“A day may come when the courage of men fails… but it is not THIS day." - Aragorn - Launch Engineer SpaceX Employee Review

4.0
Feb 25, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Very cool work. If your looking for a more fulfilling career SpaceX will help with that. It seems like every person that works here is SpaceX fanatic. SpaceX is quick to make adjustments when something is found (process changes for efficiency). Free snacks and drinks (lunches aren't free anymore, but are $3 for a hot meal). I don't feel that pay is all that bad, it is comparable to other aerospace companies. SpaceX has a fair amount of observed holidays (if you work a holiday salaried you get credited PTO). PTO is accrued per pay period (will end up at about 15 days off accrued per year). Sick time is separate and accrues at a lesser rate then vacation time. You get awesome deals on stuff from the SpaceX store.

Cons

People seem to lack the ability to relax, like they are about to be fired at all times. No 401k matching, but there are stock options if your salaried. Health insurance is pretty good (if you pick the lowest levels you don't have to contribute for insurance) dental/vision too. Engineering jobs are salaried, techs are hourly in general. You will work hard here, when there are upcoming goals you can expect 80+ hour weeks. People do have a difficulty with detaching work life and personal life.

Explore other reviews about SpaceX

5.0
Jul 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The vision No desk jobs here Powerful company with determined employees Pays below avg and for full time employees and extract as many hours as they can

Cons

Long hours can be challenging if you don’t have a good manager or understanding partner Stocks are good Vacation starts with 3 week/year On site food is not bad Sabbatical at 5 years

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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