AQR SWE Interview Questions?
I have a CodeSignal online test and then a phone interview and then in person technical interview after that. I know they are a python shop and my background is Python but I am not sure exactly what to prepare. The title is "Software Engineer in Research". If it was pure SWE at FAANG I would imagine leetcode all day, but since it's at a hedge fund should I brush up on math and statistics? What about ML or DS concepts? Also semi related, what is expected salary range for mid level Python developer out of Greenwich location? 2.5 YoE Thank You!
Avoid AQR if you get other hedge fund offers. AQR is probably the worst in terms of politics and technical excellence (and also quant excellence too - all of their “hedge funds” are really just passive index followers disguised as mutual funds and then sold as hedged funds).
If I don't get other good offers else where can I use it as a stepping stone to somewhere else?
I think so, but I’m not sure if it’s worth the politics and nonsense. I don’t think AQR’s name is worth much in the past ~5 years (back in the late 1990s / early 2000s, it was hot / well-regraded, but now, no one cares about it), so I wouldn’t see it as a step up above other funds (such as SEI).
AQR pay is low, but could be worse...(cough sell side). They're nice enough to have free meals and stuff. I got a bunch of leetcode medium and a weird design question where the guy couldn't explain the problem properly and didn't understand when I told him you can use a max heap to do it.
In addition to the low comp, engineers at AQR are treated very badly by the quants. Better to work at a tech company if possible.
What did your recruiter say?
Haven't talked to HR yet that's after I pass the online test.