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Simons Foundation Interview Questions

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Let’s say that your company is running a standard control and variant AB test on a feature to increase conversion rates on the landing page. The PM checks the results and finds a .04 p-value.

How would you assess the validity of the result?

Experiment Validity

Let’s say you work for a social media company that has just done a launch in a new city. Looking at weekly metrics, you see a slow decrease in the average number of comments per user from January to March in this city.

The company has been consistently growing new users in the city from January to March.

What are some reasons why the average number of comments per user would be decreasing and what metrics would you look into?

What metric could be used to measure if active users are still engaging on the platform despite an overall decrease in the average number of comments per user?

What metric could be used to measure if active users are still engaging on the platform despite an overall decrease in the average number of comments per user?

Decreasing Comments

How would you investigate a decline in the average number of comments per user?

In an A/B test, how can you check if assignment to the various buckets was truly random?

In an A/B test, which of the following is a common method to determine if the assignment to the test groups was truly random?

In an A/B test, which of the following is a common method to determine if the assignment to the test groups was truly random?

Random Bucketing

Simons Foundation Salaries by Position

POSITION SUMMARY The Scientific Computing Core (SCC) manages supercomputing resources and provides high performance computing (HPC) expertise to all centers at the Flatiron Institute, a division of the Simons Foundation, developing tools broadly useful to the scientific community as a whole. SCC is seeking a Software Engineer Intern to apply their development skills to original computational projects. The selected candidate will have a chance to collaborate on an open source project while learning about numerical algorithms, GPU computing, MPI, and various other high performance computing (HPC) topics. The internship will be focused on HPC, and not machine learning, though many of the techniques used can be applied to accelerate machine learning applications. The selected candidate will be on SCC premises daily to meet with their supervisor, collaborate with scientists from a broad range of disciplines, present their progress, and participate in discussions. At the completion of their projects, they will orally present their work and potentially prepare a research paper. The internship will take place in-person at the Simons Foundation's offices in New York City from May 27, 2025 - August 8, 2025. Applicable travel assistance to New York City and a supported temporary housing option while in New York City may be available. Visit Summer at Simons to learn more. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES <ul> <li>Assist in planning and implementation of novel generic open source computational tools and broader research software. Some recent projects that are in active development include, but are not limited to: <ul><li>High-performance multidimensional function interpolator https://github.com/blackwer/baobzi </li><li>Massively parallel fully resolved hydrodynamic simulation of cytoskeletal elements https://github.com/flatironinstitute/SkellySim </li> <li>Novel algorithms for fast evaluation of All-Pairs kernels https://github.com/flatironinstitute/DMK </li><li>Determining energy landscapes for structures imaged using Cryogenic Electron Microscopy https://github.com/flatironinstitute/ManifoldEM </li></ul> </li><li>Use github to organize workflow and effectively collaborate on team programming projects </li><li>Use Flatiron cluster resources to profile/benchmark/test software </li></ul>MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Education <ul> <li>Must be a student enrolled in an accredited graduate degree program </li> <li>Students enrolled in physics, mathematics, computer science, or related disciplines preferred </li></ul>Experience <ul> <li>Written or made a major contribution to a significant project in one of the following languages: C/C++, Julia, Python, MATLAB, FORTRAN, CUDA </li><li>Basic knowledge of the linux command line </li><li>Working expertise with object oriented programming in C++ and Python, desired </li><li>Practical experience in HPC and cluster computing topics such as MPI, GPU/CUDA and Slurm, desired </li><li>Course experience in data structures and algorithms or equivalent, desired </li><li>Basic knowledge of git/github, particularly when dealing with shared projects, desired </li></ul>Related Skills & Other Requirements <ul> <li>Must enjoy working in a research-driven environment </li><li>Desire to document code and process, deliberative decision-making </li><li>Strong oral and written communication </li><li>Excellent collaborative and interpersonal skills </li></ul>REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS <ul> <li>Resume or CV </li><li>Cover letter indicating your interest in the position </li></ul>Application Deadline <ul> <li>Applications for summer 2025 must be submitted by February 7, 2025 </li></ul>COMPENSATION <ul> <li>This internship pays $20 to $25 per hour, depending on degree level </li></ul> THE SIMONS FOUNDATION'S DIVERSITY COMMITMENT Many of the greatest ideas and discoveries come from a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds and experiences, and we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment. The Simons Foundation actively seeks a diverse applicant pool and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category under federal, state and local law.

POSITION SUMMARY The Simons Foundation is seeking an experienced Senior Software Engineer, with significant back-end engineering experience, to join its Autism and Neuroscience Division. The Senior Software Engineer will report to the Principal Software Engineer and Team Lead and will work collaboratively with back-end and front-end engineers to create and maintain real-time, robust, high-quality, highly available and highly scalable distributed systems. These systems will support scientific initiatives of the division, including SPARK, an online platform that supports the engagement of tens of thousands of families affected by autism, as well as researchers working to better understand autism. This full-time position is based on-site in the Simons Foundation offices in New York City. For more information, visit simonsfoundation.org/careers. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES <ul><li>Develop new informatics tools to support scientific initiatives of the Autism and Neuroscience division, including supporting Informatics' efforts for SPARK.</li><li>Design, develop and maintain systems for querying, analyzing and visualizing various types of data and manage and update system workflows</li><li>Operationalize real-time data synchronization and large-scale data-processing frameworks</li><li>Develop test frameworks and operational tools for the services</li><li>Work collaboratively with other members of the Informatics team and other key stakeholders</li><li>Ensure stakeholder expectations are met, and requests are completed in a timely and efficient manner. Keep stakeholders apprised of any changes to projected schedule and unanticipated outcomes</li><li>Perform any other duties or tasks as assigned or required</li></ul> MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Education: <ul><li>Bachelor's degree in computer science or related discipline; a master's degree is preferred.</li></ul> Experience: <ul><li>At least 10 years of experience as a software engineer or similar position</li><li>Extensive experience with Python</li><li>Extensive experience with Linux </li><li>In-depth knowledge of databases</li><li>High-quality distributed systems </li><li>RESTful API services</li><li>Message queues and background workers</li><li>High-volume data processing</li></ul> Related Skills & Other Requirements <ul><li>Experience with Celery distributed task queue</li><li>Experience with data security</li></ul> COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS <ul><li>The full-time annual compensation range for this position is $160,000 - $200,000, depending on experience.</li><li>In addition to competitive salaries, the Simons Foundation provides employees with an outstanding benefits package.</li></ul> THE SIMONS FOUNDATION'S DIVERSITY COMMITMENT Many of the greatest ideas and discoveries come from a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds and experiences, and we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment. The Simons Foundation actively seeks a diverse applicant pool and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category under federal, state and local law.

POSITION SUMMARY The Simons Foundation Web Experience Team is seeking a full-stack software engineer to contribute to a diverse portfolio of websites. This role will be responsible for the construction, maintenance, and improvement of several websites hosting editorially independent online publications covering research in autism, data and life sciences, mathematics and physics, as well as sites providing information about the foundation's support of basic and applied research. This role will collaborate closely with designers, developers on the team, as well as editors, content producers, and other stakeholders. This is a full-time position located onsite in our New York City office. For more information, visit simonsfoundation.org/careers. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES
Research, plan, and execute back-end and front-end development for a diverse collection of foundation-affiliated websites, many built on WordPress
Work collaboratively and closely with editors, designers, web producers and other developers
Effectively manage priorities for multiple concurrent projects
Communicate with stakeholders to gather requirements and ensure their needs are being met
Review code produced by other developers
Adapt to changing requirements
Perform any other duties or tasks as assigned or required
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Education A bachelor's degree is required
Experience At least 5 years of experience developing custom websites
Advanced expertise with JavaScript and a back-end language (like PHP)
Deep understanding of HTML and CSS
Proficiency with JS libraries and front-end frameworks
Experience with MySQL
Strong understanding of responsive web development and accessibility
Excellent communication skills
Proficient with version control tools, such as Git and SVN
Desirable Proficient with bespoke WordPress development
Experience working off of Figma designs
Background in User Experience and User Interface design
Prior experience with AWS or similar infrastructure platforms
Experience with Python and Django
Experience with functional, integration, and usability testing
Experience with high-volume websites and/ or journalistic websites
Comfort with Adobe Creative Cloud, Sketch, etc.
REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS Resume
Cover letter stating your interest in the position.
Work samples (for instance, a Github or other repository)
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS The full-time annual compensation range for this position is $125,000 - $140,000, depending on experience.
In addition to competitive salaries, the Simons Foundation provides employees with outstanding benefits package. THE SIMONS FOUNDATION'S DIVERSITY COMMITMENT Many of the greatest ideas and discoveries come from a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds and experiences, and we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment. The Simons Foundation actively seeks a diverse applicant pool and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category under federal, state and local law.

POSITION SUMMARY The Simons Foundation Web Experience Team is seeking a full-stack software engineer to contribute to a diverse portfolio of websites. This role will be responsible for the construction, maintenance, and improvement of several websites hosting editorially independent online publications covering research in autism, data and life sciences, mathematics and physics, as well as sites providing information about the foundation's support of basic and applied research. This role will collaborate closely with designers, developers on the team, as well as editors, content producers, and other stakeholders. This is a full-time position located onsite in our New York City office. For more information, visit simonsfoundation.org/careers. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES Research, plan, and execute back-end and front-end development for a diverse collection of foundation-affiliated websites, many built on WordPress Work collaboratively and closely with editors, designers, web producers and other developers Effectively manage priorities for multiple concurrent projects Communicate with stakeholders to gather requirements and ensure their needs are being met Review code produced by other developers Adapt to changing requirements Perform any other duties or tasks as assigned or required MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Education A bachelor's degree is required Experience At least 5 years of experience developing custom websites Advanced expertise with JavaScript and a back-end language (like PHP) Deep understanding of HTML and CSS Proficiency with JS libraries and front-end frameworks Experience with MySQL Strong understanding of responsive web development and accessibility Excellent communication skills Proficient with version control tools, such as Git and SVN Desirable Proficient with bespoke WordPress development Experience working off of Figma designs Background in User Experience and User Interface design Prior experience with AWS or similar infrastructure platforms Experience with Python and Django Experience with functional, integration, and usability testing Experience with high-volume websites and/ or journalistic websites Comfort with Adobe Creative Cloud, Sketch, etc. REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS Resume Cover letter stating your interest in the position. Work samples (for instance, a Github or other repository) COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS The full-time annual compensation range for this position is $125,000 - $140,000, depending on experience. In addition to competitive salaries, the Simons Foundation provides employees with outstanding benefits package. THE SIMONS FOUNDATION'S DIVERSITY COMMITMENT Many of the greatest ideas and discoveries come from a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds and experiences, and we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment. The Simons Foundation actively seeks a diverse applicant pool and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category under federal, state and local law.

Simons Foundation Interview Questions

Simons Foundation Interview Guides

Simons Foundation Interview Questions

Simons Foundation Salaries by Position

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