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Prep plan
Updated weekly · Last refresh Aug 30

SmartNews Data Scientist Interview Questions

The questions to prepare for a SmartNews Data Scientist interview. Questions from real interview reports rank first. Updated weekly.

37questions
~5htotal time
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1
SQL & Data ManipulationStart here. 3 questions + 2 drills · ~46 min
2
Statistics & Probability4 questions · ~34 min
Retention Change vs SeasonalityHard

Distinguish a true retention impact from seasonality using causal inference, time series controls, and pre-period adjustment.

Hypothesis TestingCausal InferenceTime SeriesSmartNews
Interpreting P Values in TestingEasy

Explain what a p-value means in hypothesis testing and how it relates to statistical significance.

Hypothesis TestingStatistical SignificanceP-ValuesSmartNews
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3
Machine Learning5 questions · ~43 min
Supervised vs Unsupervised LearningEasy

Explain how supervised and unsupervised learning differ, and ground the distinction in a practical ML example.

Unsupervised LearningFeature EngineeringBias-Variance TradeoffSmartNews
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4
A/B Testing & Experimentation3 questions · ~26 min
Ranking Test for App DiscoveryMedium

Design an A/B test for a new app-store ranking algorithm, including primary metrics, guardrails, sample size, and launch criteria.

MDEGuardrail MetricsSample Ratio MismatchSmartNews
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5
Metrics3 questions · ~26 min
Diagnose a Sudden DAU DropHard

Investigate whether an 8.2% DAU decline is driven by product breakage, logging issues, or normal seasonal patterns.

DAU/MAUDiagnosisTime SeriesSmartNews
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6
Product Sense4 questions · ~34 min
North Star and Supporting KPIsMedium

Evaluates your metric design and understanding of leading indicators for news products.

North Star MetricKPIsProduct VisionSmartNews
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7
More topics15 questions · ~128 min
Build a SmartNews RecommenderHard

Evaluates your system design thinking for personalized news discovery at SmartNews.

RetrievalModel ServingRecommendation SystemsSmartNews
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The finish line: interview-readyComplete all 37 questions plus 2 hands-on drills to finish this plan.