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Home / Compensation / D. E. Shaw / Software Engineer
Total compensation for a D. E. Shaw Software Engineer ranges from about $280K at the entry level to $925K+ at the most senior bands, with a typical mid-level package around $420K. Below is the full breakdown by level - base salary, annual equity, and bonus - from public-source data.
Public-source estimates (Beta). Last updated 2026-10. Figures are annualized USD.
| Level | Years | Base (p50) | Equity/yr (p50) | Bonus (p50) | Total (p25-p90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New GradSoftware Developer (New Grad) | 0-2 YOE | $225K | $0K | $100K | $280K - $470K |
| MidSoftware Developer | 2-5 YOE | $260K | $0K | $160K | $345K - $625K |
| SeniorSenior Software Developer | 5+ YOE | $310K | $0K | $260K | $450K - $925K |
Entry-level. NY postings list base of $200K-$275K, plus a year-end bonus guaranteed in the first year and a sign-on bonus. Levels.fyi's US 'Member Technical' median sits near $322K. The 2027 NY intern posting pays $25K a month base.
Sparse public data - directional. Base anchored on NY postings ($275K for a mid-level developer role, up to $325K for Generative AI services). Bonus band anchored on the Levels.fyi US median bonus of ~$175K.
Sparse public data - directional. H-1B filings for Software Developer reach $350K base. Few verified US senior reports exist, so the band is wide on purpose; the year-end bonus is discretionary and drives most of the spread.
D. E. Shaw does not publish an engineering ladder. Levels.fyi files US reports under 'Member Technical'; the Mid and Senior rows here are experience bands, not firm titles. Public US data above entry level is thin - Mid and Senior are directional.
7 rounds. 6 of them can be practised here - each one below links the rep that trains it.
Application review and recruiter call
D. E. Shaw lists application review as the first stage. Candidates report an HR or recruiter call next - background, interest in the firm, and which teams fit. If you apply to several roles, the firm says you may meet several interviewer groups.
Online coding assessment / phone interview
Candidates for US software roles report a timed coding assessment on HackerRank; the firm's own page lists a phone interview at this stage. Expect LeetCode-style problems at Medium to Hard difficulty - greedy, dynamic programming, and backtracking show up in reports.
Free rep: Coding challenges with a real sandbox →Virtual onsite: coding rounds
Reported as split across two days with multiple technical rounds. Algorithmic coding is the core, with the interviewer probing correctness, edge cases, and complexity. Some rounds mix in mathematical or numerical-computation problems.
Free rep: Coding challenges with a real sandbox →Virtual onsite: math, estimation, and design
Candidate reports mention math and estimation questions alongside coding. Experienced candidates should also expect design discussion grounded in their own past systems - why a structure or architecture was chosen, and what the tradeoffs were.
Free rep: Design walkthrough: Design a Distributed Message Queue (Kafka deep-dive) →Project and technical-decision deep dive
Reports describe a deeper conversation about past projects, high-level problem solving, and interest in the intersection of finance and technology - for example, walking through a technical decision you made and defending it.
Free rep: What this round looks for →Code or writing sample, case study (some roles)
D. E. Shaw's interviewing page says candidates may be asked for a writing or code sample and a case study, depending on the role. Pick a sample you can explain line by line.
Free rep: Coding challenges with a real sandbox →Reference conversations
The firm lists conversations with your references as a stage before the offer. Line up references who can speak to your technical work in detail.
Free rep: What this round looks for →The full D. E. Shaw prep pack → what they value, topic emphasis, and the questions candidates ask.
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