Great place for space fans - Software Engineer SpaceX Employee Review

5.0
20 Jan 2022
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The software process adds a lot of rigor. Most changes require pre-merge and post-merge verification - often on real hardware with simulations in the loop if applicable - and verification steps have to be approved by at least one other person, not just the code itself. Very interdisciplinary - on the software team you may be working with the battery team one day, and working the avionics hardware team and guidance navigation and control (GNC) another. I've learned so much about how spacecraft actually get built and tested by working with the other groups. Everyone is also happy to really explain how their system actually works so you can build a picture of what your code is going to do during tests or flight. Super fast-paced and intellectually honest environment in my division. Everyone on every team is encouraged to question requirements, designs, and test coverage right up until launch, and I've always seen my and other's concerns taken seriously and actually acted upon. Work flexibility - my manager has never minded me working from home or taking time off, even with very short notice. I've never felt pressured to work longer hours than I was working of my own accord. The feeling of seeing a system you helped develop/test work successfully in space.

Cons

In flight software at least on the vehicles I work on, it can often be hard to test your code because our CI system is custom and breaks relatively frequently. When standing up new hardware-in-the-loop testbeds, the testbeds often have issues themselves too, which can cause further difficulties. Work hours can be long, especially before big tests or a launch. I don't find this too bad personally, but I am pretty young and my last job was a much more intense/unhealthy work environment than SpaceX, so I'm probably an outlier in terms of feelings about the work hours.

Explore other reviews about SpaceX

5.0
29 Jun 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.

4.0
6 Apr 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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