I applied online. The process took 1 week. I interviewed at BNSF Railway in May 2025
Interview
Applied and received a request for a Codility assessment. Completed the provided Codility practice question and was able to select any language and it was a leetcode type question. Completed this no problem.
Then the actual assessment was two purely implementation questions to see if you know Springboot. The job description seemingly was focused on Python/C++ and other expertise areas which fit me well. This was frustrating as Springboot was not clear as a requirement and I'm not sure why I was selected if I don't have any Springboot on my resume but yet for them it was such an important requirement. I tried contacting the hiring team around the potential they gave me the wrong assessment or the job description being unclear around the knowledge of this Java framework but any emails I tried to send bounced back and I wasn't able to find any additional information to contact the hiring team.
Interview questions [2]
Question 1
Implement a Springboot controller to handle HTTP requests given specification. Implement 7 endpoints to match the expected behavior (CRUD with invidial and list views)
Use Spring Boot @Transactional to implement different service behavior for several different services. Handle rollback behavior for different exceptions and for cases such as timeouts and failures.
First round was an online assessment, which had two DSA meduim-high level difficulty problems. You have to solve it within 60 minutes, could complete the first one but couldn't get through the second one.
I applied through other source. I interviewed at BNSF Railway
Interview
Ghost Hiring Pipeline — A Masterclass in Wasting Candidates' Time
Position Applied For: Software Engineer (Junior/Mid-Level)
Location: Remote Interview Process
Where do I start. The very first interaction set the tone, the interviewer kept their camera off during a video interview while I had mine on. It’s a small thing, but it signals exactly how much respect BNSF has for candidates: none.
The technical assessment was Spring API work that was pitched as a junior-to-mid level role but was absolutely not scoped for that level. It felt deliberately designed to filter people out rather than actually evaluate fit. On top of that, I was given 7 days to complete the online assessment, then immediately pressured via email by the technical recruiter to finish it in 3 days. Why give a deadline you don’t intend to honor?
I received an automated rejection with zero feedback. Fine, that’s industry standard.
What’s NOT standard is receiving another assessment invitation 2-3 weeks later for a completely different backend/leetcode-style evaluation. I completed it in under 50 minutes, passed all checks, and then… silence. No follow-up, no rejection, nothing. Complete radio silence.
Reading through the majority of reviews here, I’m genuinely relieved I didn’t get the job. BNSF doesn’t appear to be actually hiring, they seem to be running candidates through assessment loops to generate internal metrics with zero intent to extend offers. It’s a bad-faith process that wastes engineers’ time and energy.
Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere.
Pros: Dodged a bullet
Cons: Disorganized recruiting, contradictory timelines, zero communication, performative hiring process
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
1st assessment : Code APIs using Spring
2nd assessment : LeetCode similar to the sliding door DSA
I applied online. I interviewed at BNSF Railway in Oct 2025
Interview
First step is codlity assessment for 50 minutes, it was LC medium so did it in 20. Next step is a review for 15 minutes. Next stem is 4 one hour interviews, angular, spring boot, design, behavioral
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
implement table in angular with data from mock api, add filter and sorting for the table, implement the gathering function on spring boot from the same mock api