No longer a startup, but still very much on the ground - Engineer Virgin Orbit Employee Review

3.0
Dec 17, 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

-Launching a rocket from an aircraft is a very difficult problem and there are a lot of cool problems to solve -Some very smart engineers here to work with and learn from, but you have to seek them out as there is no good internal knowledge sharing system in place yet -Standard benefits like healthcare and 401k are good, pay is about industry average -Additional benefits like free lunches, snacks, coffee etc are great, not quite on par with the tech sector but miles above traditional aerospace

Cons

-This company has not been a startup for over a year, even though we have yet to launch we're operating more like ULA/Boeing than an early stage SpaceX or RocketLab. -Huge disconnects between teams. Few people actually understand the rocket as a whole and that has lead to poor design choices that often can't even be integrated without major overhauls on the floor. -Schedule driven to the point that not only do we not solve problems, I've seen shortcuts taken that will hurt the company in the long run and lead to some serious failures. -Senior management is completely disconnected from engineering. Most of the original team leaders have left at this point and half of their replacements were external hires with little understanding of what is actually going on, but they are too "experienced" to just ask.

Explore other reviews about Virgin Orbit

5.0
Feb 10, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great engineers, fun and challenging program.

Cons

Business model didn't pan out

5.0
Jan 28, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

High pay, great hours and great benefits.

Cons

Mismanagement, went out of business

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