ds Interview Questions
23 interview questions in our bank cover ds, most of them Coding & Leetcode-style Questions. They average 3.1/5 difficulty — medium — and each one was reported by a candidate after a real interview. Companies known to ask about ds: Two Sigma, Optiver, NVIDIA, Robinhood, Figma, and 1 more.
Practice these on the problems board →Companies that ask about ds
Question mix
- Coding & Leetcode-style Questions12
- ML Fundamentals & Algorithms4
- Behavioral4
- System Design for ML2
- MLOps & Deployment1
Difficulty
- 2/5 — easy2
- 3/5 — medium17
- 4/5 — hard4
Questions tagged ds
QR Statistics / Domain Knowledge Oral
4/5This rigorous interview evaluation from Two Sigma focuses on advanced mathematical reasoning and probability theory. Designed as an oral whiteboard session, it tests your ability to fluently derive concepts related to stochastic processes, regression analysis, and expected values. Interviewers look for deep theoretical comprehension rather than superficial memorization. Prepare yourself thoroughly for this challenging quantitative tier by accessing our complete study materials and expert guidance through a subscription.
ML Fundamentals & AlgorithmsTwo SigmaQR OA — Efficient Univariate OLS Regression
3/5This analytical coding challenge, reported from Two Sigma online assessments, requires computing univariate ordinary least squares regression slopes and dynamically updating them as new data points arrive in a streaming fashion without recomputing from scratch. It assesses mathematical fluency, statistical updates using sufficient statistics, and efficient data processing. Access the complete problem specification and verified model solution with a paid subscription.
Coding & Leetcode-style QuestionsTwo SigmaQR OA - NYC Temperature Regression
3/5This quantitative research coding assessment, featured in interviews at Two Sigma, tests your data analysis and predictive modeling skills using historical weather datasets. You will apply statistical aggregation techniques, least-squares linear regression, and feature selection strategies to forecast temperature metrics. The task evaluates your proficiency with data manipulation libraries and foundational machine learning evaluation metrics under strict time constraints. The complete problem statement and professional model solution are available exclusively to subscribers.
Coding & Leetcode-style QuestionsTwo SigmaQR Data Analysis Prediction Case
3/5This open-ended quantitative research interview question from Two Sigma evaluates your ability to structure a complete predictive modeling pipeline from scratch. Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in feature construction, target selection, algorithmic choice, and rigorous validation metrics for domain-specific forecasting scenarios. This challenge tests practical analytical thinking and experimental design skills rather than standard algorithmic programming. Access to the comprehensive problem breakdown, suggested heuristics, and expert model solution requires an active subscription.
ML Fundamentals & AlgorithmsTwo SigmaZap-N Reaction & Memory Mini-Games
4/5Reported as part of the Optiver online assessment, this battery of rapid mini-games tests your working memory, pattern recognition, and raw reaction speed under escalating time pressure. Candidates face a sequence of fast-paced interactive challenges designed to measure cognitive reflexes rather than traditional algorithmic reasoning. Succeeding requires intense focus and familiarity with the interface pacing typically encountered in quantitative trading firm recruitment. Gain complete insights into these assessment rounds and preparation strategies with a subscription.
ML Fundamentals & AlgorithmsOptiverQR Take-Home Data Project & Presentation
3/5Navigate the rigorous quantitative research assessment process with this Optiver take-home data project and presentation round. Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in time-series manipulation, quantitative modeling, and data analysis using standard programming libraries, followed by an intensive defense of their methodological choices. This evaluation tests practical analytical judgment, coding hygiene, and the ability to communicate complex technical insights effectively to a panel of experts. Gain full access to this project guide and preparation resources by subscribing today.
BehavioralOptiverLikelihood / Event-Ordering Test
2/5Featured in recent Optiver quantitative assessments, this timed evaluation presents candidates with data tables and charts, asking them to rapidly rank multiple scenarios based on their relative likelihoods. The format tests quick statistical intuition, risk assessment, and data interpretation under tight time constraints rather than heavy mathematical derivations. It provides a realistic preview of modern algorithmic trading screening modules designed to gauge analytical agility. Unlock the complete test overview and expert preparation guide with a subscription.
ML Fundamentals & AlgorithmsOptiverData Platform, Pipeline, and ML Operations Fundamentals
3/5Navigate a comprehensive data infrastructure evaluation mirroring challenges reported during NVIDIA engineering assessments. This scenario tests your operational knowledge spanning stream ingestion pipelines, metrics monitoring, handling data skew in distributed frameworks, and resolving root causes of pipeline failures. Access the complete engineering roadmap and expert troubleshooting guide with a paid subscription.
MLOps & DeploymentNVIDIAAnalytics Engineer: SQL + Python Sessionization
3/5Practice dual-domain data processing combining advanced relational database queries and Python-based sessionization algorithms, highlighted in analytics engineering loops at Robinhood. This problem tests your ability to handle sharded datasets with complex join conditions and group event logs into distinct time-capped sessions. It is designed to evaluate practical data transformation skills used in production data pipelines. The full problem documentation, datasets, and complete model solutions require an active subscription.
Coding & Leetcode-style QuestionsRobinhoodCurrency Arbitrage Detection
3/5This quantitative trading graph problem, featured in an Optiver online assessment, requires detecting currency arbitrage loops from an exchange rate matrix while accounting for transaction fees. The task typically maps to finding negative cycles in log-transformed graphs using specialized shortest-path algorithms. The full problem statement, mathematical reduction details, and complete model solution are available exclusively with a paid subscription.
Coding & Leetcode-style QuestionsOptiverProportional Allocation Strategy Backtest
3/5Prepare for quantitative finance interviews with this Optiver assessment question, which requires building a portfolio simulation to backtest a daily momentum allocation strategy. Candidates must process historical performance data, calculate daily log returns, and accurately track statistical metrics while handling strict numerical bookkeeping. This exercise evaluates your ability to translate financial trading rules into robust code under timed constraints. Unlock the complete problem description and expert model solution by subscribing to our platform today.
Coding & Leetcode-style QuestionsOptiverData Engineer Screen — SQL Collaborator Model + IPv4 Validation
3/5This data engineering technical screen, featured at Figma, evaluates proficiency in both relational database querying and string manipulation. The first portion involves analyzing user activity logs to identify initial design shares and modeling close collaborator relationships, while the second part requires parsing and validating network address strings. The complete problem requirements, dataset schema, and model solutions are available exclusively to subscribers.
Coding & Leetcode-style QuestionsFigmaHardware-Adjacent Project Deep Dive
3/5Hardware-adjacent system design and performance optimization are critical topics in senior engineering discussions, commonly featured in interviews at NVIDIA. This behavioral round focuses on deep-dive evaluations of your past high-performance computing projects, infrastructure scaling, and cluster resource management. Candidates must effectively articulate their experience with GPU utilization metrics, workflow analysis, and specialized data libraries. Excelling in this conversation demonstrates deep domain expertise and architectural maturity. Access the full guide and expert preparation strategies with a subscription.
BehavioralNVIDIAHR / Behavioral Phone Screen
3/5Prepare for the initial HR and behavioral telephone screening reported at Optiver with this overview of the standard recruiter conversation. This session typically evaluates your background, career motivations, logistics, and past projects through targeted reflective questions. Understanding what recruiters look for during this conversation helps you communicate your alignment with the firm's culture effectively. Unlock the full preparation guide and expert advice by securing a paid subscription.
BehavioralOptiverSQL Pair Programming (Data Engineer)
3/5This data engineering pair programming session, commonly encountered during technical interviews at Shopify, tests your practical query-writing proficiency through a live coding environment. You will work through escalating relational database challenges involving data cleansing, temporal aggregation, and string manipulation across multiple interconnected tables. To view the complete set of prompts and verified query solutions, a subscription is required.
Coding & Leetcode-style QuestionsShopifyPalindrome Warmup + Two-Task Worker Scheduling
3/5Tackle this reported Two Sigma interview question that begins with checking symmetrical integer patterns before advancing to generating the next immediate sequence match. The second half of the exercise tests your algorithmic reasoning around resource allocation, specifically distributing personnel across dual assignments to optimize overall completion time. This challenge evaluates both your string manipulation intuition and your greedy optimization strategies under time pressure. Gain access to the full problem breakdown and a verified model implementation by purchasing a subscription.
Coding & Leetcode-style QuestionsTwo SigmaMaximum Product Path in a Complete Directed Graph
4/5Reported as a rigorous technical assessment for Two Sigma, this graph theory challenge asks you to determine a unique path across a complete directed structure that maximizes the total product of edge weights without revisiting nodes. It tests advanced algorithmic concepts, including logarithmic transformations to convert multiplicative objectives into additive ones, alongside dynamic programming with bitmasking. Access to the full problem text, complexity analysis, and verified model solution requires a subscription.
Coding & Leetcode-style QuestionsTwo SigmaAdd Two Strings with a Single-Digit Adder
2/5This Two Sigma interview challenge evaluates your ability to combine individual numerical digits to perform full-scale addition on text-based representations of large integers. Candidates must demonstrate careful carry management and explain the performance trade-offs of their approach. Access to the comprehensive problem description and optimal algorithmic walkthrough requires a paid subscription.
Coding & Leetcode-style QuestionsTwo SigmaLLM SQL Chatbot Access Control and Query Safety
3/5Explore a complex system architecture challenge reported from NVIDIA interviews focusing on the secure design of a natural language interface for database querying. The scenario requires balancing user accessibility with strict authorization boundaries, ensuring that generated queries respect enterprise permission levels while protecting downstream data infrastructure from catastrophic resource exhaustion. Candidates must address query validation, mitigation of hallucinated syntax, and resource management to prevent cluster instability. Gain full access to the complete design blueprint and expert recommendations with a subscription.
System Design for MLNVIDIAOptimal Execution with a Broker Backstop
4/5This advanced Optiver coding problem presents an optimal stopping challenge framed around sequential purchasing decisions under uncertainty. Candidates must determine the ideal strategy to acquire multiple units of an asset while balancing random market fluctuations against a limited number of fallback options provided by a broker. This task assesses your command of dynamic programming and expected value calculations in a high-frequency trading context. The complete problem statement, mathematical formulation, and optimal solution are available exclusively to paid subscribers.
Coding & Leetcode-style QuestionsOptiverQR OA — Linear Interpolator
3/5This Two Sigma online assessment task requires the implementation of a piecewise linear interpolator using sorted coordinate knot points. You must handle range boundary conditions, extrapolation rules, duplicate coordinate edge cases, and high-performance lookup queries. The evaluation focuses on binary search algorithms, numerical math, and robust edge-case handling. To read the complete problem description and review the expert model solution, a paid subscription is required.
Coding & Leetcode-style QuestionsTwo SigmaHR / Behavioral Phone Screen
3/5Prepare for your initial recruiter conversation at Optiver with this overview of commonly asked behavioral themes. This preliminary evaluation focuses on your background alignment, logistical details, professional motivations, and an in-depth review of a past project. It measures communication skills and cultural fit rather than technical depth. Access to the complete interview guide, expert tips, and suggested talking points requires a subscription.
BehavioralOptiverTelemetry Collector and GPU Utilization Dashboard
3/5Reported as an infrastructure system design interview at NVIDIA, this scenario challenges you to architect a scalable monitoring platform capable of ingesting high-frequency telemetry data from large GPU clusters. You must design storage layers, data retention policies, and query mechanisms that support both granular real-time metrics and long-term trend analysis. The problem evaluates your expertise in distributed systems, data modeling, and high-throughput logging pipelines. Unlock the full architectural requirements and a comprehensive solution guide with a subscription.
System Design for MLNVIDIA
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ds interview FAQ
- How many ds interview questions are there?
- 23 reported questions, mostly Coding & Leetcode-style Questions.
- Which companies ask ds questions?
- Two Sigma (8), Optiver (8), NVIDIA (4), Robinhood (1), Figma (1), Shopify (1).
- How hard are ds questions?
- They average 3.1 out of 5: 2 at 2/5, 17 at 3/5, 4 at 4/5.