Sr. Software Development Engineer, Alexa News

Amazon

What are the time complexities of different sorting algorithms, such as quicksort and mergesort? Explain the best, average, and worst-case scenarios for each, and provide examples of when you might choose one algorithm over another. Additionally, discuss the space complexity of each algorithm.

Amazon

Let's explore a scenario involving data transformation. Imagine you're receiving a stream of customer data from various sources. This data includes customer IDs, names, email addresses, and purchase histories. However, the data is inconsistent: some sources use different formats for dates, some have missing fields, and others use abbreviations for states. Your task is to design a robust and efficient system to clean and transform this data into a consistent format suitable for analysis. Specifically: Data Cleaning: How would you handle missing values, inconsistent date formats (e.g., MM/DD/YYYY vs. YYYY-MM-DD), and variations in state abbreviations (e.g., CA vs. California)? Provide code examples (Python is preferred) demonstrating how you would address these issues. Data Transformation: How would you transform the data to ensure consistency? For example, you might need to convert all dates to a standard format, expand state abbreviations to their full names, and ensure all customer IDs are in a uniform format. Scalability: How would you design the system to handle a large volume of data (e.g., millions of records per day)? Consider the technologies and architectures you would use to ensure scalability and performance. Think about potential bottlenecks and how to address them. Error Handling: Describe how you would implement error handling and logging to identify and address data quality issues. What metrics would you track to monitor the quality of the transformed data? For instance, suppose you receive the following data snippets: Source 1: {customer_id: 123, name: Alice, email: alice@example.com, purchase_date: 01/01/2023, state: CA} Source 2: {CustomerID: 456, Name: Bob, Email: bob@example.com, PurchaseDate: 2023-01-01, State: California} How would your system handle these variations and transform them into a unified format like this: {customer_id: 123, name: Alice, email: alice@example.com, purchase_date: 2023-01-01, state: California}

Amazon

Tell me about a time you exemplified one of Amazon's leadership principles. For example, consider the 'Customer Obsession' principle. Can you describe a situation where you went above and beyond to meet a customer's needs, even when it was challenging or required you to think outside the box? What specific actions did you take, and what was the outcome? Alternatively, let's explore the 'Bias for Action' principle. Share an instance where you had to make a quick decision with limited information. What was the situation, what factors did you consider, and how did you mitigate the risks associated with acting swiftly? Or perhaps you can elaborate on a time you demonstrated 'Ownership.' Describe a project or task where you took full responsibility for the outcome, even when things didn't go as planned. How did you handle the setbacks, and what did you learn from the experience? Another good principle to discuss could be 'Invent and Simplify.' Tell me about a time you created an innovative solution to a complex problem, while keeping it simple and easy to use. What was the problem, what was your solution, and how did you ensure its simplicity? Finally, tell me about a time where you had to 'Learn and Be Curious'.