, I would love to get back into it if I got this job.”

5. Can you describe some of the challenges that come with developing for mobile devices?

This question can help the interviewer understand your experience with developing for mobile devices and how you overcame those challenges. Consider mentioning a challenge that you faced, what you did to overcome it and the results of your actions.

Example: “One of the biggest challenges I’ve found in developing for mobile is the limited resources available on the device itself. For example, when building an AR game, I would have to create all of the graphics and sounds within the app itself, which could be time-consuming and difficult to maintain. To solve this problem, I started using Unity as my development platform because it allows me to build games once and then export them into apps.”

6. Explain what happens when someone clicks on a link and how it gets displayed on their browser.

This question is a test of your technical knowledge and ability to explain complex processes in simple terms. You can answer this question by explaining the process step-by-step, using examples from your previous experience if possible.

Example: “When someone clicks on a link, it sends an HTTP request to the server that hosts the website. The server then responds with an HTML page that contains all the information about the website. This page is sent back to the user’s browser where it displays the content.”

7. Why do you want to work at Niantic?

This question is a great way for the interviewer to get an idea of your interest in working at Niantic. It’s important to show that you have done some research on the company and understand what they do. You can also use this opportunity to highlight any skills or experiences that make you a good fit for the position.

Example: “I want to work at Niantic because I am passionate about augmented reality technology. I believe that AR has so much potential, especially when it comes to gaming. I would love to be part of a team that creates innovative games like Ingress.”

8. Is there anything that can be done to improve our current product?

This question is a great way to show your knowledge of the company and its products. It also allows you to demonstrate how you can make improvements in an organization. When answering this question, it’s important to be specific about what you would change or improve and why.

Example: “I think there are two things that could be improved with Niantic’s current product. First, I think the security features need improvement. There have been several instances where players were able to access information they shouldn’t have had access to. Second, I think the mapping system needs some work. The maps aren’t always accurate, which can lead to issues when trying to find certain locations.”

9. If you could build an app, what would it do?

This question is a great way to see how creative you are and what your interests are. It also shows the interviewer that you have experience with coding, which can be helpful if they’re looking for someone who has more than just theoretical knowledge of coding.

Example: “If I could build an app, it would be one that helps people find their lost pets. There’s so much technology out there that can help us track our pets, but most of them require monthly subscriptions or other fees. I think it would be cool to create something that anyone could use without having to pay extra.”

10. Have you ever managed a team before?

This question can help the interviewer get a sense of your leadership skills and how you’ve managed teams in the past. If you haven’t had experience managing a team, consider sharing an example of when you led a project or initiative that required collaboration with others to complete it successfully.

Example: “I have previously managed a small team of developers at my last job where we were tasked with creating new features for our company’s mobile app. I was able to delegate tasks among my team members so everyone could work on their individual projects while still collaborating together to ensure they met the deadline.”

11. Tell us about a time when you were able to inspire others to achieve a goal.

This question can help the interviewer get a better sense of your leadership skills and ability to motivate others. When answering this question, it can be helpful to provide specific examples of how you inspired others to work together toward a common goal or objective.

Example: “When I first started working at my current company, I was tasked with leading a team that had never worked together before. At first, they were hesitant to follow my lead because they didn’t know me well enough yet. So, I took them out for lunch one day and got to know each other better. After that, we began to build trust in one another and became more comfortable following my instructions.”

12. Have you ever worked on a project that did not succeed?

This question can help interviewers understand how you respond to challenges and learn from your mistakes. In your answer, try to explain what went wrong and how you would do things differently if given the chance.

Example: “In my last position as a software engineer, I was tasked with creating an app that could track inventory for our clients. The project took longer than expected because of some technical issues, which led to delays in client projects. To prevent this from happening again, I would make sure to have more time allocated for testing before starting any new projects.”

13. How much would you say you are involved with the gaming community?

The gaming community is a large part of Niantic’s target audience. The company wants to know that you understand the importance of this group and how they can help your career as an employee.

Example: “I am very involved with the gaming community, especially in my current position at GameStop. I have been playing video games since I was young, so it has always been important to me to be able to share my knowledge and experiences with others who are also passionate about gaming. I started a blog where I review new releases and talk about different aspects of the game. It has become quite popular within the gaming community, which led to my job at GameStop.”

14. What is your thought process behind designing new features for products?

This question can help interviewers understand your thought process and how you approach a project. You can use this opportunity to explain the steps you take when designing new features for products or applications.

Example: “I start by researching what other companies are doing in similar industries, as well as looking at what my company has already done. I then create a list of all the features that would be beneficial to users and decide which ones should be implemented first. After deciding on the most important features, I begin creating prototypes and testing them with users to see if they’re helpful.”

15. Give me an example of a time when you had to adapt to new requirements from your client.

This question is an opportunity to show your problem-solving skills and ability to work under pressure. When answering this question, it can be helpful to describe a situation where you had to adapt quickly to changing requirements from your client or supervisor.

Example: “In my last role as a software engineer, I was working on a project for a large retailer that wanted to integrate augmented reality into their mobile app. The retailer’s marketing team decided they wanted the AR feature to include additional information about products in addition to just showing how items would look on a person. This change required me to modify the code of the application so that it could handle more data.”

16. In your opinion, which part of the software design cycle is most important?

This question is a great way to test your knowledge of the software design cycle and how it applies to Niantic’s work. When answering this question, make sure you explain why each part is important and what its function is in the overall process.

Example: “In my experience, I believe that requirements gathering is the most important part of the software development life cycle because it helps me understand exactly what the client wants from the project. This information allows me to create an effective plan for the rest of the project and ensures that we are all on the same page about the goals and objectives.

Once I have gathered the necessary information, I like to move into the design phase where I can begin creating wireframes and prototypes based on the requirements I have collected. The next step is coding, which is when I implement the designs I created during the design phase. Finally, testing is essential so that I can ensure the product works as intended before releasing it to the client.”

17. We use Unity as our main game engine, do you have any experience using it?

Unity is a game engine that Niantic uses to build its games. If you have experience using Unity, share your knowledge of the platform and how it can benefit the company.

Example: “I’ve used Unity in my previous role as an AR developer. I found it easy to use and understand, which allowed me to create high-quality content for our clients. I would be happy to learn more about Unity if hired by Niantic.”

18. What are some ways we could improve player retention?

This question is a great way to show your knowledge of the game and how you can help improve it. You should answer this question by giving examples from your experience with other games or apps that have helped increase player retention.

Example: “One way I’ve seen successful in increasing player retention is through social media integration. In my last position, we integrated our app with Facebook so players could share their achievements with friends. This increased user engagement because they were able to see what their friends were doing within the game. Another way we improved player retention was by adding more content to the game. We added new levels, characters and challenges to keep users coming back for more.”

19. What kind of projects have you worked on in the past?

This question is a great way to show the interviewer your experience and how it can be applied to their company. When answering this question, try to include projects that are similar to what Niantic does.

Example: “In my last position as an IT specialist, I worked on many different kinds of projects. One project was creating a new server for our database, which allowed us to store more information than we had before. Another project was updating our security protocols so that they were compatible with newer software. These two projects helped me learn about the importance of having updated systems.”

20. At Niantic, we like to move fast, but also make sure we get things right. How would you handle this balance?

This question is a great way to show your ability to work in a fast-paced environment while also showing that you can be detail-oriented and methodical.

Example: “I’ve worked in environments where we had to move quickly, but I always made sure to take the time to make sure things were done right. In my last position, we had a tight deadline for an app release, so I volunteered to stay late every night for two weeks to ensure all of our coding was up to par. This extra effort paid off when we won the award for Best Mobile App at the annual conference.”