Amazon Leadership Principles
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Insights for interviewing using our Leadership Principles.
Research Scientist Interview Prep
At Amazon, our goal is to be the world’s most customer-centric company by delivering innovative products, services, and ideas. The research scientist interview is designed to identify candidates who have the technical proficiency, behavioral skills, and cultural fit required to help us achieve this mission.
What does a research scientist do at Amazon?
Research scientists are specialists with deep expertise in the analysis of complex data sets used to make decisions for real-world applications. They initiate the design, development, execution, and implementation of scientific research projects, and they investigate the feasibility of applying scientific principles and concepts to business problems and products.
Amazon has a rich data environment for research scientists to develop models and algorithms and use them to have an impact on millions of customers. Research science is highly experimental, and it needs to be supported through theoretical analysis and associated process innovations.
Our research scientists work closely with our software engineers to put algorithms into practice. We encourage careful consideration of modeling assumptions, a thorough review of machine learning literature, experimentation using state-of-the-art methods, and error-free scalable implementations.
The process
To be considered for a research scientist role, you must first submit a job application. If you meet the basic qualifications for the role, you’ll then complete a technical phone screening. Depending on the team and role, you may be asked to complete a second phone screening as well. If your technical phone screening is successful, a recruiter will contact you to arrange an interview loop. If your interview loop is successful, you’ll be made an offer.
Job Application
Technical Phone Screening
Technical Phone Screening Outcome
Interview Loop
Interview Outcome (within 5 business days)
Offer Discussion
Technical phone screening
Depending on the role, you will have one to two technical phone screenings. A technical phone screening lasts 60 minutes and is with a senior leader on our team. The interviewer will ask you behavioral and technical questions.
Interview loop
Your loop will include four 55-minute interviews where you’ll meet with members of our science community.
You’ll have the chance to discuss your experiences and expertise in several areas that help us determine success at Amazon.
These areas include both technical competencies and non-technical competencies that are based off of our Leadership Principles, which different interviewers will be assigned to evaluate.
Technical competencies
Video resources
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Bar Raiser: Anna
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Behavioral interview
A significant portion of the conversation will focus on how you’ve demonstrated our Leadership Principles in your past jobs. This is because past behavior is an indicator of future success. We won’t ask brain teasers. Instead, we’ll focus on the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of your experiences, as well as the ‘why’ of your decisions.
Each interviewer will typically ask two or three behavioral-based questions about successes or challenges and how you handled them using our Leadership Principles.
How to prepare
First, think about your most memorable experiences in your previous jobs and recall specific details. Amazon is a data-driven company, so your answers should include metrics or data where applicable. Then, consider how you applied the Leadership Principles in your experiences.
Have examples that showcase your expertise and demonstrate how you’ve taken risks, succeeded, failed and grown. Make sure your answers are well-sructured. Use the STAR method to frame your responses.
Amazon culture
We’re a company that brings a wide range of perspectives to inventing on behalf of our customers. These include race, ethnicity, gender, age, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, culture, language, and education, as well as professional and life experience. We’re committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.