Gamble worth it but still a huge risk - Engineering SpaceX Employee Review

3.0
19 Nov 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Greatest Mission on the planet. Culture is most inspired I have ever experienced. People among the best I've ever worked with.

Cons

No context layoffs. No warning at all just one day kicked out the door regardless of the 80+ hour weeks you’ve been giving since the beginning. Never been less appreciated and treated more terribly than the way shown out of SpaceX by HR. Escorted by security to get belongings for each person laid-off. Management has no power to prevent layoffs told 12 hours before they release the kraken. Elon snaps his fingers like Thanos and 10% of the company randomly disappears one day…. No exaggeration Elon has likened people to machines before, and now I fully understand he treats them as such.

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5.0
3 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good pay Good experience Hands on work

Cons

Long hours Intense management No sleep

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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