6 years and still going strong - Engineer SpaceX Employee Review

5.0
Oct 4, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Real, measurable responsibility with an impact on the bottom line in challenging projects, working with a technically diverse team of coworkers who are passionate about what they're doing: this is what I'd describe as the best part of working at SpaceX. The company runs lean with its engineering workforce which means we rely on personnel to manage their responsibilities and deliver without the luxury of a persistent safety net. This goes two ways: you can actually see and feel the impact of your personal successes at work, but you can also experience real failure. This is actually unique in big projects which are usually bloated with oversight or blindly reliant on heritage. I've been here for almost six years and I'm still in awe every time I take an afternoon walk through the factory with my cup of coffee.

Cons

It's hard work, and the pressure is real. Like I said above, there's no safety net, and that can get very stressful when holding real responsibility. This isn't a casual job. I'd still say this is a good thing, since this ensures that the people who work here truly want to be here. There are plenty of places where you can punch in and punch out every day, this definitely isn't one of them, and that's totally okay with me.

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5.0
Jul 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Stocks comp No red tape Leadership

Cons

Can be siloed at time. Pain from rapid growth. fast iteration does not suit everybody.

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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