If you’re someone who likes interacting with enormous datasets on a daily basis, this might be the ideal job for you. As a data engineer at Netflix, you’ll be working on improving different aspects of the company.
The Netflix data engineer interview process is aimed at gauging whether you’ll be able to do so effectively. You’ll be researching applications spanning several areas, such as personalization algorithms, content valuation, and streaming applications.
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To help you understand the Netflix data engineer interview process, in this article, we'll be covering:
- What does a Netflix data engineer do?
- Netflix data engineer interview process
- Data engineer interview questions
- Average Netflix data engineer salary
- FAQs on the Netflix data engineer interview process
What Does a Netflix Data Engineer Do?
A data engineer is responsible for building systems that help in the collection, management, and conversion of raw data into comprehensible and useful information. The information is then analyzed by data scientists and business analysts.
The main goal of data engineers is to make data as accessible as possible for the organization so that they can analyze it. Then the information is used to optimize and elevate the company's performance. This is what’s tested in the Netflix data engineer interview process.
At Netflix, in order to maximize the impact of this research, they don’t centralize the research into a different organization. What they do is they have several teams that pursue research and work with business teams, engineers teams, as well as other researchers.
Netflix Data Engineer Interview Process
The Netflix data engineer interview process is broadly divided into three stages:
- Initial screen round
- Technical screen round
- On-site interviews
Initial Screen Round
In this round, the recruiter will call you for a 30-minute interview. In this initial stage of the Netflix data engineer interview process, the recruiter will go through your resume with you. The recruiter will ask questions related to your past experiences, skills, and projects.
Netflix has highly-specialized and technical recruiters. So in this call, your general communication skills will also be tested. Further, the role and responsibilities will be explained.
Technical Screen Round
This round lasts around 45 minutes, and you’ll be asked technical questions on topics such as SQL, analytics, machine learning, and algorithms. So before appearing for this round of the Netflix data engineer interview process, prepare accordingly.
Here are some sample questions:
- Which is the best way to present ML results to the stakeholders?
- Why would you choose S3 versus a NoSQL database?
- Define shuffle sort.
On-site Interviews
The final stage of the Netflix interview process for data engineers is divided into two parts, with a lunch break in between. These are one-on-one interviews with 6 to 7 interviewers that include data engineer team members, team managers, and a product manager.
The on-site interviews will test you on multiple concepts such as SQL, analytics, machine learning, and algorithms. There will also be a behavioral interview where they’ll determine whether you’re a cultural fit or not.
Since this is an engineering role, the interviews will focus more on engineering, machine learning, and deep learning interview questions.
Data Engineer Interview Questions
We’ve listed some sample interview questions that you can prepare for to crack the Netflix data engineer interview process below:
- How will you transform unstructured data into structured data?
- What is the process of validating a data migration from one data source to another?
- Define Hadoop. How is it connected to Big Data?
- Are you more database-centric or pipeline-centric?
- Talk about a distributed system you built and how you engineered it?
- For proficient data processing, which Python libraries will you use?
- Talk about your experience using PostgreSQL or other RDBMS.
- Do you have an understanding of NoSQL databases? Elaborate on it.
- Do you know how to build and maintain data pipelines using Kafka (or similar)?
- How will you diagnose a performance issue in a Spark job?
- How will you design a video streaming service such as YouTube or Netflix?
Preparing for these types of interview questions will surely help you get ready for your Netflix data engineer interview.
Average Netflix Data Engineer Salary
The average salary of a Netflix data engineer is $294,903 per year, which is 134% more than the national average. While entry-level engineers' salaries start from $84,000 onwards, the average senior data engineer salary at Netflix is $$164,944.
If you want some help in sprucing up your resume as you apply for the Netflix data engineer role, you can check out How to Make a Perfect Software Engineer Resume for FAANG Companies.
FAQs on the Netflix Data Engineer Interview Process
Some commonly asked questions on the Netflix data engineer interview process are:
- What is the Netflix data engineer interview process like?
The Netflix data engineer interview process can be divided into three stages — initial phone screen, technical screen, and on-site interviews (divided into two parts with a lunch break in between).
- How long does the Netflix data engineer interview process take?
The initial phone screen will take around 30 minutes, the technical screen 45 minutes, and the on-site interviews will take place over the course of a day. The entire Netflix data engineer interview process can take anywhere between 3 to 4 weeks to a couple of months.
- What is the average salary of a Netflix data engineer?
On average, a Netflix data engineer makes $294,903 per year.
- How to become an engineer at Netflix?
To become an engineer at Netflix, you’ll need to have a Bachelor's or a Master's degree in computer science or a related technical field like information science or information technology.
- Is Netflix a good employer?
Based on the reviews left by its employees on the compensation and benefits provided by Netflix, it has a high rating of 4.2 out of 5.
How to Crack the Netflix Data Engineer Interview Process
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