Spotify Staff-Level Machine Learning Engineer Interview Preparation Guide
Machine Learning Engineer
Spotify
Staff
8 rounds
Updated 11/23/2025
Spotify's interview process for Staff-level Machine Learning Engineers comprises multiple stages designed to assess technical expertise, production ML system design, collaboration in autonomous squad structures, and alignment with Spotify's data-driven, experimentation-focused culture. The process evaluates candidates on their ability to design and implement large-scale recommender systems, optimize models for production environments, architect scalable ML infrastructure, and lead technical initiatives across cross-functional teams. At the Staff level, interviewers particularly assess strategic thinking about ML systems, influence and mentorship capabilities, and understanding of business impact.
Interview Rounds
1
Recruiter Screening
30 min4 focus topicsculture fit
2
Technical Phone Interview
60 min4 focus topicstechnical
3
Onsite Round 1: Coding & Applied ML Problem
60 min4 focus topicstechnical
4
Onsite Round 2: ML System Design
60 min5 focus topicssystem design
5
Onsite Round 3: Technical Depth - Spotify Domain
60 min5 focus topicstechnical
6
Onsite Round 4: Behavioral & Collaboration
60 min5 focus topicsbehavioral
7
Onsite Round 5: Product Impact & Business Acumen
60 min5 focus topicscase study
8
Hiring Manager Round
40 min4 focus topicsbehavioral
Additional Information