Technical screening questions
Ask for one example per question and listen for specifics.
- How do you choose between a star schema and a wide table? A good answer: Query patterns, tool support and maintenance cost.
- How do you handle late-arriving data? A good answer: Reprocessing windows, idempotent loads and correction rules.
- How do you control access to sensitive columns? A good answer: Role-based access, masking and audit.
- How do you decide what belongs in the lake versus the warehouse? A good answer: Raw versus curated, cost and consumer needs.
- How do you prove a pipeline is correct? A good answer: Reconciliation counts, tests and monitoring on freshness.
Quick screening questions
Use these when you have only a few minutes.
- Which warehouse or lakehouse did you design and how large was it?
- How do you model slowly changing dimensions?
- How did you handle data quality problems at the source?
What separates the levels
Match the level to the requirement before you submit.
- Mid: models one domain.
- Senior: sets the platform design.
- Principal: sets enterprise data direction.
Red flags
Any of these is a reason to probe further.
- Cannot explain a dimensional model.
- No view on governance or ownership.
- Has designed only on paper.
Tools you should hear mentioned
A data architect with real experience usually names several of these without prompting.
- Modelling tools
- Snowflake, Databricks or Redshift
- Airflow or similar orchestrators
- Data catalog and lineage tools
- SQL
- Cloud storage and security services
Run the call well
Ask for the last project first, then dig into the second or third question. Take notes on versions, team size and outcomes, and record them with the submission so the vendor’s later technical interview does not surprise you.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a data architect screening call take?
Fifteen to twenty minutes is enough to cover the project, three technical questions and availability, rate and work authorization.
Do recruiters need to know the technology?
Working vocabulary is enough. Use the sourcing guide for the role and listen for specifics instead of judging technical depth yourself.