Argus Developer Hiring Guide

Hiring Guide for Argus Engineers

Ask the right questions to secure the right Argus talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.

Argus is a high-level programming language developed at MIT in the 1980s, designed to support the construction and execution of distributed programs. Named after Argus Panoptes from Greek mythology, it was created by Barbara Liskov and her team as an extension of CLU, another programming language she developed. The primary feature of Argus is its support for "guardians" - autonomous objects that maintain specific service despite failures in other parts of the system. It also introduced concepts like atomic actions and nested transactions which have influenced subsequent languages such as Java and C#. Information about Argus can be found in various academic papers published by MIT during its development period.

First 20 minutes

General Argus knowledge and experience

The next 20 minutes of the interview should attempt to focus more specifically on the development questions used, and the level of depth and skill the engineer possesses.

How would you handle a situation where Argus Safety's performance is slow?

I would first identify the cause of the slowness, which could be due to a number of factors such as database issues, network issues, or server issues. I would then address the problem accordingly, whether it's optimizing queries, increasing server resources, or resolving network problems.

Describe the difference between Argus Safety and Argus Interchange.

Argus Safety is a database for storing safety data while Argus Interchange is a tool used for electronic submissions of the data stored in Argus Safety.

What are the key features of Argus Safety Suite that you've used in your previous roles?

The key features I've used include case processing, periodic reporting, signal detection, and risk management. I have also used its integrated modules for product complaint handling and medical device reporting.

How would you describe your experience with Oracle Argus Safety Suite?

I have extensive experience with Oracle Argus Safety Suite, having used it for case processing, periodic reporting, and signal detection in my previous roles. I'm comfortable with its functionalities and features.

What is your understanding of Argus Safety Database?

Argus Safety Database is a pharmacovigilance software solution used to ensure compliance with global regulations, integrate safety and risk management, enable comprehensive analysis and reporting, and manage adverse event reporting.

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What youre looking for early-on

Does the candidate show a commitment to continuous learning?

The field of software development is constantly evolving. A good candidate should demonstrate a commitment to keeping their skills and knowledge up to date.

Can the candidate work under pressure and meet deadlines?

Working in a fast-paced environment often involves meeting tight deadlines. The candidate should be able to handle pressure and manage their time effectively.

Does the candidate have experience with data analysis?

Argus is often used for data analysis, so experience in this area can be a strong indicator of a candidate's potential success in the role.

Is the candidate capable of working in a team?

Software development often involves working in teams. The candidate should have experience in this and be able to demonstrate their ability to collaborate effectively.

Has the candidate demonstrated problem-solving skills?

Problem-solving skills are important in any development role. The candidate should be able to discuss past experiences where they had to solve complex problems or troubleshoot issues.

Does the candidate have a strong understanding of Argus software?

A strong understanding of Argus software is crucial as it is the primary tool they will be using for their job. They should be able to discuss its features, uses, and limitations comfortably.

Next 20 minutes

Specific Argus development questions

The next 20 minutes of the interview should attempt to focus more specifically on the development questions used, and the level of depth and skill the engineer possesses.

How would you handle a situation where there's a need to customize Argus Safety to meet specific business needs?

I would first understand the specific business needs, then evaluate the feasibility of customization within Argus Safety. If feasible, I would plan and implement the customization in a test environment before deploying it in the production environment.

What is the role of Argus Console in Argus Safety?

Argus Console is the administrative module of Argus Safety. It's used for system configuration, user management, code list management, and other administrative tasks.

How would you ensure data integrity in Argus Safety?

I would ensure data integrity by implementing appropriate validation checks, maintaining strong access controls, conducting regular audits, and implementing a robust backup and recovery strategy.

Describe the difference between null and zero value in Argus Safety.

In Argus Safety, a null value means that the field has been left blank or the value is unknown, while a zero value means that the field has been filled and the value is zero.

What are the steps to create a periodic report in Argus Safety?

The steps include defining the report, selecting the cases, scheduling the report, generating the draft, performing quality checks, and then finalizing and distributing the report.

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The ideal back-end app developer

What you’re looking to see on the Argus engineer at this point.

A skilled Argus engineer should demonstrate strong technical proficiency in using Argus Safety, deep understanding of pharmacovigilance regulations and processes, and excellent problem-solving skills. Red flags include inability to articulate complex concepts clearly or lack of experience in handling real-world safety data management scenarios.

Digging deeper

Code questions

These will help you see the candidate's real-world development capabilities with Argus.

What does the following simple Argus code do?

begin
  write('Hello, World!');
end;

This code simply prints the string 'Hello, World!' to the console.

What does the following Argus code do?

procedure increment(var x: integer);
begin
  x := x + 1;
end;

This code defines a procedure named 'increment' that takes an integer variable 'x' as an argument and increments its value by 1.

What will be the output of the following Argus code?

var arr: array[1..5] of integer;
i: integer;
begin
  for i := 1 to 5 do
    arr[i] := i * i;
  for i := 1 to 5 do
    write(arr[i]);
end;

This code initializes an array of 5 integers, then populates it with the squares of the indices. It then prints each element of the array, so the output will be '1491625'.

What does the following Argus code do?

var x: integer;
begin
  x := 1;
  fork begin
    x := x + 1;
  end;
  write(x);
end;

This code initializes an integer variable 'x' to 1, then forks a new thread that increments 'x'. The final value of 'x' that gets printed could be either 1 or 2, depending on the timing of the threads.

What does the following Argus code do?

type
  Point = record
    x, y: integer;
  end;
var
  p: Point;
begin
  p.x := 10;
  p.y := 20;
  write(p.x, p.y);
end;

This code defines a record type 'Point' with two integer fields 'x' and 'y'. It then declares a variable 'p' of type 'Point', assigns values to its fields, and prints them. The output will be '10 20'.

What will be the output of the following advanced Argus code?

type
  IntArray = array[1..5] of integer;
procedure modify(var arr: IntArray);
var i: integer;
begin
  for i := 1 to 5 do
    arr[i] := i * i;
end;
var arr: IntArray;
i: integer;
begin
  modify(arr);
  for i := 1 to 5 do
    write(arr[i]);
end;

This code defines an array type 'IntArray' and a procedure 'modify' that takes an 'IntArray' and populates it with the squares of the indices. It then declares an 'IntArray', modifies it, and prints its elements. The output will be '1491625'.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for Argus role questions

The final few interview questions for a Argus candidate should typically focus on a combination of technical skills, personal goals, growth potential, team dynamics, and company culture.

How would you handle a situation where there's a need to integrate Argus Safety with other systems?

I would first understand the integration requirements, then evaluate the feasibility of integration within Argus Safety. I would then plan and implement the integration, ensuring that data integrity is maintained and the systems work seamlessly together.

What is the role of Argus Affiliate in Argus Safety?

Argus Affiliate is a module of Argus Safety used for managing safety data at the local affiliate level. It allows local users to enter and manage their own safety data while still integrating with the central Argus Safety system.

How would you ensure compliance with global regulations in Argus Safety?

I would ensure compliance by configuring the system according to the regulations, implementing appropriate validation checks, conducting regular audits, and keeping up-to-date with the latest regulatory changes.

Describe the difference between Argus Safety and Argus Insight.

Argus Safety is a pharmacovigilance software solution used for safety data management, while Argus Insight is a business intelligence tool used for analyzing the data stored in Argus Safety.

What are the steps to migrate data from a legacy system to Argus Safety?

The steps include data mapping, data extraction from the legacy system, data transformation, data loading into Argus Safety, and data verification.

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Argus application related

Product Perfect's Argus development capabilities

Beyond hiring for your Argus engineering team, you may be in the market for additional help. Product Perfect provides seasoned expertise in Argus projects, and can engage in multiple capacities.