← Zoox Interview Insights

Zoox·Software Engineer·Technical Phone Screen·Intermediate

Intermediate
May 2026

Summary

SQL-heavy technical screen for a Data Engineer role at Zoox. One hour, two tables, three questions. The last one about data quality checks was the curveball I wasn't fully ready for.

Questions Asked (3)

Q1

Using a transactions table and a vendors table, write a SQL query to find the top 3 vendors by total amount charged over the past 2 years.

Algorithms & Data StructuresData Modeling
Author's notes

Pretty standard warm-up.

Create a free account to read the full note

AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying the schema and assumptions (e.g., date column, amount column, vendor ID). Then write a query that joins transactions and vendors, filters transactions to the last 2 years, groups by vendor, sums the amounts, orders descending, and limits to 3. Explain each clause and consider edge cases like ties or missing vendors.

Pro tip: Mention that you would confirm the definition of 'past 2 years' (e.g., rolling 24 months vs. calendar years) and whether to include vendors with zero transactions. This shows attention to detail and business context.

1. Clarify requirements and schema

Ask about the table structures, column names, and the exact meaning of 'past 2 years' (e.g., from today or from the start of the year). Confirm if ties should be handled or if exactly 3 vendors are needed.

2. Filter transactions by date

Use a WHERE clause to select only transactions within the last 2 years, using an appropriate date function (e.g., DATE_SUB(CURRENT_DATE, INTERVAL 2 YEAR) or equivalent).

3. Join and aggregate

Join the filtered transactions with the vendors table on vendor ID, then GROUP BY vendor and compute SUM(amount) as total_charged.

4. Sort and limit

ORDER BY total_charged DESC and LIMIT 3 to get the top 3 vendors. If ties are possible, consider using DENSE_RANK() or explain how to handle them.

5. Review and optimize

Check for correctness (e.g., no duplicate vendors due to multiple joins) and mention potential indexes on date and vendor_id for performance.

Key Points to Mention

  • Use of JOIN between transactions and vendors on vendor_id
  • Date filtering with a function like DATE_SUB or INTERVAL to get the last 2 years
  • Aggregation with SUM(amount) and GROUP BY vendor
  • Sorting with ORDER BY total_charged DESC and limiting to 3 with LIMIT
  • Handling ties: use DENSE_RANK() or RANK() if multiple vendors have the same total
  • Performance considerations: indexing on date and vendor_id, and avoiding functions on indexed columns if possible

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.

Q2

Extend the previous query: find the top 3 vendors by total amount charged, broken down by state and city, over the past 2 years.

Algorithms & Data StructuresData Modeling
Author's notes

This is where it got interesting.

Create a free account to read the full note

AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Clarify the schema and definitions (e.g., what 'amount charged' means, how to handle time zones, and whether to include all states/cities). Then write a SQL query that filters transactions to the last 2 years, groups by state, city, and vendor, sums the amounts, and uses a window function (ROW_NUMBER) to rank vendors within each location, finally filtering to top 3 per group.

Pro tip: Mention that you would verify the query's performance and correctness by checking indexes on date and location columns, and consider using a subquery or CTE to avoid repeating the date filter. Also, discuss how you would handle ties (e.g., using RANK vs DENSE_RANK) and whether to include vendors with zero charges.

1. Clarify requirements and schema

Ask about the table structure, definitions of 'amount charged', time zone handling, and whether 'top 3' should be based on total amount or another metric. Confirm if states/cities with no vendors should appear.

2. Filter and aggregate data

Write a subquery or CTE that filters transactions to the past 2 years (using a date function like DATE_SUB or INTERVAL) and groups by state, city, and vendor, summing the charged amounts.

3. Rank vendors within each location

Use a window function (e.g., ROW_NUMBER() OVER (PARTITION BY state, city ORDER BY total_amount DESC)) to assign a rank to each vendor within each state-city group.

4. Select top 3 per group

Wrap the ranked query in an outer query and filter to rows where rank <= 3. Optionally, order the final result by state, city, and rank for readability.

5. Discuss edge cases and optimizations

Address handling ties (use RANK or DENSE_RANK if needed), null values, and performance considerations such as indexing on date and location columns.

Key Points to Mention

  • Use of window functions (ROW_NUMBER, RANK, DENSE_RANK) to rank vendors within partitions.
  • Date filtering with appropriate functions (e.g., DATE_SUB(CURRENT_DATE, INTERVAL 2 YEAR)) and consideration of time zones.
  • Grouping by state, city, and vendor to compute total charged amounts.
  • Handling ties: choosing between ROW_NUMBER, RANK, or DENSE_RANK based on business requirements.
  • Performance optimization: indexing on date and location columns, and using CTEs for readability.
  • Edge cases: vendors with no charges, states/cities with fewer than 3 vendors, and null values.

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.

Q3

Design a set of data quality and anomaly detection checks for this dataset, and write SQL queries to implement them.

System DesignRoot Cause AnalysisData Modeling
Author's notes

Did not see this coming as a SQL question.

Create a free account to read the full note

AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying the dataset's schema, business context, and what 'quality' means for Zoox (e.g., sensor data, trip logs). Then propose a layered set of checks covering completeness, validity, consistency, and anomaly detection, and implement them as SQL queries with clear thresholds and alerting.

Pro tip: Frame your checks as a monitoring system with severity levels and ownership, not just one-off queries. Mention how you'd integrate with CI/CD or observability tools to catch issues early.

1. Understand the data and define quality dimensions

Ask about the dataset's purpose, key columns, and expected patterns. Define quality dimensions like completeness, accuracy, consistency, timeliness, and uniqueness relevant to Zoox's autonomous driving data.

2. Design specific checks for each dimension

For each dimension, outline concrete checks (e.g., null counts, range violations, duplicate records, referential integrity). Prioritize checks based on business impact and data volume.

3. Implement checks as SQL queries

Write SQL queries for each check, using aggregations, window functions, and joins. Include thresholds and output formats (e.g., flag rows, summary counts) that can feed into alerts.

4. Add anomaly detection techniques

Go beyond static rules: use statistical methods (z-score, IQR) or time-series anomaly detection (e.g., comparing to moving averages) in SQL to catch outliers and sudden shifts.

5. Operationalize and iterate

Explain how to schedule these checks, route alerts, and handle false positives. Suggest monitoring dashboards and periodic review of thresholds as data evolves.

Key Points to Mention

  • Data quality dimensions: completeness, accuracy, consistency, timeliness, uniqueness
  • SQL techniques: aggregations, window functions, joins, CTEs, and conditional logic
  • Anomaly detection methods: z-score, IQR, moving averages, and seasonal decomposition
  • Threshold setting and alerting: defining acceptable ranges and severity levels
  • Integration with data pipelines and observability tools (e.g., Airflow, Prometheus)
  • Handling false positives and continuous improvement of checks

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.