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Two Sigma data scientist interview (SQL + case + stats), here's the full breakdown

de_derek · 5 replies

Went through the Two Sigma DS interview loop earlier this year. Not the quant research scientist track (that's a different, heavier process). I interviewed for a data scientist role on the analytics/engineering-support side. Here's exactly what each round covered.

SQL round: This was real SQL, not toy SQL. Two problems in 45 minutes. One was a window functions problem: compute rolling averages and flag anomalies across time-series data segmented by some categorical variable. The other was a joins + aggregation problem with a twist in the business logic. You need to be comfortable with CTEs, window functions (RANK, LAG/LEAD, PARTITION BY), and writing clean, readable queries. I'd practice LeetCode SQL medium to hard if you haven't recently.

Statistics / probability round: This was the round I was least prepared for. Questions ranged from classical stats (hypothesis testing, p-values, Type I vs Type II error) to more applied probability. One question was about designing an A/B test: what's your minimum detectable effect, how do you handle multiple comparisons, what do you do if the randomization is imperfect. Another was a probability problem I'd describe as bayes-adjacent. Not super hard but you can't wing it.

Case study: They gave me a scenario involving a dataset (described verbally, no actual data) and asked how I'd approach a specific business question. For me it was something like: trader performance has changed over this time window, how would you investigate why. I had to talk through data sources, feature selection, model choice, how I'd validate and present findings.

Behavioral: Lighter than I expected. Two questions on cross-functional collaboration, one on a time I had to simplify a complex analysis for a non-technical audience.

Overall: the SQL and stats rounds are the real differentiators. I've done DS interviews at a handful of other companies and Two Sigma's SQL depth was the highest. Come ready for window functions and have your stats fundamentals sharp.

5 replies

analyst_ana

The multiple comparisons question in A/B design is one I consistently see at finance-adjacent companies. They care whether you actually know Bonferroni or BH correction vs. just having heard of them.

finance_faye

Was the case study timed strictly or more of a conversation? I've had cases where they cut you off mid-thought and it throws me.

marketer_mei

More of a guided conversation. The interviewer was involved throughout, steering it based on where I went. Not a timed solo presentation. Better format honestly, it felt more like actual work.

content_cole

Do you think a new grad could get through this or is the SQL bar pretty much assuming multiple years of production experience?

pivot_pat

I'd guess new grads are evaluated at a somewhat different level but the SQL fundamentals are non-negotiable. If you've done serious SQL in internships or projects you're not out of it. But if your SQL is mostly SELECT * FROM table you'd want to grind the window functions material hard.