Palantir: Not Your Typical Tech Interview
I went through Palantir’s process twice – rejected in 2022, offer in 2024. They have the most unusual interview process in tech. Here’s what actually happens.
First: Understand Palantir
They build software for government, defense, and intelligence. If you have ethical concerns about defense work, stop here. They won’t hire you anyway – mission alignment is non-negotiable.
The technical problems are fascinating. You’ll work on data analysis at scale, complex workflows, and problems that matter (find terrorists, track supply chains, respond to disasters).
The Infamous Process
Phone Screen (30 min): Recruiter assesses mission fit. They asked: “How do you feel about working with government clients?” Be honest. If you’re uncomfortable, this ends here.
Decomposition (3-4 hours!): This is their unique part. You get a vague, open-ended problem: “Design a system to track pandemic outbreaks.” No clear requirements, lots of ambiguity. You need to:
- Ask clarifying questions
- Break down the problem into components
- Design data models
- Think about edge cases and real-world constraints
- Communicate clearly throughout
My first attempt in 2022: I jumped into solution mode too fast. Failed. Second time: I spent 30 minutes just asking questions and defining scope. Passed.
Onsite (Multiple Rounds):
- Technical Deep Dives (2-3 rounds): Not typical coding. More like: “Here’s messy real-world data. Make sense of it.” Expect SQL, data analysis, and system thinking.
- Coding (1-2 rounds): Some traditional algorithms, but often with practical twists. They care about clean code and edge cases.
- Behavioral/Mission (2 rounds): Deep questions about why you want to work here, views on defense work, and handling ethical ambiguity.
- Learning (1 round): They give you new information and see how fast you can learn and apply it. This is unique to Palantir.
What They Value
- Problem Decomposition: Breaking complex problems into manageable pieces
- Communication: Explaining your thinking clearly
- Real-World Thinking: Not just theoretical solutions
- Mission Alignment: Genuine interest in their work
- Learning Speed: Can you pick up new domains quickly?
My Preparation (Second Attempt)
- Practiced Open-Ended Problems: Found ambiguous questions online and practiced decomposing them. Asked friends to evaluate my thinking.
- Studied Their Products: Read about Gotham and Foundry. Watched demo videos. Understood what they actually build.
- Did LeetCode: Still important. 100-120 mediums. But coding is less emphasized than at FAANG.
- Thought About Mission: Clarified my own views on defense work. Prepared thoughtful answers about ethical considerations.
- Improved Communication: Practiced talking through problems out loud. Palantir cares more about thought process than final answer.
Why People Fail
Most failures happen in Decomposition. People either:
- Don’t ask enough questions (assume too much)
- Get lost in details (can’t see the big picture)
- Can’t handle ambiguity (want clear requirements)
Also: Mission misalignment. If you’re lukewarm about their work, they’ll sense it and reject you.
The Reality
Palantir is intense. Long hours (especially for Forward Deployed Engineers), high expectations, mission-driven culture. Some people thrive, others burn out.
You’ll work on interesting problems but with less work-life balance than most tech companies. Travel is common if you’re FDE.
Comp: Very high, especially for FDEs. Base + stock + bonus can exceed FAANG. Stock has been volatile but trending up. Equity vests quarterly (better than 4-year cliffs).
Last Updated: February 2026