Your experience will be defined by the team you work on - Software Engineer SpaceX Employee Review

4.0
Sep 27, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If you end up on a team that is a good fit for you, it can be a really enjoyable experience. The office is fun and is designed to make it to where you have no reason to leave once you get to work. You will collaborate with a lot of different teams where you will work with people from outside of your domain of expertise. Most teams let employees set their own hours and success is defined by production.

Cons

Since most employees set their own hours, it can be easy to work 50-60 hour weeks if you do not set realistic production goals with your team. Hours can get intense around important launch events, but it does return to normal after the sprint. If you end up on a team that doesn't align with your work-life balance or development style, you are going to have a significantly less enjoyable experience. Really vet the team your applying for during the interview and ask the current members about the team's work ethic and work-life balance!

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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