Cleared Uber Senior SDE loop but stuck in Team Matching: Risk an extra HLD round for my current city, or relocate for a guaranteed offer?
Hey folks, I need some advice on a tricky situation with Uber’s team-matching phase for a Senior Software Engineer (L5) role.
My Current Status:
I cleared the main interview loop and was approved by the Uber Hiring Committee. According to the recruiter, my Hiring Manager (HM) round didn't go great. However, my High-Level Design (HLD) round was taken by an Engineering Manager who was also the Bar Raiser (BR). The BR gave me a "Strong Hire," which essentially carried my packet through HC.
The Team Matching Mess:
Currently, I have two options on the table:
* Team 1 (City A - My Current City): This is a highly visible team. However, they want me to undergo an extra HLD round with a Staff Engineer. Their reasoning is that my original HLD round was evaluated by a Manager rather than an Individual Contributor (IC), so they want a Staff IC to vet my architecture skills before committing—despite the fact that the Manager was the Bar Raiser.
* Team 2 (City B): The HM here is ready to move forward and draft an offer based on my current packet. No extra technical rounds required.
The Dilemma:
I would much prefer to stay in City A, but I’m worried about the risks of taking an extra technical round when I already have an approved Senior packet vetted by a BR.
I have three main questions for the community:
1. Packet Risk: If I take the extra HLD round for the City A team and get a "No Hire," will that feedback be appended to my central packet? Will it spook the City B HM and cause them to rescind their interest, leaving me with zero offers?
2. HR Tactics: The recruiter mentioned my "poor HM round" once when discussing these team matches, but hasn't brought it up again. Was she just using this factual data point to anchor my expectations early on so they can lowball my compensation during the final Senior offer rollout?
3. Relocation Timeline: If I take the safer route and choose City B, is it standard to ask for a 3-month runway before joining to cover my notice period (standard in India) and the logistical headache of relocating to a different city?
Would appreciate any insights from people who have navigated Uber’s HC, Senior team matching, or general big tech internal politics. Thanks!