Great place to work, but long hours - Test Engineer SpaceX Employee Review

4.0
Oct 5, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great people to work with. Fun projects and exciting challenges. Good work atmosphere. I see multiple rocket tests on a daily basis, I see rockets and space capsules up close that have flown to space and safely returned and best of all, I get to work with and be apart of the team that makes it all happen. I can't think of a more inspiring company mission.

Cons

Long work hours that limits having a life outside of work. Limited opportunities for regular advancement. Career progression is an afterthought at best.

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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

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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