EY is a global leader in assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax, and transactions, operating in over 150 countries. EY aims to build a better working world by fostering inclusive cultures, supporting unique career paths, and leveraging technological advancements to solve complex global issues.

Data Engineer Position at EY: As a Data Engineer, you will collaborate with diverse teams to deliver advanced data solutions by leveraging platforms and cloud technologies like Azure, Databricks, GCP, etc. Responsibilities include designing data pipelines, optimizing data storage, producing data models, and ensuring data quality. EY values technical expertise in data structures, AI/ML models, cloud services, and big data technologies.

Ready to dive in? Explore our comprehensive interview guide on Interview Query, specifically tailored to help you ace EY’s Data Engineer interview process.

Submitting Your Application

The first step is to submit a compelling application that reflects your technical skills and interest in joining EY as a Data Engineer. Whether you were contacted by an EY recruiter or have taken the initiative yourself, carefully review the job description and tailor your CV according to the prerequisites.

Tailoring your CV may include identifying specific keywords that the hiring manager might use to filter resumes and crafting a targeted cover letter. Furthermore, don’t forget to highlight relevant skills and mention your work experiences.

Recruiter/Hiring Manager Call Screening

If your CV happens to be among the shortlisted few, a recruiter from the EY Talent Acquisition Team will make contact and verify key details like your experiences and skill level. Behavioral questions may also be a part of the screening process.

In some cases, the EY hiring manager stays present during the screening round to answer your queries about the role and the company itself. They may also indulge in surface-level technical and behavioral discussions.

The whole recruiter call should take about 30 minutes.

Technical Virtual Interview

Successfully navigating the recruiter round will present you with an invitation for the technical screening round. Technical screening for the EY Data Engineer role usually is conducted through virtual means, including video conference and screen sharing. Questions in this interview stage may revolve around EY’s data systems, ETL pipelines, and SQL queries.

In the case of data engineering roles, take-home assignments regarding specific projects, data optimization techniques, SQL queries, and leveraging data visualization tools are commonly incorporated. Apart from these, your proficiency with Python, window functions like rank, dense rank, and row number, and understanding of cloud platforms like Azure may also be assessed during the round.

Depending on the seniority of the position, case studies and similar real-scenario problems may also be assigned, followed by a presentation of the case study.

Onsite Interview Rounds

Followed by a second recruiter call outlining the next stage, you’ll be invited to attend the onsite interview loop. Multiple interview rounds, varying with the role, will be conducted during your day at the EY office. Your technical prowess, including programming capabilities and data architecture knowledge, will be evaluated against the finalized candidates throughout these interviews.

If you were assigned take-home exercises, a presentation round may also await you during the onsite interview for the Data Engineer role at EY.

Quick Tips For EY Data Engineer Interviews

• Brush Up on Key Technical Skills: EY places a strong emphasis on core data engineering skills. Ensure you are well-versed in SQL, data structures, and cloud platforms like Azure and AWS.
• Understand EY’s Business: Gain some insights into EY’s core values and recent data projects. Being able to discuss how your skills can contribute to EY’s goals will set you apart.
• Practice Case Studies: Given the likelihood of a case study component, practice delivering clear, concise, and well-thought-out presentations even under pressure.

Typically, interviews at EY vary by role and team, but commonly Data Engineer interviews follow a fairly standardized process across these question topics.

• What kind of analysis would you conduct to recommend changes to the UI? You have access to tables summarizing user event data for a community forum app. Conduct a user journey analysis using this data to recommend changes to the user interface.

• How would you assess the validity of the result in an AB test with a .04 p-value? Your company is running a standard control and variant AB test on a feature to increase conversion rates on the landing page. The PM finds a .04 p-value. Assess the validity of this result.

• How would you debug and improve the efficiency of a slow SQL query? You are running a SQL query that is taking a long time. Determine how to know if it's taking too long and how to debug the issue to improve efficiency.

• How would you determine how much Spotify should pay for an ad in a third-party app? You are a data scientist on the marketing team for Spotify. Determine how much Spotify should pay for an ad in a third-party app.

• Write a SQL query to select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department.

Note: If more than one person shares the highest salary, the query should select the next highest salary.

Example:

Input:

employees table

|Column|Type| |---|---| | id | INTEGER | | first_name | VARCHAR | | last_name |VARCHAR| | salary | INTEGER | |department_id| INTEGER |

departments table

|Column|Type| |---|---| | id | INTEGER | | name | VARCHAR |

Output:

|Column|Type| |---|---| | salary | INTEGER |

• How can PG&E model the electricity supply needed for a town? PG&E needs to forecast the exact amount of electricity to supply a town each year. Supplying too little causes outages, while supplying too much wastes money. What is one way to model the required electricity supply?

• How can we model the electricity supply for a town to avoid outages and waste? PG&E needs to forecast the exact amount of electricity to supply a town each year. The goal is to avoid outages from under-supply and waste from over-supply. What is one way to model this?

• How do sentiment analysis models convert raw text data into numerical vectors and get trained? To perform sentiment analysis on an Amazon customer feedback dataset, you need to convert raw text data into numerical vectors. Explain how these models work and how they are trained.

• How would you assess the effectiveness of a clustering model for grouping similar basketball players without pre-labeled data? You are hired by the LA Lakers to identify and cluster similar basketball players based on their strengths and weaknesses. How would you evaluate if your clustering algorithm successfully groups similar players without having pre-labeled data?

What is the average salary for a Data Engineer at Ey?

Q: What is the interview process like for a Data Engineer position at EY?
The interview process typically includes multiple stages: an initial assessment test covering areas such as logical reasoning, verbal ability, aptitude, and coding, followed by technical interviews focused on SQL and programming skills. Candidates may also encounter a case study presentation aimed at assessing their ability to handle pressure and communicate effectively with stakeholders.

Q: What skills and qualifications are required for the Data Engineer role at EY?
Candidates should have a strong background in data engineering, experience with relational and NoSQL databases, proficiency in programming languages like Python or Java, and familiarity with big data processing technologies such as Hadoop and Spark. A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant field and several years of hands-on experience are typically expected.

Q: What does the role of a Data Engineer at EY involve?
As a Data Engineer at EY, you will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining data pipelines and processing systems, working with large datasets, optimizing data storage, and ensuring data quality. The role includes collaborating with stakeholders to meet data requirements and staying updated with industry trends and advancements.

Q: What is the company culture like at EY for a Data Engineer?
EY has a diverse and inclusive culture that values collaboration, continuous learning, and transformative leadership. The company promotes high ethical standards and integrity, providing a supportive environment where employees are encouraged to use their unique voice and perspective to make a meaningful impact.

Q: How can I prepare for an interview at EY for the Data Engineer position?
Preparation should include reviewing technical skills in SQL, programming languages, data modeling, and big data technologies. Familiarize yourself with common interview questions, especially those related to past projects and problem-solving scenarios. Practicing with platforms like Interview Query can help you get ready for both technical and behavioral questions.

Conclusion

Interviewing for a Data Engineer position at EY is an engaging and insightful experience that covers an array of technical and behavioral aspects. From SQL queries and data optimization techniques to cloud migration and stakeholder communication under pressure, EY's interview process ensures a well-rounded evaluation of candidates. However, there were noted instances of delayed feedback which can impact the candidate experience.

If you want more insights about the company, check out our main EY Interview Guide, where we have covered many interview questions that could be asked. We’ve also created interview guides for other roles, such as Software Engineer and Data Analyst, where you can learn more about EY’s interview process for different positions.

At Interview Query, we empower you to unlock your interview prowess with a comprehensive toolkit, equipping you with the knowledge, confidence, and strategic guidance to conquer every EY data engineer interview question and challenge.

You can check out all our company interview guides for better preparation. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Good luck with your interview!