Microsoft Data Engineer interview questions and process

Updated · 14 sources

Hiring Pulse: where Microsoft candidates are right now

Dated status reports from public Reddit threads and anonymous PortLume reports, updated Oct 18. Not official Microsoft data.

  • 17 status reports in the last 7 days
  • Not enough data yet: median from final interview to a decision shows at 5+ people (3 so far)
  • Latest movement: 2 offers, 1 rejection, 5 final rounds reported since Oct 11

Latest Microsoft hiring reports

Candidates rate the Microsoft Data Engineer interview Medium-Hard: Reported Microsoft Data Engineer loops combine SQL/schema design, Spark tuning, and LeetCode-style coding, with in-depth project grilling across 3+ rounds. Reports describe 4 rounds, from Recruiter/HM screening to Technical Round 3 - Spark and data pipeline design.

Debrief your Microsoft interview free

No signup needed. See what likely went wrong in about 2 minutes.

Microsoft Data Engineer interview rounds

  1. Recruiter/HM screening: Initial screen with recruiter or hiring manager covering background, role fit, and expectations; one report notes the recruiter said no coding but the HM round still had C coding tasks.
  2. Technical Round 1 - SQL and schema design
  3. Technical Round 2 - coding plus data modeling
  4. Technical Round 3 - Spark and data pipeline design

Questions reported in Microsoft Data Engineer interviews

  1. Design a schema for hours spent on an application using check-in and check-out timestamps by employee code, with SQL questions on the same.
  2. Design an e-commerce database schema (products, orders, customers) and answer SQL questions on it.
  3. Questions revolving around Spark performance optimizations.
  4. Questions on resource configuration in the Spark ecosystem for different sizes of input data.

Practise any of these with timed AI feedback and a full Microsoft mock: free account.

Microsoft Data Engineer interview: quick answers

How many rounds are in the Microsoft Data Engineer interview?

Public reports describe 4 rounds for the Microsoft Data Engineer interview: (1) Recruiter/HM screening, (2) Technical Round 1 - SQL and schema design, (3) Technical Round 2 - coding plus data modeling, (4) Technical Round 3 - Spark and data pipeline design.

Is the Microsoft interview difficult?

Public reports put the Microsoft Data Engineer interview at Medium-Hard difficulty. Reported Microsoft Data Engineer loops combine SQL/schema design, Spark tuning, and LeetCode-style coding, with in-depth project grilling across 3+ rounds. The process has 4 rounds, from Recruiter/HM screening to Technical Round 3 - Spark and data pipeline design.

Does Microsoft ask DSA in Data Engineer interviews?

Yes. Rounds that involve coding: Technical Round 2 - coding plus data modeling. SQL and schema design heavy, with Spark tuning and pipeline design, plus one or two LeetCode-style coding problems and deep project grilling. Coding (data structures and algorithms) is among the skills reports mention most.

Sources

Based on 14 public reports: YouTube (8), LeetCode Discuss (6), last updated Oct 2026.

Compiled by Adarsh Sharma from public candidate reports. Unofficial guide: PortLume AI is not affiliated with Microsoft.

Already interviewed at Microsoft?

Debrief your Microsoft interview free

No signup needed. See what likely went wrong in about 2 minutes.

Last round at Microsoft is usually HR: Microsoft HR interview questions and answers.

Other roles at Microsoft

Data Engineer interviews at similar companies

More: all company interview guides · why candidates get rejected after the interview · rejection email decoder.

Featured on FoundrList

PortLume AI

Loading…