Meta Data Manipulation (SQL/Python) Interview Questions

Meta Data Manipulation (SQL/Python) interview questions are a central part of Meta’s hiring for data scientist, data engineer, and analytics roles and usually emphasize practical, product-focused problem solving over abstract algorithm puzzles. What’s distinctive is the scale and product context: interview problems mirror real-world analytics tasks with messy data, session/event tables, and metrics design. Interviewers evaluate accuracy, clarity, and maintainability of your SQL or pandas code, your handling of edge cases (NULLs, deduplication, sampling), and your ability to explain trade-offs between readability and performance using CTEs, window functions, joins, and vectorized Python operations. For interview preparation, expect a timed technical screen (often using a shared editor) with SQL and Python data-manipulation tasks, followed by deeper loop rounds combining coding, product-metrics reasoning, and behavioral questions. Practice end-to-end problems: translate a product question into concrete metrics, write and optimize queries or pandas pipelines, narrate assumptions, and validate results. Work timed problems in CoderPad-like environments, rehearse clarifying questions, and review common pitfalls such as filter vs HAVING, NULL behavior, and inefficient joins. Regular mock interviews and focused drills on window functions, groupings, merges, and missing-data strategies will give the confidence and fluency Meta typically looks for.

175 Questions 1 Company07.06.2026
Showing 20 results
Role
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Meta
Easy
Data Scientist Locked

Convert multi-currency revenue to USD totals

This question evaluates a candidate's competency in converting multi-currency revenue into USD totals by aligning event dates with FX rates, handling ...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
4
0
47 people solved
Feb 16, 2026
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Meta
Medium
Data Scientist Locked

Analyze Multiple-Account Users in SQL

This question evaluates a data scientist's ability to perform SQL-level user- and account-level aggregation, grouping, and NULL-aware filtering to com...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
2
0
41 people solved
Feb 9, 2026
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Meta
Medium
Data Scientist

Compute CTR overall and by campaign type

Write SQL to compute: (Q1) overall click-through rate (CTR = clicks/impressions) in the last week; (Q2) CTR by campaign_type in the last week. Assume ...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
2
0
8 people solved
Oct 13, 2025
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Meta
Medium
Data Scientist

Compute multi-account actives and unread coverage

You have two tables. Table: notifications +--------+------------+------------+-------------------+--------+ | userid | ds | time | notification_type |...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
4
0
39 people solved
Oct 13, 2025
Meta logo
Meta
Medium
Data Scientist

Posts and Replies Engagement

Posts and Replies Engagement A content platform stores user-generated posts and the replies that those posts receive. You need to answer two questions...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
0
0
8 people solved
Feb 1, 2026
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Meta
Medium
Product Analyst Locked

Write Call Analytics SQL Queries

This question evaluates SQL data manipulation and analytical competencies, including aggregation, joins between user and event tables, time-window fil...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
3
0
26 people solved
Jan 28, 2026
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Meta
Medium
Data Scientist

Find multi-account buckets and unread rate

You are analyzing a product in which one user can own multiple accounts. Use the following schema: Table: accounts - account_id BIGINT - user_id BIGIN...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
6
1
31 people solved
Jan 21, 2026
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Meta
Medium
Data Scientist

Write SQL for Pixel Signal Metrics

You are working on Meta Ads Pixel analytics. Assume all timestamps are stored in UTC, and analyze the last 30 complete calendar days. Tables 1. advert...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
4
0
56 people solved
Jan 20, 2026
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Meta
Medium
Product Analyst

Write SQL for call analytics

You are given two tables. Table: calls - call_id BIGINT - sender_id BIGINT - receiver_id BIGINT - call_ts TIMESTAMP — stored in UTC - pickup CHAR(1) —...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
4
0
47 people solved
Jan 16, 2026
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Meta
Medium
Software EngineerSenior+

Set up a Python interview environment

You can use AI coding tools. Prepare a clean laptop for a Python-based onsite and explain your steps: ( 1) Install pyenv and set up a project-specific...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
10
0
76 people solved
Sep 6, 2025
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Meta
Medium
Data Scientist

Calculate and Compare Survey Response Rates for User Tenure

Surveys +--------+------------+--------------+----------+ | userid | date | survey_event | response | +--------+------------+--------------+----...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
1
0
12 people solved
Aug 4, 2025
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Meta
Medium
Data Scientist

Analyze Seller Activity and Vehicle Listing Interactions

Analyze Seller Activity and Vehicle Listing Interactions listing_interaction +-----------+-----------+------------+------------+----+ | buyer_id | se...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
5
0
44 people solved
Aug 4, 2025
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Meta
Medium
Data Scientist

Analyze Mobile Promo Orders with SQL Query and Metrics

orders +-----------+---------+--------------+------------+-----------+----------+ | order_id | user_id | order_amount | order_date | is_mobile | is_p...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
2
0
11 people solved
Aug 4, 2025
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Meta
Easy
Data Scientist

Compute reply-based user metrics in 7 days

You are analyzing discussions on a social platform. Tables all_post - post_id (BIGINT, PK) - post_author_id (BIGINT, FK → user.user_id) - post_creatio...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
21
1
174 people solved
Dec 18, 2025
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Meta
Medium
Data Scientist

Write SQL to compare social-only vs game-only engagement

You are given two tables capturing Oculus app usage. Define an 'active day' as a UTC date on which a user generates at least one event. Consider only ...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
40
1
336 people solved
Oct 13, 2025
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Meta
Medium
Data Scientist

Define and query shop visibility

You are given the following schema. Use only the columns provided; do not introduce new fields or labels. Tables and columns: - shops(shop_id INT, sho...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
0
0
8 people solved
Oct 13, 2025
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Meta
Medium
Data Scientist

Write dating profile report with final reviews

Today is 2025-09-01. You need a daily dating-profile quality and engagement report that only includes profiles whose latest version has a final approv...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
8
0
54 people solved
Oct 13, 2025
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Meta
Medium
Data Scientist

Compute cohort GMV and payer rate with edge cases

You are given the following schema (timestamps are UTC): users(user_id INT, country STRING, created_at TIMESTAMP) events(user_id INT, event_ts TIMESTA...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
10
0
82 people solved
Oct 13, 2025
Meta logo
Meta
Medium
Data Scientist

Compute video-call SQL metrics with edge cases

Use 'today' = 2025-09-01. Assume UTC timestamps. Write SQL to answer both parts below and call out how your queries handle edge cases (duplicates, fai...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
29
1
242 people solved
Oct 13, 2025
Meta logo
Meta
Medium
Data Scientist

Compute unconnected 60s posts and reactions averages

Given these tables and sample data, write SQL that answers both tasks below. Use today = 2025-09-01 and interpret "last/past 7 days" as the inclusive ...

Data Manipulation (SQL/Python)
1
0
11 people solved
Oct 13, 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

How difficult are Meta Data Manipulation (SQL/Python) interview questions?
Meta Data Manipulation (SQL/Python) questions are typically medium-to-hard in difficulty and reward clarity under time pressure. Interviewers expect correct, efficient solutions that handle real-world data quirks such as NULLs, duplicates, and timezone or type issues. SQL problems often require joins, window functions, aggregations, and readable CTE structure rather than clever one-liners. Python tasks evaluate clean data transformations, appropriate use of lists/dictionaries or pandas, and algorithmic thinking for performance-sensitive steps. Strong candidates write defensible, testable code, explain tradeoffs, and can optimize a correct solution when prompted.
Where in the Meta interview process does Data Manipulation (SQL/Python) appear and what is the format?
Data manipulation shows up across screening and on-site (or virtual loop) stages, often during the technical screen and again in role-specific interviews for analytics, data engineering, or data scientist positions. Early screens commonly include a short set of timed problems split between SQL and Python executed in a shared editor. Later loop interviews expand scope with longer, end-to-end tasks that mix data modeling, metric definition, and manipulation tasks, and interviewers may probe for performance, edge cases, and how the candidate would productionize the transformation pipeline.
What is a realistic prep timeline for Meta Data Manipulation (SQL/Python) interviews?
A realistic prep timeline is four to eight weeks for focused preparation, although experienced practitioners may need less. Begin by refreshing SQL fundamentals and Python data structures, then practice common transformation problems and windowing scenarios. Midway through, introduce timed practice sessions mirroring the screening format to build speed and articulation. In the final weeks, do full mock interviews that combine SQL and Python work, review feedback, and polish explanations and test cases. Consistent, deliberate practice with real schema examples and post-solution optimizations produces the best results.
What key subtopics should I study for Data Manipulation (SQL/Python) at Meta?
Key SQL subtopics include joins (inner, left, semi/anti), aggregations, GROUP BY versus HAVING semantics, window functions, CTEs and subqueries, NULL handling, and basic performance considerations such as limiting data scanned and understanding indexes or partitioning. For Python, focus on core data structures, complexity reasoning, defensive coding for edge cases, idiomatic data transformations, and familiarity with pandas or equivalent libraries if appropriate. Also practice writing concise tests, handling date/time and string parsing, and explaining tradeoffs between readability and micro-optimizations.
What standout tips and common pitfalls should I keep in mind when preparing?
Standout tips include always clarifying assumptions up front, sketching the approach before coding, and using readable CTEs or helper functions to break complex logic into verifiable steps. Demonstrate awareness of edge cases, write simple test examples, and explain time/space complexity and production implications. Common pitfalls are ignoring NULL semantics, failing to deduplicate when required, overcomplicating queries instead of prioritizing clarity, and not defending performance tradeoffs. Finally, don’t forget to communicate continuously during the interview; interviewers evaluate reasoning and decision-making as much as the final result.

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