Comcast is a leading global media and technology company known for its vast range of innovative products and services. With a focus on connectivity and premium content, Comcast reaches millions of customers worldwide.

The Data Engineer position at Comcast offers an exciting opportunity to work on cutting-edge data collection, transformation, and analysis tools in the cloud. Candidates are expected to have a strong foundation in SQL, Python, and Spark, alongside good tool knowledge. The role involves designing and building data processing pipelines, collaborating with project stakeholders, and continually improving the codebase.

Interview Query is here to guide you through the interview process for this role, ensuring you're well-prepared for technical and behavioral questions commonly asked during Comcast's multi-stage interview process.

Submitting Your Application

The first step is to submit a compelling application that reflects your technical skills and interest in joining Comcast as a Data Engineer. Whether you were contacted by a Comcast recruiter or have taken the initiative yourself, carefully review the job description and tailor your CV according to the prerequisites.

Tailoring your CV may include identifying specific keywords that the hiring manager might use to filter resumes and crafting a targeted cover letter. Furthermore, don’t forget to highlight relevant skills and mention your work experiences.

Recruiter/Hiring Manager Call Screening

If your CV happens to be among the shortlisted few, a recruiter from the Comcast Talent Acquisition Team will make contact and verify key details like your experiences and skill level. Behavioral questions may also be a part of the screening process.

In some cases, the Comcast Data Engineer hiring manager may be present during the screening round to answer your queries about the role and the company itself. They may also indulge in surface-level technical and behavioral discussions.

The entire recruiter call should take about 30 minutes.

Technical Virtual Interview

Successfully navigating the recruiter round will present you with an invitation for the technical screening round. Technical screening for the Comcast Data Engineer role is usually conducted through virtual means, including video conference and screen sharing. Questions in this 1-hour long interview stage may revolve around Comcast’s data systems, ETL pipelines, and SQL queries.

You may also face questions related to Spark, Python, and Scala. Hands-on coding questions requiring you to solve SQL queries, implement ETL processes, or demonstrate knowledge of data tools like AWS, Presto, and Hive could be featured. Your proficiency in these areas will be tested with potentially engaging whiteboard challenges.

Onsite Interview Rounds

Following a successful second recruiter call outlining the next stage, you will be invited to attend the onsite interview loop. Multiple interview rounds, varying with the role, will be conducted during your day at the Comcast office. Across these interviews, your technical prowess, including programming and ETL pipeline design capabilities, will be evaluated against the finalized candidates.

If you were assigned take-home exercises, a presentation round may also await you during the onsite interview for the Data Engineer role at Comcast.

Quick Tips For Comcast Data Engineer Interviews

• Strong Foundation in SQL, Python, and Spark: Be prepared for detailed questions on SQL, including joins, SCD types, and window functions. Also, make sure to brush up on Python and Spark as these skills are critical for the role.

• Experience with Cloud and ETL Tools: Practice using relevant cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud), and ensure you're familiar with CI/CD tools such as Jenkins and Terraform.

• Project-Based Questions: Be ready to discuss your past projects in detail, including the tools and methods you used, challenges you faced, and how you overcame them. Comcast values practical experience highly.

Typically, interviews at Comcast vary by role and team, but commonly Data Engineer interviews follow a fairly standardized process across these question topics.

• Write a function replace_words to stem words in a sentence using given roots. In data science, stemming is the heuristic of chopping off the end of a word to clean and bucket it into an easier feature set. Given a dictionary of roots and a sentence, write a function replace_words to stem all the words in the sentence with the root forming it. If a word has many roots that can form it, replace it with the root with the shortest length.

• - How would you find the average number of rolls to reach a die with identical faces? Roll a fair 6-sided die six times and record the result of each roll. You then write these numbers on the six faces of another, unlabeled fair die.

For example, if your six rolls were:

3, 5, 3, 6, 1, 2

Then your second die wouldn't have a 4 on it; instead, it would have two 3s.

Next, you roll this second die six times. You take those six numbers and write them on the faces of yet another fair die, and you continue this process of generating a new die from the previous one.
Eventually, you'll have a die with the same number on all six faces.

How would you go about finding the average number of rolls it will take to reach this state?

What is the average salary for a Data Engineer at Comcast?

Q: What does the interview process for a Data Engineer position at Comcast typically involve? The interview process at Comcast usually involves multiple stages spread over a week: an initial phone screen, followed by a technical interview, and concludes with a behavioral interview. Some interviews are in person, while others might be conducted via phone or video conferencing.

Q: What technical skills are important for a Data Engineer role at Comcast? For a Data Engineer role at Comcast, strong skills in SQL, Python, and Spark are vital. Familiarity with various tools and technologies like Scala, AWS, Flink, and CI/CD tools like Jenkins or AWS CodeBuild are also highly beneficial.

Q: How should I prepare for the technical interview at Comcast? To prepare for the technical interview, focus on honing your skills in SQL, Python, and Spark. Be ready to answer questions related to ETL processes, data applications like Presto and Hive, and coding in Scala or Java. Practicing with Interview Query can also be exceptionally beneficial.

Q: What kind of experience is Comcast looking for in a Data Engineer? Comcast looks for candidates with at least 5 years of hands-on experience in software development, along with 3+ years in designing and building ETL pipelines and experience with data applications and NoSQL implementations. Experience in public cloud platforms like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud is also important.

Q: What's the company culture like at Comcast? Comcast values a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning. Employees are expected to be team players, be adaptable to new ideas, and be advocates for the company's technology, products, and services. The company also emphasizes customer experience, diversity, and inclusion.

Comcast offers an exciting and comprehensive interview experience for their Data Engineer position. From SQL, Python, and Spark fundamentals to knowledge of advanced tools like AWS, the interview process is designed to evaluate your technical and project-based skills thoroughly. The multi-stage interviews ensure a smooth and comfortable experience while allowing you to demonstrate your problem-solving abilities and fit within the company culture. If you're ready to take the leap and join Comcast's team, prepare thoroughly, and check out the Comcast Interview Guide on Interview Query for more insights and specific questions that might come up. Good luck with your interview!