Senior Python Developer Interview Questions and Video Guide

Introduction

Hiring the right Senior Python Developer is critical in the Information Technology (IT) industry. The right candidate not only delivers robust code but also designs scalable systems, mentors junior engineers, and aligns technical decisions with business goals.

This guide provides targeted Senior Python Developer interview questions across beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. It also includes pre-screening one-way video interview questions suitable for ScreeningHive to help hiring managers, recruiters, and HR teams screen candidates efficiently.

Senior Python Developer Interview Questions

Basic Senior Python Developer Interview Questions

• Explain the difference between lists and tuples in Python and when you would use each.
• What is a Python decorator and give a simple example of a use case.
• How does Python handle memory management and garbage collection?
• Describe exception handling in Python and when to use custom exceptions.
• What is a list comprehension and how does it differ from using map and filter?
• Explain how modules and packages work in Python. How do you structure a small package?
• What is the Global Interpreter Lock and how does it affect multi-threaded Python programs?
• How do you manage dependencies and virtual environments for Python projects?

Intermediate Senior Python Developer Interview Questions

• Describe a situation where you had to refactor a slow Python function. What tools or measurements did you use and what changes did you make?
• How would you implement a REST API endpoint in Python that needs pagination, filtering, and proper error handling?
• Explain how you would design database interactions in Python to avoid N+1 query problems. Provide an example with an ORM.
• Discuss how you test Python code. What is your approach to unit testing, integration testing, and mocking external services?
• How do you handle configuration and secrets in a Python application across environments such as development, staging, and production?
• Describe how you would use async and await to improve the performance of an I/O bound Python application.
• How do you structure logging and observability in a Python service to support debugging and production monitoring?
• Explain a time you improved code maintainability through API design or adopting design patterns in Python.
• How would you package and distribute a Python library for internal use and for open source?
• Describe your process for conducting a code review for a Python pull request that includes complex logic.

Advanced Senior Python Developer Interview Questions

• Design a high-level architecture for a scalable Python-based microservice that must handle millions of requests per day. What components do you include and why?
• How do you profile a Python application in production to identify CPU and memory bottlenecks? Name specific tools and techniques.
• Discuss strategies for achieving high availability and fault tolerance for Python services in a cloud environment.
• Explain trade-offs between synchronous and asynchronous designs for backend services. When would you choose one over the other?
• Describe an approach to migrate a monolithic Python application to microservices. What incremental steps and criteria would you use?
• How do you ensure security best practices in Python code, including dependency management, input validation, and secrets handling?
• Explain how you would implement a CI/CD pipeline for Python applications that includes automated tests, security checks, and deployment stages.
• Discuss techniques for optimizing Python code in critical paths, including algorithmic improvements, C extensions, or using PyPy.
• How do you mentor and lead other engineers in architecture decisions and code quality for Python projects?
• Describe how you design APIs and data schemas to support backward compatibility and iterative releases.

Pre-Screening Video Interview Questions for Senior Python Developer

These pre-screening interview questions are ideal for one-way video interviews on ScreeningHive. Each question is designed to evaluate key competencies before moving candidates to live interviews.

1. Describe your most recent project using Python and the role you played.

   This evaluates communication, ownership, and the candidate's ability to summarize technical work clearly.

2. Explain how you debugged a challenging production issue in Python and what steps you took to prevent recurrence.

   This assesses problem solving, familiarity with debugging tools, and incident remediation practices.

3. How do you ensure code quality and testing coverage in your Python projects?

   This checks the candidate's approach to testing, use of frameworks, and commitment to maintainable code.

4. Describe a performance optimization you implemented in Python and the measurable impact it had.

   This reveals experience with profiling, optimization techniques, and the ability to quantify results.

5. What strategies do you use to collaborate with product managers and cross functional teams when designing technical solutions?

   This evaluates communication, stakeholder management, and alignment between technical and business goals.

Conclusion

This collection of Senior Python Developer interview questions helps hiring managers, recruiters, and candidates focus on the skills that matter in IT roles. It supports structured screening across technical levels and scenarios.

Using ScreeningHive one-way video interviews accelerates hiring by enabling faster screening, consistent candidate evaluations, and better prioritization of live interview time. Standardized pre-screening interview questions improve fairness and reduce time to hire for Senior Python Developer roles.