1. What is a Data Engineer at Sanofi?

As a Data Engineer at Sanofi, you play a pivotal role in the digital transformation of one of the world's leading healthcare companies. This position is not merely about moving data; it is about building the backbone for innovations that improve patient lives. You will work within a sophisticated data ecosystem that powers everything from Research & Development (R&D) and clinical trials to supply chain optimization and commercial strategy.

Your primary focus will be designing, building, and maintaining scalable data pipelines and architectures. You will collaborate closely with data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders to ensure data is accessible, reliable, and high-quality. Whether you are working on ingesting real-time data from manufacturing plants or structuring complex datasets for drug discovery algorithms, your work directly impacts Sanofi's ability to make data-driven decisions at a global scale.

Expect to work in a diverse, international environment where technical excellence meets healthcare compliance. The challenges you face will involve handling massive volumes of sensitive data, integrating legacy systems with modern cloud architectures, and ensuring rigorous governance standards are met. This role offers the opportunity to apply engineering rigor to solve complex problems that have tangible human impact.

2. Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparation for Sanofi requires a balanced approach. You need to demonstrate strong technical fundamentals while also showing the patience and communication skills necessary for a large, regulated organization.

Key Evaluation Criteria

Technical Proficiency & Coding Standards – You must demonstrate fluency in SQL and Python/PySpark. Interviewers are not just looking for code that works; they evaluate your ability to write optimized, clean code and your understanding of how to manipulate dataframes efficiently.

Architectural Design & Decision Making – You will be evaluated on your ability to design robust data systems. Expect to justify your choices—why you chose a specific schema (Star vs. Snowflake) or how you handled a specific production failure. You must show that you understand the downstream impact of your engineering decisions.

Communication & Collaboration – Sanofi values engineers who can bridge the gap between technical and non-technical teams. You may be asked to explain pseudocode verbally or discuss project challenges with non-technical stakeholders. Clarity and the ability to articulate complex ideas simply are essential.

Cultural Fit & Adaptability – The process often includes personality assessments (such as the Hogan assessment). Sanofi looks for candidates who are resilient, collaborative, and aligned with their "Play to Win" behaviors. You should be prepared to discuss how you handle ambiguity and navigate large organizational structures.

3. Interview Process Overview

The interview process at Sanofi is thorough and can vary significantly in length depending on the location and specific team. While some candidates experience a streamlined process of a few weeks, others may face a timeline extending over several months. You should expect a mix of automated assessments, technical screenings, and deep-dive interviews.

Generally, the process begins with digital steps. After your application, you may be invited to complete a CodeSignal technical challenge and a Hogan personality assessment. Some regions also utilize a one-way video interview where you record answers to pre-set questions. These steps are designed to filter for baseline technical competence and cultural alignment before you speak with a human.

If you pass the initial screenings, you will move to live rounds. These typically involve a recruiter screen followed by 1–2 technical rounds with senior engineers or leads. These sessions are a blend of practical coding (often verbal or on a shared screen) and architectural discussions based on your past projects. The final stage is usually a behavioral interview with HR or a hiring manager to assess team fit and long-term potential.

Interpreting the Timeline: This timeline represents the standard flow, but be aware that scheduling gaps can occur, particularly between the initial assessments and the first live interview. The "Digital Assessment" phase is critical; treat the personality and coding tests with the same seriousness as a live interview. The final "Managerial Round" often combines technical scenario questions with behavioral fit.

4. Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

Sanofi's evaluation is structured to test both your hands-on coding skills and your high-level engineering judgment. Based on candidate experiences, you should focus your preparation on the following areas.

SQL and Data Manipulation

Data manipulation is the core of the technical assessment. You will likely face questions requiring you to filter records, calculate aggregates, and optimize query performance.

Be ready to go over:

• Complex Aggregations – Calculating totals, averages, and window functions (e.g., specific sales per region).
• Query Optimization – Rewriting queries for performance and explaining execution plans.
• Data Cleaning – Filtering records based on multiple conditions and handling NULL values.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Write a query to calculate total and average sales per region."
• "How would you optimize this query to run faster on a large dataset?"
• "Filter out records that meet specific multi-column criteria."

Python and PySpark

You will be expected to manipulate data structures and DataFrames. The focus is often on practical data engineering tasks rather than abstract algorithmic puzzles.

Be ready to go over:

• DataFrame Operations – Finding and removing duplicates, joining datasets, and transforming columns.
• List/String Manipulation – Basic operations like reversing lists or slicing.
• PySpark Specifics – Understanding distributed computing concepts and PySpark syntax.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Given a dataframe, find duplicates based on specific conditions and move them to a separate dataframe."
• "Write a function to reverse a list and perform slicing operations."
• "Explain how you would handle a large dataset that doesn't fit in memory."

Data Warehousing & Architecture

This area tests your understanding of the "bigger picture." You need to demonstrate that you can design systems that are scalable and maintainable.

Be ready to go over:

• Schema Design – Differences between Star and Snowflake schemas and when to use each.
• ETL/ELT Design – Strategies for data ingestion and transformation.
• Production Scenarios – Handling schema changes and pipeline failures in a live environment.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "When would you choose a Star schema over a Snowflake schema?"
• "How do you handle changes to a production table that impacts downstream pipelines?"
• "Describe a time you dealt with a failure in a production pipeline. How did you resolve it?"

5. Key Responsibilities

As a Data Engineer at Sanofi, your daily work involves designing, developing, and maintaining the data infrastructure that supports critical business functions. You are responsible for building robust ETL/ELT pipelines that ingest data from diverse sources—ranging from internal R&D databases to external market data—and transforming it into usable formats for analytics and machine learning.

You will frequently collaborate with cross-functional teams. This includes working with Data Scientists to prepare features for modeling, Data Analysts to ensure reporting accuracy, and Cloud Architects to ensure infrastructure scalability. You will be expected to troubleshoot production issues, optimize performance of slow-running jobs, and ensure data governance and quality standards are strictly followed.

Beyond coding, you will contribute to architectural decisions. You will evaluate new tools and technologies, propose improvements to existing workflows, and help define best practices for the data engineering team. Your role is to ensure that data at Sanofi is not just stored, but is an active, reliable asset for the company.

6. Role Requirements & Qualifications

To be competitive for this role, you must demonstrate a blend of solid technical skills and domain awareness.

Must-Have Skills

• Strong SQL & Python: Proficiency in writing complex SQL queries and Python scripts for data manipulation is non-negotiable.
• Big Data Frameworks: Hands-on experience with Apache Spark (PySpark) is highly valued for processing large datasets.
• Data Warehousing: Deep understanding of data modeling concepts (Star/Snowflake schemas) and modern data warehouse solutions (e.g., Snowflake, Databricks, Redshift).
• Cloud Experience: Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and their data services.

Nice-to-Have Skills

• Orchestration Tools: Experience with Airflow or similar tools for scheduling workflows.
• CI/CD & DevOps: Knowledge of version control (Git) and deployment pipelines.
• Domain Knowledge: Previous experience in Pharma, Healthcare, or Life Sciences is a significant plus but not always mandatory.

7. Common Interview Questions

The following questions are drawn from actual candidate experiences at Sanofi. While exact questions vary, these represent the patterns and difficulty level you should expect.

Technical: SQL & Coding

• "Given a list of integers, reverse the list without using built-in reverse functions."
• "Write a SQL query to filter out records based on [Condition A] and [Condition B], then calculate the average value."
• "How would you remove duplicate rows from a PySpark dataframe based on a specific subset of columns?"
• "Can you explain the pseudocode for how you would solve this data transformation problem?"

Architecture & System Design

• "Explain the difference between Star Schema and Snowflake Schema. In which scenario would you use one over the other?"
• "How do you handle schema evolution in a production environment without breaking downstream reports?"
• "Describe the architecture of a data pipeline you recently built. Why did you choose those specific technologies?"

Behavioral & Situational

• "Tell me about a time a production pipeline failed. How did you diagnose and fix the issue?"
• "Why do you want to work for Sanofi specifically?"
• "Describe a time you had to explain a complex technical concept to a non-technical stakeholder."

8. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long does the interview process take? The timeline at Sanofi can be variable. While some candidates complete the process in 2–3 weeks, others report timelines extending up to several months. Be prepared for potential gaps between rounds, and do not hesitate to follow up professionally if you haven't heard back.

Q: Is the coding interview live coding or whiteboard? It is a mix. You may encounter a CodeSignal assessment early on. In live interviews, candidates report a mix of shared-screen coding and "verbal coding," where you explain your logic and pseudocode to the interviewer rather than writing syntax-perfect code.

Q: What is the Hogan Assessment? The Hogan Assessment is a personality test used to evaluate your workplace behavior, values, and how you handle stress. It is a standard part of Sanofi's hiring process to ensure cultural fit. There are no "right" answers, but consistency and honesty are key.

Q: Does Sanofi offer visa sponsorship? This varies by location and role seniority. Some candidates have reported processes ending due to lack of sponsorship for specific roles. If you require sponsorship, it is best to clarify this with the recruiter during the initial screening.

9. Other General Tips

Review Your Resume Deeply Sanofi interviewers love to dig into your past projects. Be prepared to explain why you made certain architectural choices in your previous roles. Do not just list tools; explain the problem you solved and the impact it had.

Prepare for "Verbal Coding" Unlike some tech giants that require silent coding, Sanofi interviewers often want to hear your thought process. Practice explaining your algorithm out loud before you write a single line of code. This demonstrates communication skills, which are highly valued.

Be Patient and Persistent

Research the Company Values Sanofi places a high value on their "Play to Win" culture. Frame your behavioral answers to show that you are collaborative, accountable, and focused on outcomes. Mentioning your interest in the healthcare/pharma mission can set you apart from candidates who are just looking for any data job.

10. Summary & Next Steps

Securing a Data Engineer role at Sanofi is an opportunity to work at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and life-saving healthcare. The role demands strong technical capability in SQL, Python, and data architecture, coupled with the soft skills to navigate a large, global organization. While the process can be rigorous and occasionally lengthy, the reward is a career with significant impact and stability.

To succeed, focus your preparation on practical data manipulation, architectural reasoning, and behavioral alignment. Be ready to discuss your past work in detail and demonstrate how you solve problems in production environments. Approach the assessments with focus, and bring patience and professionalism to every interaction.

Interpreting the Data: Compensation at Sanofi is competitive and often includes a mix of base salary, annual bonus, and benefits. The range can vary significantly based on location (e.g., Cambridge, MA vs. Toronto vs. Hyderabad) and your specific level of experience. Ensure you discuss expectations early with your recruiter.

For more insights and to practice specific questions, explore the resources available on Dataford. Good luck!