Roller Coaster Weee!! - Senior Software Engineer SpaceX Employee Review

5.0
Oct 10, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you're looking for work with meaning then it probably doesn't get better than SpaceX. You're lucky to be working at one of the only companies really shaking up the industry. We don't just talk big, we make it happen. Lots of people are super driven here. If you're highly motivated and ambitious then you can accomplish a lot at SpaceX. No one is going to stop you, there's way too much work to do.

Cons

With so many highly passionate, driven people, tensions often run high. People will defend their points of view, you'll defend yours, and it's tough keeping your cool. Picking which battles to fight and which to let go. The overall mission does help us keep perspective, but on a personal level it is non-stop ups and downs. You watch people hold on until they get fed up and flung off. Also people work a lot here. Not because they have to, but because they want to. Space is cool, being a part of it is cool. But it's easy to overwork yourself without knowing it. This plus the above can lead to quick burnout. Personally I'm continually riding the edge of what I can handle, but I'm driven to a fault, that's the kind of people here.

Explore other reviews about SpaceX

5.0
Jun 16, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Cool work and once in a lifetime experience. 100% worth the experience

Cons

Work is going to be demanding

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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