Intelligence + Hard Work Changes the World - Engineering Manager SpaceX Employee Review

5.0
Oct 14, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

SpaceX is changing the world - the company's goal is literally to colonize Mars, and revolutionize the entire space industry in the process. Every day this awesome sense of purpose is sitting there in the back of your mind. We work with the best and brightest engineers in the world, but our scrappy, hands-on, experimental attitude prevents any kind of ivory tower complex. It's all about daring greatly.

Cons

The work here is difficult, and you're expected to get it done fast. The reports of universal 80 hour weeks are simply not true, however. I've been here for 5 years and have certainly done my stints of late night and weekend work, but as the company has grown the manic drive has ebbed (in no small part because the core of the company is no longer in their 20s). that's either a pro or con depending on your stance, but the point is you can make your own way here. Deadlines and priorities are fast moving targets. You will have to learn to let go of frustration when your year long project gets canned or the deadline you've killed yourself for a month to hit gets pushed out by six weeks at the last minute.

Explore other reviews about SpaceX

5.0
Jun 17, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

good place to work and earn money

Cons

Heavy workload and long time work

4.0
Apr 6, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

You learn so much because the work is so freaking intense, its a lot of fun if you're the type of person who loves to get emerged in hard problems. The hours for me were not too bad but I was the exception, all the other interns I was with dealt with 60-70+ hour weeks, some interns came in at 10am and left at 12am, when I say its intense, I'm not joking. This is however very unique to the Starbase location. I've heard Hawthorne is a lot more chill. I honestly despite how challenging the role was always look back on it with a sense of pride in my work, and longing to be back there. It really does feel that you're doing world changing things.

Cons

Very un diverse upper management, I'd say the company is pretty diverse in the lower ranks, but once you start to look at the org chart and see who's in charge, you realize that its mainly just white people. Makes you wonder if as a person of color you too will be able to move up. Housing sucks: there was limited housing on campus for full time employees, you have to wait a year plus to get off the queue and once you're off you only really get tiny homes as the option that are in an inconvenient location. Interns don't even have the option to get on campus housing, they give you 3k in a housing stipend and expect you to find a place in Brownsville. I'd say its very hard to maintain a relationship while working here if you don't have an understanding partner, the work schedule is brutal and you really can't slack off.

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