Pulumi is the modern alternative to Terraform — write infrastructure in real programming languages (TypeScript, Python, Go, C#) instead of HCL. The interview is unique among IaC companies for its emphasis on language-internals work, since the platform compiles user code into a state machine that talks to cloud APIs.
Process
Recruiter screen → 60-minute coding pair (often Go) → onsite virtual: 2 coding, 1 system design, 1 craft deep-dive, 1 behavioral. Cycle: 3–4 weeks.
What they actually ask
- Design a state engine for declarative infrastructure changes (plan / preview / apply)
- Design a multi-language SDK that surfaces a consistent API across TypeScript, Python, Go, and Java
- Design dependency-aware resource ordering (DAG construction and execution)
- Coding: practical Go problems, often involving graph traversal or state machines
- Behavioral: open-source mindset, written communication, pragmatic decision-making
Levels and comp (2026)
- SE II: $170K–$210K total
- Senior SE: $240K–$310K
- Staff: $340K–$450K
- Principal: $470K–$610K
Prep priorities
- Be fluent in Go and at least one Pulumi language (TypeScript or Python)
- Understand cloud provider APIs and IaC fundamentals (drift, state, idempotency)
- Read the Pulumi engineering blog and OSS codebase
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pulumi fully remote?
Yes. Distributed across US and EU. Hubs in Seattle and Brno are optional.
How does Pulumi compare to Terraform?
Pulumi uses real programming languages with type checking, IDEs, and reuse. Terraform is HCL-only but has broader adoption. Pulumi is winning new accounts; Terraform dominates legacy.
Do I need IaC experience to interview?
Strongly preferred. At minimum, work through Pulumi tutorials and deploy something to AWS/GCP/Azure with it.