Cognite Data Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

I passed the initial screening for the Data Engineer position in Pau, France. The interview was with a Senior Talent Acquisition Partner from Oslo, Norway. Unfortunately, I decided not to proceed because the conversation's tone felt provocative. I think it's important for interviews to respect the time, not ask repetitive questions about nationality/ethnicity, and be professional. Interviewers shouldn't make personal comments or give unasked-for feedback. Candidates pick up on interviewer reactions, so staying neutral helps create a fair environment. I used my notes during the interview, which I think is fine. The interviewer seemed distracted sometimes, browsing online and not really listening. Their expressions sometimes felt dismissive, making it uncomfortable. I wanted to give this honest feedback about the process.

I was told there would be 2–3 rounds. 1st round was technical — the interviewer asked questions on Python, SQL, and some Databricks topics. I answered everything, and he said there would be one more round with a tech + manager panel. After following up, I was surprised to get a rejection. No proper feedback, just a generic message. I gave my time, answered all questions, and still got no real reason.

It was an online process. First, there was an intro interview with a team member where they asked about my experience and the entire technical stack on my resume. Then, there was a technical interview which included questions on use cases and online coding.