CrackingWalnuts
Checked 3 August 2026. Databricks does not publish its interview structure. Everything on this page is commonly reported by candidates, so treat it as a guide rather than a specification.
| Round | Duration | What it tests |
|---|---|---|
| Phone Screen (Coding) | 60 min | One implementation problem with data flavor. |
| Coding Round 1 | 60 min | Algorithm or data structure. Code quality probed. |
| Coding Round 2 | 60 min | Different problem space, often streaming or large-data flavored. |
| Domain Round | 60 min | Light Spark or distributed systems concepts. |
| Behavioral | 45 min | Background, learning, ownership. |
IC2 is the entry-level role. Databricks starts at IC2; there is no IC1. New grads and engineers with up to 2 years land here.
Targeted guidance per round in this loop. Each section links to the matching track on the site. There is no shortcut list, the bar moves loop to loop, so build the pattern recognition and the stories from real practice.
Work the pattern templates until the recognition is instant. Trace one mock problem per pattern. Practice stating time and space complexity out loud before you write code.
Databricks IC2 (Software Engineer, Entry) has one design round: Domain Round (60 min): Light Spark or distributed systems concepts.. Bar is structure and clarity. Walk through requirements, a simple design, and at least one well-reasoned trade-off. Pick problems from the track at the scale this loop tests and rehearse the structure: requirements, numbers, high-level design, data model, API, deep dive on one part, trade-offs.
Fresher / new-grad bar. Build 4-6 strong stories from internships, capstone projects, hackathons, or side work. Lead with a clean 90-second career story, one project you owned end to end, and one failure you can defend honestly.