About

Circuits and Code offers over 20 interview-style questions and answers designed for embedded software and electrical engineering interns. Written by two authors with experience hiring and mentoring interns for embedded software and electrical engineering roles, it draws on their academic background and industry expertise to focus on the concepts that matter most to interviewers.

With clear, concise explanations, coding snippets, and sample circuit diagrams, this guide provides a practical resource for motivated students preparing for co-op interviews. The complete, thoughtfully designed questions are ideal for interview practice, helping you build confidence in areas like firmware development, control systems, and hardware design. Whether you’re tackling your first technical interview or refining your skills, this book offers the tools to succeed.

About the Authors

This guide was created by two Waterloo Engineering students, Daniel Puratich and Sahil Kale. Wanting to support our peers in their co-op journeys, we noticed that we were often answering the same questions when asked about co-op interview prep. Noticing that many firmware and hardware co-op interviews focus on fundamental concepts, we decided to compile a comprehensive list of commonly asked questions and answers to help students better prepare for their interviews.

Our other work

We’ve published other (free!) guides to help engineering students land firmware and hardware co-op roles. Check them out:

The Sahil and Daniel Resume Guide

The Sahil and Daniel Co-op Process Guide