INTERVIEW PREP
Data
Engineer
WHAT DOES A DATA ENGINEER DO AT AMAZON?
Data engineers are knowledgeable in a variety of strategies for ingesting,
modeling, processing, and persisting data. They have expertise in
building scalable data infrastructure, and they understand distributed
systems concepts from a data storage and compute perspective. Data
Engineers are knowledgeable in SQL and have an understanding of ETL
and data modeling. They are also proficient in one or more scripting or
programming languages. They ensure the accuracy and availability of
data to their customers, and they understand how technical decisions
can impact their business’s analytics and reporting. Data engineers work
with data in large volume and velocity, often using the latest AWS and
open source technologies.
Want to become a Data Engineer Intern at Amazon? Let’s walk
through some helpful tips for the interview process
Interview process
Amazon’s interview process is Offer
designed to be as thorough as
If we make you an offer, we will
possible, which may take longer
confirm it in writing and talk to you
than you’re used to. However, you
about possible start dates, office
should hear back from an Amazon
locations, visas, and how to prepare
interviewer within five business
yourself for working at Amazon!
days after your interview
concludes. Amazon Student
Programs will be your partner and
advocate in the process, making
sure that you’re always up to date
with your candidacy.
Interview Stage
You will meet with 2 Amazonians.
Your meetings will be back to back
interviews approximately 45
minutes each. Your interviews will
be one on one. These conversations
will be a combination of technical
and behavioral interview questions.
Debrief Review
A debrief of Amazonians from the
interview stage will review
interview feedback. They ensure
our hiring process is fair and that
we’re holding true to our
Amazonian standards as we grow.
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starting with Day 1
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Behavioral interview prep
Create
Amazon tipshires
for your product
based manager
on the role Principles.
Leadership products compare to our listen
Interviewers competitors.
close-
here. What are the key differences?
ly to examples from your past and whether they demonstrate alignment
with the Leadership Principles.
Be mindful of spacing. Make your tips In your responses, focus on how our
One way toAvoid
actionable. prepare is to review
sounding all the principles
like a job customers and thinkdrive
problems of examples
requirements,
description. not their solutions.
that could apply to each principle so that you’ll have examples readily
available. You may use examples from class projects, volunteering, re-
Avoid copy and pasting—may change Be metric driven. For example, consider
search experience, jobs, and/or prior internships.
the intended font type. the true “value” of a feature before
Be prepared to structure your examples committing
using the STAR method.
to into a product. Is with
Examples below: worth the time and investment?
The STAR method is a structured method of responding to a behavioral-
basedhow
Show interview
you canquestion by discussing
develop solutions that the specific
Showcase situation,
your ability totask, action,all
understand
and result
work of the situation
for stakeholders your are describing.
from various aspects of the product management
disciplines to meet timelines. lifecycle.
Make sure you follow all parts of the STAR method. Be as specific as possi-
ble at all
Express howtimes, without rambling
you encourage risk- or including
Use datatoo muchexamples.
in your information. Also,
For example,
eliminate
taking any examples
behavior that
to maximize do not paint
business you
with in atop
data positive light.
of mind, how do you
benefit. Be able to identify interdepend- prioritize features for your team? What
However, keep in mind that some examples that have a negative result
encies between concurrent projects to will provide the highest ROI?
(such as “lost the game”) can highlight your strength in the face of adversi-
prevent downstream issues.
ty. No one will tell you how to do your job.
Show how you can build consensus on Provide solid scenarios where you showed
decisions and ensure delivery of optimal your ability to work independently to
results. complete a project from start to finish.
Provide examples of how you’ve Be able to identity your customers pain
managed launched programs, and how points? Use case studies and data in your
you continuously seek opportunities for response.
improvement.
Show us how you understand how our
LEARN MORE
Help make history
Dive into our Leadership Principles
starting with Day 1
Discover Amazon’s peculiar culture
Explore Interviewing at Amazon for FAQs, prep guides and more
QUESTIONS? REACH OUT TO YOUR RECRUITING POINT OF CO NTACT
AMAZON IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Technical interview prep
Create tips for your
Be comfortable product
with manager
writing SQL role optimize
productslogical
compare to our
data competitors.
models for a
here. What are
and thinking about edge cases. Un- given data set. the key differences?
derstand different types of joins and
Be mindful of spacing. Make your tips When solving
In your problems
responses, during
focus on the
how our
how condition filters affect the joins.
actionable. Avoid sounding like a job interview,
customersthink about
problems scalability.
drive requirements,
Be familiar with ways of simplifying
description. notcode
their your
solutions.
The write and solution
a complex query and optimizing per-
you provide should be able to han-
formance.
Avoid copy andPractice writing syntacti-
pasting—may change Be metric driven. For example, consider
dle data that scales.
cally
the correctfont
intended queries.
type. the true “value” of a feature before
Be comfortable
committing with
to into fundamental
a product. Is with
Be ready below:
Examples to write syntactically cor- worth the timeandandknowledge
investment?of
SQL concepts
rect code in a scripting language
your chosen scripting language in-
(e.g., how
Show Python). Expect
you can to utilize
develop com-
solutions that cluding
Showcasebutyour
notability
limitedtoto:
understand
table all
mon for
work data structures from
stakeholders and algorithms,
various aspects of the product management
joins, data grouping, data structures,
and to compare
disciplines to meetand contrast their
timelines. lifecycle.
use of window functions, aggrega-
usage in various applications.
Express how you encourage risk- tions, etc. in your examples. For example,
Use data
Understand
taking behaviorthetodifferences and
maximize business with data top of mind, how do you
trade-offs
benefit. between
Be able typesinterdepend-
to identify of data- prioritize features for your team? What
bases between
encies and when each is useful
concurrent projectsin to will provide the highest ROI?
prevent
buildingdownstream
a system. [Link] differ-
ent style of schema design exist and No one will tell you how to do your job.
Show
whenhow youeach.
to use can build consensus on Provide solid scenarios where you showed
decisions and ensure delivery of optimal your ability to work independently to
Be able to demonstrate your under-
results. complete a project from start to finish.
standing of how to tune database
Provide examples
components of how
to meet you’ve
reporting Be able to identity your customers pain
managed
needs and also to transformand
launched programs, how
data points? Use case studies and data in your
you continuously seek opportunities for response.
more quickly.
improvement.
Understand how to how to build/
Show us how you understand how our
LEARN MORE
Help make history
Dive into our Leadership Principles
starting with Day 1
Discover Amazon’s peculiar culture
Explore Interviewing at Amazon for FAQs, prep guides and more
QUESTIONS? REACH OUT TO YOUR RECRUITING POINT OF CO NTACT
AMAZON IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Coding
Amazon interviewers use LiveCode When appropriate, always conclude
for conducting interviews. Your your answers with an end result.
interviewer will share the URL for
the LiveCode session. Think out loud as you work through
the problem. This allows the
Be prepared to write code for SQL interviewer to better follow and
and scripting questions. understand your thought process.
Keep asking questions, as the initial
problem statement may be vague.
Requirements should be the first
thing you write out.
Dig for clarification. Your
interviewer will not try to trick you.
Questions may be intentionally
vague to push your innovation.
We recommend that you ask
clarifying questions if you are
unsure as to what the interviewer is
asking you.
Interact with your interviewer.
Engage with your interviewer with
necessary questions to complete
the exercise.
Know how your solution solves the
problem. If you suggest technology
to help solve the problem,
understand how that technology
works. Be prepared to provide
alternate solutions.
LEARN MORE
Dive into our Leadership Principles
Help make history
Interviewing for a tech role? Explore our common technical topics
starting with Day 1
Explore Interviewing at Amazon for FAQs, prep guides and more
QUESTIONS? REACH OUT TO YOUR RECRUITING POINT OF CO NTACT
AMAZON IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Setting yourself up for success
We know that interviews can be an • Be prepared to explain what
intimidating experience no matter interests you about the role
how well prepared you are, so here you’re interviewing for and the
are some tips to make sure you set team (or teams) you’ll be
yourself up for success. meeting with
• During your interview, be in a • If you need
quiet and comfortable place an accommodation, or have
with no distractions. questions or concerns, please
reach out, as we ensure
• Have a computer with a reliable
reasonable accommodations
connection and access to email.
for all individual
• If you've been asked to do a
• Dress code is comfortable and
virtual interview, you will likely
casual. Most of our offices are
need to download Amazon
filled with people wearing
Chime, our tool for video
everyday clothes. We're
conferencing (step-by-step
interested in what you have to
guide can be found here). If
say, not what you are wearing.
you're presenting, you will need
to download Chime to your
desktop. The meeting ID# will
be emailed to you by your
recruiting point of contact. For
optimal sound quality, use a
headset with a microphone.
• Come prepared with questions
that you would like to explore
in more detail (e.g. initiatives/
projects, team culture, scope of
role).
LEARN MORE
Dive into our Leadership Principles
Help make history
Interviewing for a tech role? Explore our common technical topics
starting with Day 1
Explore Interviewing at Amazon for FAQs, prep guides and more
QUESTIONS? REACH OUT TO YOUR RECRUITING POINT OF CO NTACT
AMAZON IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
FAQs
What if I’m not an expert in all the If I don’t get hired for this role,
preferred qualifications listed on will that prevent me from being
the job description? considered for other positions?
That’s okay. That’s our preferred No. In fact, many times we’ve
list, not a required list. We hire found that a candidate who is not a
smart people who can dive deep so fit for a particular role may be a
we’re more interested in the areas great fit for another. We want to
that you do know instead of those get to know you better throughout
you haven’t been exposed to yet. our process and find the best fit.
What team is this role with? Will I receive feedback on my
interview performance?
Team placement is based on a
variety of factors including No. We are unable to provide
Amazon’s business needs. Specific applicants with feedback on their
manager and organization details interview performance.
will not be confirmed until 60 days
prior to your start date. The
location (city, state) of your office
will be provided, but you will need
to accept the offer without
knowing the team-specific details
(i.e. organization, manager, area of
focus, etc.). Student Programs will
contact you with updates to the
team placement process and your
placement details as soon as they
are available.
LEARN MORE
Dive into our Leadership Principles
Help make history
Interviewing for a tech role? Explore our common technical topics
starting with Day 1
Explore Interviewing at Amazon for FAQs, prep guides and more
QUESTIONS? REACH OUT TO YOUR RECRUITING POINT OF CO NTACT
AMAZON IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
