Palantir Technologies Data Engineer Interview Questions + Guide in 2024

Palantir Technologies is a forward-thinking company building software that addresses complex global challenges. Our partnerships with leading institutions worldwide have led to breakthroughs in stopping terrorist attacks, discovering new medicines, and gaining competitive edges in financial markets.

As a Data Engineer at Palantir, you will collaborate directly with clients to identify key data sources and integrate them into scalable pipelines. Your problem-solving skills, creativity, and technical expertise will be essential in helping organizations leverage their data for impactful outcomes. The role offers an unparalleled opportunity to influence vital sectors and institutional workflows with a flexible approach tailored to individual strengths.

This Interview Query guide will help you navigate the interview process, including common Palantir Technologies data engineer interview questions and expert tips. Prepare to excel at Palantir and make a meaningful difference on a global scale.

The interview process usually depends on the role and seniority; however, you can expect the following on a Palantir Technologies data engineer interview:

Recruiter/Hiring Manager Call Screening

If your CV is among the shortlisted few, a recruiter from the Palantir 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 Palantir data engineer hiring manager might participate in 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 Palantir data engineer role usually involves virtual means, including video conferences and screen sharing. Questions in this 1-hour long interview may revolve around Palantir’s data systems, ETL pipelines, and SQL queries.

Regarding data engineer roles, take-home assignments regarding data integration, data manipulation, and pipeline optimization may be incorporated. During the round, your proficiency with distributed computing, data pipelining tools, and programming languages such as Python and Java may also be assessed.

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 Palantir office, varying with the role. Your technical prowess, including programming, data engineering principles, and problem-solving skills, will be evaluated against the finalized candidates throughout these interviews.

If you were assigned take-home exercises, you may also be invited to a presentation round during the on-site interview for the data engineer role at Palantir.

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

1. Would you suspect anything unusual about the A/B test results with 20 variants?

Your manager ran an A/B test with 20 different variants and found one significant result. Would you consider this result suspicious?

2. How would you set up an A/B test to optimize button color and position for higher click-through rates?

A team wants to A/B test changes in a sign-up funnel, such as changing a button from red to blue and/or moving it from the top to the bottom of the page. How would you design this test?

3. What steps would you take if friend requests on Facebook are down 10%?

A product manager at Facebook reports a 10% decrease in friend requests. What actions would you take to investigate and address this issue?

4. Why might job applications decrease despite stable job postings?

You observe that the number of job postings per day has remained constant, but the number of applicants has steadily decreased. What could be causing this trend?

5. What are the drawbacks of the given student test score datasets, and how would you reformat them for better analysis?

You have data on student test scores in two different layouts. What are the drawbacks of these formats, and what changes would you make to improve their usefulness for analysis? Additionally, describe common issues in “messy” datasets.

6. Is this a fair coin based on 10 flips resulting in 8 tails and 2 heads?

You flip a coin 10 times, and it comes up tails 8 times and heads twice. Based on the results, determine if this is a fair coin.

7. How would you write a function to calculate sample variance for a list of integers?

Write a function that outputs the sample variance given a list of integers and round the result to 2 decimal places.

Example: Input:

test_list = [6, 7, 3, 9, 10, 15]

Output:

get_variance(test_list) -> 13.89

8. How would you find the median of a list where more than 50% of the elements are the same?

Given a list of sorted integers where more than 50% of the list comprises the same repeating integer, write a function to return the median value in (O(1)) computational time and space.

Example: Input:

li = [1,2,2]

Output:

median(li) -> 2

9. Write a SQL query to select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department.

Write an SQL query to select the second-highest salary in the engineering department. If more than one person shares the highest salary, the query should select the next highest salary.

10. Write a function to merge two sorted lists into one sorted list.

Write a function to merge two sorted lists into one sorted list. Also, the complexity of the function over time should be mentioned.

11. Create a function missing_number to find the missing number in an array.

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 function should have a \(O(n)\) complexity.

12. Develop a function precision_recall to calculate precision and recall metrics from a 2-D matrix.

Given a 2-D matrix P of predicted values and actual values, write a function precision_recall to calculate precision and recall metrics. Return the ordered pair (precision, recall).

13. Write a function to search for a target value in a rotated sorted array.

Suppose an array sorted in ascending order is rotated at some pivot unknown to you beforehand. Write a function to search for a target value in the rotated array and return its index, or -1, if it is not found. The algorithm’s runtime complexity should be in the order of \(O(\log n)\).

14. How would you evaluate whether using a decision tree algorithm is the correct model for predicting loan repayment?

You are tasked with building a decision tree model to predict whether a borrower will repay a personal loan. How would you evaluate whether a decision tree is right for this problem?

15. How would you evaluate the performance of a decision tree model before and after deployment?

If you decide to use a decision tree model, how would you assess its performance before deployment and monitor it after deployment?

16. How does random forest generate the forest, and why use it over logistic regression?

Explain the process by which a random forest generates its ensemble of trees. Additionally, why might you choose random forest over logistic regression for certain problems?

17. When would you use a bagging algorithm versus a boosting algorithm?

Compare the use cases for bagging and boosting algorithms. Provide an example of the tradeoffs between the two.

18. How would you justify the complexity of a neural network model to non-technical stakeholders?

If your manager asks you to build a neural network model to solve a business problem, how would you justify its complexity and explain its predictions to non-technical stakeholders?

19. What metrics would you use to track the accuracy and validity of a spam classifier for emails?

Assume you have built a V1 of a spam classifier for emails. What metrics would you use to evaluate its accuracy and validity?

Here are some tips on how you can ace your Palantir Technologies data engineer interview:

1. Understand the Role: Palantir emphasizes problem-solving and direct engagement with customer problems. Be prepared to discuss how you would integrate and manage large-scale data to drive customer outcomes.

2. Technical Proficiency: Brush up on your distributed computing, data pipelining tools, and programming languages like Python, Java, C++, and more. Knowledge of large-scale data technologies like Spark, Pandas, and Databricks is critical.

3. Cultural Fit: Palantir values team collaboration and creative problem-solving. Practice behavioral questions and frame your responses to highlight how you align with these values and the company’s mission to solve the world’s hardest problems.

What is the average salary for a Data Engineer at Palantir Technologies?

What projects will I work on as a Data Engineer at Palantir?

At Palantir, you’ll work on projects that have significant real-world impact. This includes working with data to stop terrorist attacks, discover new medicines, and gain an edge in global financial markets. You’ll leverage your skills to solve some of the world’s most critical problems.

What skills and experience are valued for the Data Engineer role at Palantir?

Palantir values a highly analytical mindset, problem-solving abilities, and experience with large-scale data technologies like Spark and Databricks. Proficiency in programming languages like Python, Java, and C++ is also important. Excellent communication skills and the ability to work in diverse teams are essential.

Joining Palantir Technologies as a Data Engineer means diving into a world where data meets real-world impact. By working closely with leading institutions and applying your creativity and technical skills, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking projects that shape global outcomes.

To prepare thoroughly and ace your Palantir interview, explore our Palantir Interview Guide. It’s packed with valuable insights and potential questions that you might face.

Unleash your potential and step into a role that challenges and excites you at Palantir Technologies. Good luck with your interview!