NatWest Bank SDE 2 My Honest Interview Experience

NatWest Bank SDE 2 Interview Experience (Java, Spring Boot, Microservices, System Design)

If you are preparing for an SDE 2 interview in Java, Spring Boot, and Microservices, this detailed NatWest Bank interview experience will help you understand the complete selection process.

Cracking interviews at top product-based companies requires strong technical skills, clarity in fundamentals, and solid problem-solving ability. In this article, I am sharing my complete interview experience at NatWest Bank for the Software Development Engineer 2 (SDE 2) role, focused on Java, Spring Boot, Microservices, AWS Cloud, DSA, and System Design.

This guide is especially helpful for backend developers with 3+ years of experience preparing for SDE 2 roles.

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NatWest Bank SDE 2 Interview Process Overview

Company: NatWest Bank
Role: Software Development Engineer 2 (SDE 2)
Experience Required: 3+ years
Tech Stack: Java, Spring Boot, Microservices, AWS, DSA, System Design
Total Rounds: 5 

 

I applied through an employee referral. After almost one month, I received a call from HR regarding the initial screening.

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Round 1: Online Screening Assessment

The first round was an online assessment shared by HR.
Assessment Pattern
The test consisted of:

1. MCQs on:

•     Java
•     Spring Boot
•     Microservices architecture
•     AWS Cloud
•     Python basics
•     OOP concepts
•     MySQL

    2) DSA Coding Questions

• Array-based problem solvable using the Two Pointer technique
• Question 2: Graph-based problem

Difficulty Level: Easy to Medium

This round mainly tested problem-solving skills, data structures knowledge, and core Java fundamentals.

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Round 2: DSA-Focused Technical Interview

After one week, HR informed me that I had cleared the online assessment.
This technical round was completely focused on Data Structures and Algorithms.
DSA Problems Asked

1. Anagram problem
2. Dynamic Programming on Graph – Find the maximum sum
3. Array-based problem using simple logic

I was able to solve all three problems successfully.
Java Fundamentals Questions

 

After DSA, the interviewer asked basic Java and core backend questions:

1. Difference between Interface and Abstract Class
2. Java Streams
3. HashMap internals
4. Functions and core Java concepts

This round evaluated coding ability, logical thinking, and Java internals understanding.

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Round 3: Java Coding, LLD and HLD Interview

After 2 days, I was informed that I had cleared Round 2.
This round had two interviewers and focused on:

1. Java coding
2. Low-Level Design (LLD)
3. High-Level Design (HLD) 

Java Coding Task 

I was asked to:

• Create a List of Objects
• Use Lambda expressions and Stream API to perform operations like filtering, grouping, sorting, and mapping.

This tested practical Java 8 knowledge and clean coding practices. Conceptual Questions Asked (Java, Microservices, Cloud)

The interviewers asked several backend and system design-related questions:

• What is the Interface Segregation Principle?
• How are objects distinguished from each other in Java?
• What is a Spring Bean?
• Explain Dependency Injection in Spring Boot.
• How does Kafka work in a microservices architecture?
• What is the Saga Design Pattern in microservices?
• Implement the Factory Design Pattern.
• What is WebClient in Spring?
• Important HTTP Status Codes used in REST APIs
• When to use SQL vs NoSQL databases?
• What is ELK logging?
• What is Kubernetes (K8s) and why is it required in cloud-native applications?

This round deeply tested backend development knowledge, Spring Boot concepts, distributed systems understanding, and cloud fundamentals.

 

System Design Round: Accounts Microservice

 
I was given a real-world system design scenario:

Design an Accounts Microservice that can handle 100k+ records, minimize network calls, and be fault-tolerant.
The discussion included:

•     Performance optimization strategies
•     Caching strategies (Redis, in-memory caching)
•     Database indexing and optimization
•     Fault tolerance and retries
•     Scalability and horizontal scaling
•     API design and communication between microservices

I was able to confidently answer around 70 percent of the questions.
The interviewers were cooperative, explained concepts after my responses, and gave constructive feedback.

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Round 4: Project Discussion and Behavioral Interview

The next day, HR informed me that I had cleared Round 3.
This round focused on:

•     Past project experience
•     Architectural decisions
•     Backend system design choices
•     Team collaboration
•     Ownership and problem-solving mindset
•     Cultural fit

This round evaluated real-world experience and communication skills.
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Round 5: Hiring Manager Round and Salary Discussion

After one week:

• I had a discussion with the Hiring Manager
•  Salary negotiation and role alignment were discussed
•  I received the offer letter on the same day

After completing the formalities, I joined NatWest Bank after 2 months.

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Key Takeaways for SDE 2 Interview Preparation

If you are preparing for SDE 2 or Backend Developer interviews, here are some important lessons:

• Strong DSA fundamentals are non-negotiable
• Deep understanding of Java and Spring Boot basics is crucial
• Be clear with system design trade-offs
• Understand microservices architecture and distributed systems
• Learn cloud basics like AWS and Kubernetes
• Interviewers value clarity of thought over textbook definitions
• Communication and structured explanation matter a lot.

Final Thoughts on NatWest SDE 2 Interview

 

The entire interview process at NatWest Bank was well-structured, fair, and knowledge-driven. The company focuses heavily on engineering fundamentals, scalability, real-world backend challenges, and system design.
If you are targeting product-based companies for SDE 2 roles in Java and Spring Boot, focus on DSA, microservices, system design, and cloud fundamentals consistently.
With proper preparation and strong fundamentals, cracking such interviews becomes achievable.

Interview Experience : Chinmoy Talukdar