OpenAI Data Scientist Interview Questions + Guide in 2024

OpenAI is a pioneering AI research and deployment company committed to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. Known for advancing AI systems’ capabilities, the company focuses on safely deploying these technologies worldwide through its innovative products.

If you’re aiming to join OpenAI, this guide will help you navigate the rigorous interview process, provide sample OpenAI data scientist interview questions, and prepare effectively. Let’s get started!

The interview process usually depends on the role and seniority. However, you can expect the following in an OpenAI data scientist interview:

Recruiter/Hiring Manager Call Screening

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

Sometimes, the OpenAI data scientist 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 invite you to the technical screening round. Technical screening for the OpenAI data scientist role is usually conducted through virtual means, including video conferences and screen sharing. Questions in this one-hour interview stage may revolve around OpenAI’s data systems, machine learning theory, stats, and coding.

In the case of data scientist roles, take-home assignments regarding analytics, data experiments, and model evaluations are incorporated. In addition, your proficiency in hypothesis testing, probability distributions, and machine learning fundamentals may also be assessed during the round.

Case studies and similar real-scenario problems may also be assigned depending on the position’s seniority.

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 will be conducted during your day at the OpenAI office, varying with the role. Your technical prowess, including programming and machine learning modeling capabilities, 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 scientist role at OpenAI.

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

1. How would you measure the effectiveness of extra pay for delivery drivers during peak hours?

You work at a food delivery company. How would you measure the effectiveness of giving extra pay to delivery drivers during peak hours to meet consumer demand?

2. Create a function rain_days to calculate the probability of rain on the nth day after today.

The probability that it will rain tomorrow depends on whether it rained today and yesterday. If it rained both days, there’s a 20% chance it will rain tomorrow. If it rained one of the days, there’s a 60% chance. If it rained neither day, there’s a 20% chance. Given it rained today and yesterday, write a function to calculate the probability it will rain on the nth day after today.

3. What are the assumptions of linear regression?

List and explain the key assumptions that must be met for linear regression analysis to be valid.

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 OpenAI data scientist interview include:

• Understand OpenAI’s Products: Study OpenAI’s products and understand their broader applications in the real world. Being knowledgeable about how you would improve or augment these products can set you apart.
• Demonstrate Research Expertise: OpenAI values research-oriented skills. Be prepared to showcase your experience with experiments and how your insights have driven decisions.
• Align with OpenAI’s Mission: OpenAI emphasizes its mission of ensuring that general-purpose AI benefits all of humanity. Demonstrate your commitment to this mission through your answers to behavioral questions.

What is the average salary for a Data Scientist at OpenAI?

According to Glassdoor, Data Scientists at OpenAI earn between $110K to $156K per year, with an average of $130K per year.

What skills and experiences are required for a Data Scientist at OpenAI?

Candidates should have strong data science skills, research experience, and a deep understanding of human-machine interaction challenges. Proficiency in SQL, Python, and conducting rigorous experiments is essential. Experience with NLP, large language models, and generative AI is highly advantageous.

What will I be doing as a Data Scientist at OpenAI?

As a Data Scientist at OpenAI, you will embed with various teams, uncovering ways to improve data quality and business growth. You’ll design tests, define metrics, build dashboards, and develop and socialize reports for self-serve data question answering. You’ll partner closely with other data scientists and cross-functional teams to drive strategic decisions.

Does OpenAI support remote work?

The role is primarily based at OpenAI’s San Francisco HQ and follows a hybrid work model with three days in the office per week. Relocation assistance is offered to new employees.

Embarking on a journey with OpenAI as a Data Scientist means more than just employment—it’s a chance to shape the future of artificial intelligence and its impact on humanity. The recruitment process might be challenging with multiple rounds and diverse questioning, but it’s designed to ensure that only the most enthusiastic, skilled, and visionary individuals join the team.

If you want more insights about the company, check out our main OpenAI Interview Guide, where we have covered many interview questions that could be asked. We’ve also created interview guides for other roles, such as software engineer and data analyst, where you can learn more about OpenAI’s interview process for different positions.

Good luck with your interview!