2025 reports describe a consistent Datadog interview process: interns and early-career candidates take a one-hour HackerRank test with two LeetCode-style problems; experienced candidates start with a recruiter call and a coding screen; everyone then has a final round of coding, system design and a past-project or hiring manager interview, with a values interview in some loops, followed by team matching. Candidates who got offers described practical coding such as parsing log files and deep questions on their own projects; candidates who did not get offers rarely named a single failing round.
Datadog interview process round by round
| Round | Duration | What candidates reported |
|---|---|---|
| HackerRank (interns, early career) | ~1 hour | Two LeetCode-style problems |
| Recruiter call | ~30 min | Background, interests, logistics |
| Technical screen | ~1 hour | Two short coding questions |
| Final: coding | 1 hour each | LeetCode medium but implementation-focused, or practical tasks such as log parsing |
| Final: system design | 1 hour | Service design, also used for leveling |
| Final: experience, HM or values | 1 hour | Past project walkthrough, values questions |
| Team matching | Varies | After the hiring committee approves |
Datadog interview process in 2025: what candidates reported
These are self-reported accounts on Taro (jointaro.com). Each is one candidate’s experience.
- Software engineer, New York (April 15, 2025, accepted offer). A fast process with a very fast turnaround. Coding was not LeetCode-style; it covered system design and parsing log files cleanly. The candidate said the resume and past-project discussion was the most important signal.
- Software engineer, New York (April 1, 2025, offer). Recruiter call, a screening stage with two short, easy coding questions, then a final round of two LeetCode medium coding interviews that were implementation-focused, one system design, one interview about a previous project, and one values interview.
- Software engineer, New York (May 2025, no offer). A LeetCode-style online assessment, an HR behavioral round focused on software engineering experience rather than other parts of the resume, then a technical interview with engineers. The candidate called the process straightforward.
- Software engineering intern, New York (September 2025, accepted offer). HackerRank with two LeetCode-style questions, a behavioral interview, then a technical final with three LeetCode-style questions. Communication from recruiting was good, and the candidate advised applying early because intern spots fill fast.
- New grad software engineer, United States (November 2025, offer). Multiple coding rounds, then a final of three one-hour interviews: coding, system design and hiring manager. The interviewers were very nice and easy to talk to.
- Software engineering intern, Paris (October 2025, no offer). A one-hour HackerRank with two problems, a recruiter call, then a 75-minute technical interview: a project description followed by two live coding problems in 40 minutes. Then internal team matching.
- Staff software engineer, United States (October 2025, offer). A coding question to design a data structure for a time-based stream of data, a system design for a service that aggregates user data from other services, displays it in a UI and sends recommendations, and a presentation on a past project. The team gave the candidate time to weigh other offers.
Detailed interview experiences
Experience 1: Software engineer, New York, offer accepted (April 2025)
Coding: Not LeetCode-style. The candidate had to parse log files cleanly and discuss system design.
Project discussion: A large part of the loop was the resume and past projects, which the candidate felt carried the most weight.
Timeline: Fast from start to offer.
Takeaway: Prepare one project in depth and practice parsing messy text input with clean, readable code.
Experience 2: Software engineer, New York (April 2025)
Screen: Two short, easy questions.
Final round: Five interviews. Two coding interviews at LeetCode medium level but focused on implementation, one system design, one experience interview on a previous project, and one values interview.
Takeaway: Datadog’s loop can be longer than the four-hour estimate when a values interview is added. Ask your recruiter for the exact schedule.
Experience 3: Intern, New York, offer accepted (September 2025)
HackerRank: Two LeetCode-style questions; the hardest part of the process for this candidate.
Behavioral: A behavioral interview between the OA and the final.
Final: Three LeetCode-style questions in the technical round.
Takeaway: Intern headcount fills quickly, so apply as soon as postings open.
Experience 4: Intern, Paris (October 2025)
HackerRank: One hour, two problems.
Technical interview: 75 minutes. First a description of a personal or professional project, then two live coding problems in 40 minutes.
Result: Reached internal team matching but no offer.
Takeaway: Two problems in 40 minutes leaves about 20 minutes each, so practice explaining while you code.
Experience 5: Staff software engineer, US (October 2025)
Coding: Design a data structure for a time-based stream of data.
System design: A service that aggregates user data from other services, displays it in a UI and sends recommendations.
Presentation: A talk on a past project in place of a second coding round.
Takeaway: Staff candidates should prepare a project presentation with technical decisions and business context.
Datadog interview questions that come up often
Coding
- Parse log files cleanly
- Design a data structure for a time-based stream
- Two LeetCode-style problems on HackerRank (interns)
- Implementation-focused LeetCode mediums
System design
- A service that aggregates user data, shows it in a UI and sends recommendations
- A notification service, such as flight deals that match saved searches
Behavioral
- Describe a project, personal or professional
- Past project review
- Why Datadog?
Worked answers are on the Datadog interview questions hub, and behavioral sample answers are on the Datadog behavioral interview questions page.
Datadog interview tips from these reports
HackerRank
- Two problems in about an hour; practice timed mediums.
- Interns found this the hardest step.
Final round
- Expect practical coding that grows with new requirements.
- System design also sets your level.
Projects
- Prepare one project for a long, detailed discussion.
- Staff candidates present a project to a panel.
Similar companies
Databricks · Snowflake · Cloudflare · Coinbase · Atlassian · Bloomberg
Sources
- Taro: software engineer, New York, April 15, 2025 (accepted offer)
- Taro: software engineer, New York, April 1, 2025
- Taro: software engineer, New York, May 2025
- Taro: intern, New York, September 2025 (accepted offer)
- Taro: new grad, United States, November 2025
- Taro: intern, Paris, October 2025
- Taro: staff software engineer, United States, October 2025
- interviewing.io: Datadog interview process