Zalando Data Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

The whole interview process lasted about a month. I applied and got contacted by an HR partner within 2-3 days. I had a brief chat with HR, which felt more like a checklist than a deep dive into my skills. A few days later, I spoke with the hiring manager about the technical aspects of the job. This was a casual get-to-know-you session focusing on my experience and past projects. Following that, there were three more interviews: one live coding session, one system design interview, and a technical knowledge assessment. Throughout the interviews, the interviewers were really laid-back and helpful. It turned out they were primarily looking for software engineers with data experience, which wasn't my core background, but overall it was a positive experience. My only frustration was not getting any response to my emails to HR asking for details on the interview stages and preparation tips.

So I had an online coding test on Codility for SQL and Python. Then a Hiring Manager round where they asked about DSA and previous experience and some situation-based questions. After that, there was a Software and Database round where I had to explain database terms, testing, and building APIs. Then a coding round with one question to solve in any language and discuss time and space complexity. Finally, a System Design round to build a data lake and architecture. None of the face-to-face rounds involved SQL, but it was asked in the initial tests.

Applied and interviewed for 2 different roles in two different teams. The process for both was: 1. Online test on Codility (3 tasks in 1.5 hr). 2. HR interview. 3. Hiring manager interview. 4. Hiring manager and one team member (for one vacancy). 5. Final round: four back-to-back calls in one day (approx. 4 hours), including HR/People management and three technical interviews with people from outside the hiring team. After passing Codility and having a good hiring manager interview, the final round had interviewers who didn't seem to understand the role, asking questions outside the scope of the job. Rejection came via a 5-15 min HR call explaining the reason and how to improve, often citing lack of experience with a tool that was already disclosed as not having prior experience with. This suggests poor coordination or a deliberate screening process without intent to hire.