Poor work/life balance, constant change - NDE Inspector SpaceX Employee Review

3.0
May 16, 2022
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Watching the launches. You get to be a part of the most innovative company in the world. Interact with some of the smartest people you've ever met. Learning their processes can help you achieve a good paying job once your tenure is over.

Cons

Management doesn't care about your personal lives. They expect you to put aside everything and keep your eyes on "the mission". If they're a part of management, then they're probably huge Elon fan boys/girls. Their continuous process improvements only means they're putting everything under a microscope and micro managing you to its fullest extent. Things constant change at this company. Even if you think you have it made, don't get comfortable. Don't expect to be in one spot for a while because they may switch you from 1st to 2nd shift in a matter of months, sometimes weeks. And vice versa. Or they might require you to do something you weren't even prepared for, like travel or perform duties you weren't hired for (except that's what you signed up for, they'll make that very clear). Pay could be better, not nearly enough for what you do on a day to day basis.

Explore other reviews about SpaceX

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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