I applied through a recruiter. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at SpaceX (Hawthorne, CA) in Jul 2018
Interview
As I'm sure you know, SpaceX is intense. Prior to being invited to Hawthorne for an in-person interview, I completed three separate phone interviews with engineers/recruiters. On site, it's about a 5-6 hour interview process. They'll ask you to prepare a 20 minute presentation on an engineering project you took a leadership role one, and present it to a panel of about 8 or 9 engineers. Next, if you pass that stage, there is about 4.5 hours of 1-on-1 interviews.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
They asked me to draw out how I would design the propulsion system for a Falcon 9 rocket. Including tanks, valves, safety measures, etc.
I applied online. I interviewed at SpaceX in Jun 2026
Interview
I completed the initial 20- 30-minute call. This did not have any technical questions. I provided my portfolio and explained how certain projects fit this role. I was given the next interview and set up a time at the end of this call.
Phone screen with recruiter followed by two phone calls with engineers and then an on-site interview where you present a presentation on a topic of your choice. Also other technical interviews on site as well.
Got reached out to by a recruiter on LinkedIn. Setting up an interview time was easy. The first interview screening was basically describing your past experiences. The second interview is technical. Whole process took a week.
