I applied online. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Novata (London, England) in Nov 2022
Interview
1st round call exploring interest in novata and data science as well as experience and background. 2nd round interview with technical task. This features the possibility of performing the task as a take home assignment which would then be reviewed during the interview. This round is very concerned with the treatment of missing or otherwise corrupted data so be very aware of it. Data visualization skills should also be put forward. Final round call with different members of the team to review motivation, and attitudes to teamwork .
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Using machine learning models on simulated data with corrupted elements. Manipulating this data. Explain the machine learning model to a lay person.
I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Novata
Interview
I first met with the head data scientist to go over basic salary expectations, visa requirements, and get more information about the position. Then I was sent a technical assessment that took about 3 hours and had another meeting with a few team members to go over what I had done during the assessment. Everyone on the Novata team was extremely open and positive, and the overall tech assessment process was the best I have had so far.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
A few questions on SQL, then data frame manipulation and model building in python.
I applied online. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Novata in Nov 2022
Interview
The process consisted of three main stages. First an introductory call with the senior data scientist (SDS) to discuss the company, the role, and my experience/background. Then there was a take home technical task (allotted 3 hours), followed by a technical interview to discuss the task with the SDS and another member of the team. Then the final stage interview with the SDS and two other Novata employees, and this had more of a focus on personal and cultural fit; so things like working style, approach to teamwork, and interest in ESG.
Overall I would consider this one of the better interview processes I've experienced. It was efficient, there was good communication and I knew what the next step would be at each stage, and the technical task was not overly burdensome. But perhaps most importantly for me in terms of accepting the offer, everyone I dealt with was very positive, and I felt comfortable talking to them (or at least as comfortable as one can feel in a job interview).
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Some SQL, dataframe querying and manipulation in python, performing some EDA to determine what to feed into a model. Also a (non-coding) question about product metrics.
