Meta Data Engineer Screening: Format, Strategy, and the Best Practice Questions

Screening Format and Expectations

Time Limit: 60 minutes

Question Breakdown:

• SQL: 3 to 5 questions
• Python: 3 to 5 questions
• No product sense, no open-ended business cases.
• Difficulty: Medium to hard, but all questions are solvable with sharp SQL and Python skills.

What Meta Looks For:

• SQL: Ability to perform multi-table joins, aggregations, window functions, and solve business-style analytics queries.
• Python: Efficient solutions for data manipulation, strings, arrays, hashmaps, sorting, greedy, and sometimes basic graph or interval logic.
• Speed and accuracy: You must solve questions quickly and correctly. Partial credit is rare.
• Clarity: Clean, readable code and queries, with correct handling of edge cases.

High-Yield Practice Questions

Below are hand-picked problems from LeetCode, StrataScratch, and DataLemur that are highly similar in logic and structure to what you’ll see at Meta. These will help you master the exact skills you need.

SQL Section

1. Grouping, Aggregation, and Counting

• LeetCode 550. Game Play Analysis IV
• Find the number of players who played on two consecutive days, grouped by day.
• Practice here
• StrataScratch: Popularity of Hackers by Country
• Count unique hackers and total submissions by country.
• Practice here

2. Top N by Aggregated Value

• LeetCode 262. Trips and Users
• Find the top drivers by completed trip count.
• Practice here
• DataLemur: Top 3 Artists By Streams
• Find the top 3 artists by total streams.
• Practice here

3. Anti-Join/Entities with No Activity

• LeetCode 183. Customers Who Never Order
• Find customers who never placed an order.
• Practice here
• StrataScratch: Hosts With No Properties
• Find hosts who have never listed a property.
• Practice here

4. Multi-Group/Category Logic

• StrataScratch: Cities With Multiple Airports
• Find cities with airports in at least two states.
• Practice here
• LeetCode 584. Find Customer Referee
• Find customers who referred others (can adapt for multi-group logic).
• Practice here

5. Repeat/Consecutive Behavior

• StrataScratch: Users With Multiple Purchases in Consecutive Months
• Find users with purchases in consecutive months.
• Practice here
• LeetCode 550. Game Play Analysis IV
• Find users active on consecutive days (window functions, date logic).
• Practice here

Python Section

1. Rearrangement and Maximum Value

• LeetCode 179. Largest Number
• Arrange numbers to form the largest possible number.
• Practice here

2. Most Frequent Element

• LeetCode 347. Top K Frequent Elements
• Find the most frequent element in a list.
• Practice here

3. Maximum Overlap/Simultaneous Events

• LeetCode 253. Meeting Rooms II
• Find the minimum number of meeting rooms required (max overlap logic).
• Practice here

4. Greedy Assignment (Bin Packing)

• LeetCode 455. Assign Cookies
• Assign cookies to children based on size (greedy bin-packing).
• Practice here

5. Nth Degree Graph Traversal

• LeetCode 429. N-ary Tree Level Order Traversal
• Traverse N levels from the root in a tree/graph.
• Practice here

Screening Strategy & Time Management

1. You have 60 minutes—plan for 10 minutes per question.
2. Start with your strongest section: If you’re faster at SQL, do those first; if Python, start coding.
3. Read each question carefully: Identify the core logic (grouping, ranking, overlap, etc.).
4. Write clean, correct code/SQL first, then optimize if time allows.
5. If stuck, move on and return later—don’t lose time on one problem.
6. Test edge cases: Empty inputs, ties, single records, etc.

Pro Tips for Meta’s Screening

• Practice switching between SQL and Python quickly.
• Be comfortable with window functions and date logic in SQL.
• For Python, master sorting, hashmaps, interval merging, and BFS/DFS.
• Write concise, readable code and queries—Meta values clarity.
• Simulate the real test: Use a timer, no internet, and type out your solutions.

Final Thoughts

Meta’s data engineer screening is fast-paced and technical. By focusing on these question types and practicing with the linked problems, you’ll be able to solve the expected challenges efficiently and confidently within the tight 60-minute window.

Good luck—your preparation starts now!