SpaceX In a nutshell - Manager, Operations SpaceX Employee Review

3.0
Oct 18, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

SpaceX is an incredibly stimulating business to work for. Access to problem sets and company resources is nearly boundless. I like to explain SpaceX as the largest small business you will ever see. We have enough money to solve problems legitimately, but the determination of a small business struggling for survival.

Cons

The required hours for success are insane. As systems are being constructed and tested, there is a massive manual effort required to move information around the business. Removal of necessary statusing and confusing communications would provide more time to perform actual value added work without additional resources

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5.0
Jun 29, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

* **Unmatched Mission & Impact:** You are literally working on rockets and spacecraft. The cool factor is 10/10. * **Brilliant Coworkers:** You will be surrounded by some of the smartest, most driven engineers in the world. * **Insane Career Growth:** SpaceX on your resume is a golden ticket. You will learn more here in 3 months than in 3 years at a normal company. * **Hands-on Experience:** They actually trust interns with real, critical hardware. No boring coffee-fetching tasks.

Cons

**Cons:** * **Zero Work-Life Balance:** 70-80 hours a week is the norm, not the exception. Say goodbye to your social life and sleep. * **Extreme Burnout:** The "hustle culture" is toxic. You are expected to treat the company as your entire life. * **Mediocre Pay:** The hourly pay is average, especially when you factor in the insane hours and the high cost of living in LA/Hawthorne. * **Chaotic Management:** Decisions can change overnight based on whatever Elon Musk tweets or feels like doing that morning.

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