Cox Automotive, a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises based in Atlanta, GA, is revolutionizing the automotive industry through innovative technology and exceptional service for drivers and dealers alike. With iconic brands like Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book under its umbrella, the company is recognized for its transformative impact on car ownership and sales.

In this guide, we'll focus on the role of Lead Data Engineer at Cox Automotive, a key position within their Engineering/Product Development team. This hybrid role involves leading projects in ETL processing, complex database architecture design, and providing guidance to junior developers. If you're looking to join a dynamic team and are skilled in Python, AWS, and big data technologies, this guide will help you prepare for your interview at Cox Automotive. Let's dive in!

Submitting Your Application

The first step is to submit a compelling application that reflects your technical skills and interest in joining Cox Automotive as a Data Engineer. Whether you were contacted by a Cox Automotive 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 Cox Automotive 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 Cox Automotive Data Engineering hiring manager stays 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 whole 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 Cox Automotive Data Engineer role usually is conducted through virtual means, including video conference and screen sharing. Questions in this 1-hour-long interview stage may revolve around Cox Automotive’s data systems, ETL pipelines, and SQL queries.

In the case of Data Engineer roles, take-home assignments regarding data modeling, analytics, and system design are incorporated. Apart from these, your proficiency against programming in Python, working with AWS services, and handling various databases may also be assessed during the round.

Depending on the seniority of the position, case studies and similar real-scenario problems may also be assigned.

Onsite Interview Rounds

Followed by a second recruiter call outlining the next stage, you’ll be invited to attend the onsite interview loop. Multiple interview rounds, varying with the role, will be conducted during your day at the Cox Automotive office. Your technical prowess, including ETL processing methodologies and database architecture, will be evaluated against the finalized candidates throughout these interviews.

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

Quick Tips For Cox Automotive Data Engineer Interviews

You should plan to brush up on any technical skills and try as many practice interview questions and mock interviews as possible. A few tips for acing your Cox Automotive interview include:

• Master ETL Processes: Make sure you have a deep understanding of ETL processes and methodologies, as they will test your ability to design and troubleshoot complex data flows.
• Showcase AWS Proficiency: The job requires extensive experience with various AWS services like EC2, S3, and Redshift. Be prepared to discuss your previous experiences and problem-solving approaches using these technologies.
• Exhibit Leadership Qualities: Especially for senior roles, Cox Automotive values candidates who can mentor and lead teams. Be ready to discuss scenarios where you have coached junior developers or led technical projects.

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

• How would you use data to convince a fast-food franchise to purchase another custom Snapchat filter? Snapchat partnered with a fast-food franchise to create a custom filter available for a week. How would you use data from this campaign to persuade the franchise to buy another custom filter this year?

• Write a function missing_number to find the missing number in an array of integers. You have an array of integers, nums of length n spanning 0 to n with one missing. Write a function missing_number that returns the missing number in the array. The complexity should be \(O(n)\).

• Create a function first_uniq_char to find the first non-repeating character in a string. Given a string, find the first non-repeating character in it and return its index. If it doesn't exist, return -1. Consider a string where all characters are lowercase alphabets.

• Write a function inject_frequency to add the frequency of each character in a string. Given a string sentence, return the same string with an addendum after each character of the number of occurrences a character appeared in the sentence. Do not treat spaces as characters and do not return the addendum for characters that appear in the discard_list.

• Create a query to find the number of rows resulting from different joins on a table of ads. Allstate is running N online ads. The table ads contains all those ads, ranked by popularity via the id column. Create a subquery or common table expression named top_ads containing the top 3 ads by popularity and return the number of rows that would result from ads INNER JOIN top_ads, ads LEFT JOIN top_ads, ads RIGHT JOIN top_ads, and ads CROSS JOIN top_ads. Return the join type and the number of rows for each join type.

• How would you explain what a p-value is to someone who is not technical? Explain the concept of a p-value in simple terms to someone without a technical background. Use analogies or everyday examples to make it understandable.

• What is the difference between Logistic and Linear Regression? When would you use one instead of the other in practice? Describe the key differences between Logistic and Linear Regression. Provide examples of scenarios where each method would be appropriately applied in practice.

• How would you build a fraud detection model with a text messaging service for transaction approval? You work at a bank that wants to build a model to detect fraud on the platform. The bank also wants to implement a text messaging service that will text customers when the model detects a fraudulent transaction, allowing the customer to approve or deny the transaction with a text response. How would you build this model?

• What is the difference between Logistic and Linear Regression, and when would you use each? Explain the difference between Logistic and Linear Regression. Describe scenarios in which you would use one instead of the other in practice.

• What does the backpropagation algorithm do in neural networks, and what is its intuition? Describe the role of the backpropagation algorithm in the context of neural networks. Explain the informal intuition behind the algorithm and discuss some drawbacks compared to other optimization methods. Bonus: Formally derive the backpropagation algorithm and prove its claims.

What is the average salary for a Data Engineer at Cox Enterprises?

Q: What does a Lead Data Engineer at Cox Automotive do?

A: A Lead Data Engineer at Cox Automotive functionally leads projects involving the design and development of ETL solutions, provides technical guidance on database architecture, and enhances existing standards to accommodate new use cases. This role also includes serving as a technical coach and mentor to junior developers.

Q: What are the minimum requirements for a Lead Data Engineer position at Cox Automotive?

A: The minimum requirements include a bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, or a related field and 6 years of experience in software solutions development. Proficiency in Python, ETL processes, relational and cloud databases like Hadoop, Redshift, and AWS services is also required. Alternative qualifications include a master's degree and 4 years of experience, or a Ph.D. and 1 year of experience.

Q: What is the workplace flexibility offered for this role?

A: Cox Automotive offers a hybrid work option where employees can work remotely part-time during the week. This role does not require travel.

Q: What benefits does Cox Automotive offer to its employees?

A: Benefits include health care insurance, retirement planning, flexible vacation/wellness days, seven paid holidays, up to 160 hours of paid wellness annually, and additional paid time off for bereavement, voting, jury duty, volunteering, military leave, parental leave, and COVID-19 vaccination leave.

Q: How can I prepare for a Data Engineer interview at Cox Automotive?

A: To prepare, research the company and the role, practice common data engineering interview questions, and review your technical skills. Utilize resources like Interview Query to practice mock interviews and get insights into common interview questions and patterns.

If you're aiming for a rewarding career as a Lead Data Engineer at Cox Enterprises, our comprehensive resources at Interview Query will guide you every step of the way. Dive into our dedicated interview guides to master the intricacies of Cox's interview process, tailored specifically for data engineering roles. Our tools empower you with the strategic knowledge and confidence to excel. Explore all our company interview guides to further refine your preparation. Feel free to reach out with any questions as you embark on this exciting career opportunity. Good luck with your interview!