D. E. Shaw Research General Intern Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 15 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Candidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at D. E. Shaw Research.
D. E. Shaw Research
Intern
Intern Easy Neutral experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Phone screen Onsite
Interview formats
Technical Coding
I had a phone screen first and then an onsite interview. The onsite interview was quite straightforward, and they asked me questions about algorithms and drug/chemical fields. It seemed like many of the interviewers weren't very knowledgeable about areas outside their specific expertise. For instance, one question was about designing an algorithm to efficiently discover new drug molecules.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you design an algorithm to efficiently discover new drug molecules?
D. E. Shaw Research
Computer Science Intern
Intern Difficult Positive experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
The communication regarding emails and logistics was swift. I had a first-round Zoom interview with a scientist who also had a chemistry background. They asked me about my past experiences, including my education and research. We delved into the specifics of my research, covering both the technical explanations of the methods I used and the reasons behind choosing them. I was then given the opportunity to ask them questions. The Zoom environment wasn't overly stressful, although I didn't proceed to another round.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you explain your research in detail?
D. E. Shaw Research
Intern
Intern Difficult Positive experience Accept offer 6 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Onsite
Interview formats
Technical Behavioral
The hiring process at DESRES usually starts with them reaching out to you. You'll have an initial phone screen, followed by five interviews that take place on-site in New York. I thought it was cool how they're focused on deep thinkers, not just specific skills. Most interns end up in one of three roles: software engineers, algorithm designers, or chemists/biologists who use their simulator.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- Could you tell me more about your background in chemistry?
- Can you elaborate on your experience with statistics?
- What's your background with proteins?
D. E. Shaw Research General Intern Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from D. E. Shaw Research interview reports.
“What is the number of possible protein sequences of length n?”
Read reports →“Regarding algorithms, how would you go about sampling tau for a given time step?”
Read reports →“Can you design an algorithm to efficiently discover new drug molecules?”
Read reports →“How do you approach algorithmic problems when you're unsure of the direct solution?”
Read reports →“What improvements would you suggest for your campus?”
Read report →“What is your level of knowledge in computational chemistry?”
Read report →“Can you describe how you would script ___something chemistry related___?”
Read report →“Could you elaborate on your deep learning project, covering the problem statement and your chosen approach?”
Read report →“Could you elaborate on your research and experience in computational biophysics?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 15 D. E. Shaw Research interview reports.