The Culture:
While many of the reviews here aren't entirely wrong, they miss a lot of the reasons many of us have been here for the long haul. Also keep in mind that we have been through different waves of dept. leadership, internal structure, a pandemic, and transition to remote work so for some people (for which change comes hard) the company is ripe for criticism.
XPRIZE is essentially a 27 year old start up. We run VERY lean which requires many of us to wear multiple hats. Often. Can it be grueling? Yes. Is it normally? More often than not over the past 2 years because our ambitions haven't changed, even as staffing has been reduced.
So sure... we have a lot on our plates but because of our small company size we are also very nimble, and we can try things. For example, ideas here come from ANYONE in the company. There are few companies where you can have an idea, mention it to the CEO, get approval right there, and then do it. You'd be lucky to share the elevator with the CEO in another company. This also means things move fast, and change often. Exciting? Yes. Exhausting? Also...Yes. And for many new hires, this can be a bit of a culture shock.
No sugar-coating here, none of our jobs are easy, we are a non-profit with giant ambitions to change the world. Lots of jobs can wear you out, if you want one that can also be supremely rewarding, with great colleagues, that will pave your way to even more impressive things... this is it.
The Work:
You ever tell your roommates about that spreadsheet you made? Of course not, it's boring. How about the account you closed with some random company? Snoozefest. Maybe the results of your quarterly...? Nope, just stop. You want to impress a date? How about avatars that allow you to travel anywhere on or off world, drones autonomously cataloging rainforest species, converting CO2 emissions into vodka, saving coral reefs, stopping wildfires, or LANDING ON THE GD MOON. Look, your parents still won't understand what you do, but at least you can carry a dinner party with interesting convo.
The work we do here is often cutting edge, revolutionary, crazy, and with a cast of characters that seem made up. We inspire global innovators to help solve the world's problems. Ever have that dream where you are having drinks with a pop star, an astronaut, and a tech CEO? That. Happens. Here.
As far as the day-to-day, we are now remote, and we work a lot... it's very easy to slide into the mode of an 'always on, always contactable' status. Leadership has been proactive in mitigating this by adding extra days off, meeting free days, and a new Quiet Week to pursue work that isn't the day-to-day grind, but the work load here can be overwhelming. (It's not always possible to scale up fast enough when new projects happen.) Generally though, we all support each other, and this is also a company where leaders will routinely be in the trenches helping get projects across the line with you. We all want these initiatives to succeed.
The People:
Saving this for the end - XPRIZE attracts some of the most brilliant, caring, funny, dependable, creative, and hardworking folks on the planet. It's a joy to learn from and work with these amazing people every day. Because of our small size, and wearing many hats, we get to know people from departments that we might not in a larger company. These colleagues will also be the ones who will help you learn and develop your talents, support you when you have a radical idea, and who you will remain close to for the rest of your career. If you are ready to roll up your sleeves and be part of something you will always remember, come join us. It's not easy, it's not always fun, and your significant other WILL ask "are you done with work yet?!" - on the flip side - you'll meet great people with great ideas, and your parents will tell everyone you work at SpaceX.
