Palantir Deployment Strategist Interview Guide

This is your first step into the Palantir interview process; it usually starts with a phone call with someone from HR. Their main goal is to gauge your fit for the role and the company. 

Our tip: Do your homework on the company and the role, and make sure your pitch is on point. Be prepared to talk about your background, experiences, and, most importantly, why you're interested in joining Palantir. 

Interview Questions:

• Tell me about yourself and your background.
• Why are you interested in working at Palantir and specifically in the Deployment Strategist role?
• What do you know about Palantir's products and mission?
• Can you describe a situation where you had to work in a team to solve a complex problem?
• How do your previous experiences align with the requirements of this role?

This one is a 30-minute chat with another Deployment Strategist where they'll take a close look at your resume, but it's more conversational than a strict screening. You might be asked why you want to join Palantir or to describe a project and its technical challenges. Make sure you have specific examples of projects and experiences that demonstrate your expertise in different scenarios. 

Also, this is also when you can ask any burning questions you have about the interview process, the role, or the company.

Interview Questions:

• Can you provide an example of a challenging project you've worked on and how you approached problem-solving in that situation?
• How do you determine which dataset to prioritise to measure the success of a project? 
• Describe a time you failed.
• What skills or qualities do you think are crucial for success in a Deployment Strategist role at Palantir?
• What interests you the most about working in a role that involves deployment and client interaction?
• What role do you envision yourself playing as a DS?

The on-site interview is a significant step in the process and typically consists of three 45-minute interviews with Deployment Strategists: Open-ended, Analytical, Behaviour.

• Analytical: This part is purely in-depth analytical. How do you analyse data? What data point do you focus on to determine the success of your project and why? You can expect case study questions with an emphasis on working with datasets. For instance, they might present you with fabricated data tables and challenge you to devise a solution for optimising the New York subway system's capacity. One candidate was asked to tackle a complex issue like the Fentanyl crisis in America using relevant datasets. It can get challenging so be well-prepared. Given the emphasis on analytical skills and case study questions, it's beneficial to practise solving complex problems using real datasets. Familiarise yourself with data analysis tools and techniques and focus on explaining your thought process clearly. A great way to go about practising this interview is through mock interviews where you can get hands-on experience—which will boost your confidence during the interview.
  
• Behavioural - This one's similar to the second round; you'll face more resume-related and some direct behavioural questions like "What were the key turning points in your life?" or "Tell us about something you're proud of and not so proud of in your career." Use this opportunity to talk about your past experiences, what you've learned from, and how they've shaped you. Be structured in your responses; outline a specific situation or context, describing the task or challenge you faced, and then explain the actions you took, plus the results or outcomes you achieved.
  
• Open Ended - This segment assesses your ability to think critically and provide creative solutions to complex problems. Expect to encounter open-ended problems in unstructured environments since Palantir thrives on tackling complex challenges. So, basically you are looking at more mini case study-based questions. For example, you might encounter market sizing consulting questions, such as estimating the number of gas stations in the United States. Or more technical questions like "How would you detect illegal firearms in postal packages? Since it is a Palantir interview, they also have unique "decomp" questions where you need to break down or "decompose" a problem and figure out how to use data to solve it. Don't hesitate to ask clarifying questions before diving into your solution. Make sure you seek a deep understanding of the problem's nuances, constraints, and objectives—this will also address the core issues effectively in your response.

In the final round, you'll meet with a hiring manager; you can expect more behavioural questions here, which delve into your motivations and experiences to gauge your alignment with the company's values and mission.

Expect questions like "Why Palantir?" or those pertaining to your vision as a Deployment Strategist. They might ask where you see yourself within the company and the role you envision playing in the future

You'll also be asked to share details about a project you've worked on and elaborate on any technical challenges you encountered. Questions about conflict resolution at work might also surface, assessing your interpersonal skills.

Interview Questions

1. How did you deal with conflict at work?
2. How would you detect illegal firearms in postal packages?
3. What would be a reason why the company decides to transfer you to another department?
4. Where exactly do you see yourself as a DS?
5. You are working for the IRS and have to identify fraudulent tax activity. How would you build a model to identify fraud?
6. What problem would you like to solve using data? Explain.
7. What would your boss say if you quit?
8. Tell me something about you that's not in the CV.
9. What are some of your successes?
10. What are some of your failures?
11. What are some big decisions you made in your life that led you to where you are?
12. How did you go about solving a problem you had with your coworkers?