Questions to Ask Technical Leads in Engineering Interview
- Michelle M
- Jun 12
- 5 min read
Hiring the right technical lead employee can make or break your engineering team. They’re not just responsible for writing code they’re the architects of systems, the mentors for developers, the bridge between technical execution and business strategy, and often the key person when timelines, scope, and reality clash.
Whether you're a recruiter, a CTO, or a startup looking to scale your tech team, interviewing a technical lead requires a different set of questions than you might ask a software engineer. You’re not just evaluating their coding skills; you’re assessing leadership, vision, communication, and decision-making under pressure.
In this blog, we will explore powerful and practical questions to ask technical leads during interviews designed to assess both technical depth and leadership acumen. We also explain what to listen for in their responses to help you find a candidate who can lead, not just code.
1. “How do you balance hands-on coding with leadership responsibilities?”
This question reveals how the candidate splits time between writing code and leading teams. A great technical lead understands that while they might enjoy coding, their primary value often lies in enabling others to succeed and ensuring technical alignment with business goals.
Listen for: awareness of delegation, clarity around responsibilities, and a healthy balance between IC (individual contributor) work and mentorship.
2. “How do you approach designing scalable and maintainable systems?”
Engineering leadership isn’t about solving today’s problem it’s about building for tomorrow. This question helps you assess their architectural thinking, long-term planning, and ability to think in systems rather than just code.
Look for: mention of trade-offs (scalability vs. time-to-market), documentation practices, use of design patterns, and understanding of non-functional requirements.
3. “Can you describe a time you had to handle technical debt?”
Everyone inherits or creates technical debt. The best leads know how to identify, prioritize, and address it without derailing current goals. This question gives insight into how they manage risk, code quality, and future planning.
Listen for: metrics used to evaluate debt, communication with stakeholders, and whether their approach was proactive or reactive.
4. “Tell me about a conflict you had with a team member. How did you resolve it?”
Engineering teams are often made up of passionate, opinionated individuals. Strong leads know how to manage interpersonal dynamics, listen actively, and maintain psychological safety.
Look for: emotional intelligence, active listening skills, non-defensive attitude, and resolution techniques that build rather than break trust.
5. “How do you ensure your team writes high-quality, well-tested code?”
This question sheds light on the candidate’s engineering standards and commitment to quality. You’re looking for practices that aren’t just good on paper but are embedded in their daily workflows.
Listen for: TDD (Test-Driven Development), code reviews, pair programming, CI/CD pipelines, and tools like linters or static analyzers.
6. “How do you mentor junior engineers or support team growth?”
A technical lead must be a multiplier someone who helps others improve. This question highlights how they guide less experienced engineers and contribute to professional development.
Look for: structured mentorship, 1:1s, code walkthroughs, documentation practices, and encouragement of continuous learning.
7. “What’s your process for evaluating and choosing new technologies?”
Engineering leads are often faced with decisions about tools, frameworks, and platforms. This question reveals their decision-making process, risk tolerance, and ability to evaluate new tech without jumping on every trend.
Listen for: evidence-based decision-making, consideration of long-term support, community health, scalability, and team readiness.
8. “How do you communicate technical decisions to non-technical stakeholders?”
Great leads are not just technically brilliant they’re also great communicators. They can distill complex ideas into business language and make others feel included in the decision-making process.
Look for: use of analogies, clear and concise language, stakeholder empathy, and a track record of cross-functional collaboration.
9. “Describe a time you had to say ‘no’ to leadership or product.”
Boundaries matter. Saying “no” to a rushed feature or poorly scoped project shows strength and strategic thinking. This question helps identify whether the candidate can push back respectfully while protecting the integrity of the codebase and team morale.
Listen for: diplomacy, justification using data or past experience, and alternative suggestions rather than flat refusals.
10. “How do you plan and estimate engineering work?”
Leading isn’t just about execution it’s about planning realistically. This question evaluates how the candidate handles estimates, especially when they’re uncertain or working with multiple moving parts.
Look for: breakdown of tasks into deliverables, use of story points or T-shirt sizing, involvement of the team in estimates, and agile planning principles.
11. “What’s your approach to handling production incidents?”
Production issues are inevitable. A strong lead ensures systems are monitored, on-call rotations are fair, and incident response is blameless and effective.
Listen for: root cause analysis processes, incident documentation, postmortems, and empathy for affected customers or users.
12. “What’s the most difficult technical decision you’ve had to make?”
This gives insight into how they navigate ambiguity, weigh pros and cons, and align their choices with broader organizational goals.
Look for: thought process, stakeholder involvement, long-term thinking, and adaptability when new data emerges.
13. “How do you build a culture of accountability in engineering teams?”
Technical leads should create a culture where individuals take ownership not just of their code, but of outcomes. This question uncovers how the candidate fosters trust, transparency, and responsibility.
Listen for: team rituals (standups, retros), feedback loops, shared goals, and ways they lead by example.
14. “How do you approach diversity and inclusion in your team?”
Culture is as critical as code. Technical leads who value diverse perspectives foster better ideas, stronger products, and more empathetic teams.
Look for: inclusive hiring practices, onboarding support, openness to different communication styles, and examples of addressing bias or imbalance.
15. “What does success look like for you as a technical lead?”
This question is about values alignment. Does success mean delivering on deadlines? Building a world-class team? Creating reliable infrastructure? Understanding their answer helps determine whether they’ll fit with your organization’s definition of success.
Listen for: a mix of people, process, and product success balanced with self-awareness and humility.
Conclusion - Questions to Ask Technical Leads in Engineering Interview
Interviewing technical leads is not about grilling them on syntax or language trivia. It’s about understanding their philosophy, leadership style, problem-solving capabilities, and how they’ll integrate with your existing team. These questions are designed to go deeper than resumes and code samples to uncover the strategic, human, and forward-thinking side of engineering leadership.
Great technical leads aren’t just skilled engineers. They are empathetic mentors, systems thinkers, and trusted partners in growth. Ask the right questions, and you’ll find someone who builds not just software but the culture and cohesion your team needs to thrive.
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