How to Land a Job at SpaceX: Showcase Your Tech Skills and Ability to be a Team Player

There are multiple opportunities at SpaceX for you. The question of how to get a job at SpaceX, however, can be challenging if you don’t know much about the company. It is the fastest-growing launch service provider in the United States, but that’s only the beginning.

SpaceX careers are attractive to a wide range of qualified engineers, managers, and business gurus. This definitive guide provides you with essential information to help you during the application and interview process. Even if you have no idea what to include on your resume and cover letter, we’re here to help you get the hiring manager’s attention. 

SpaceX: Company Background 

Elon Musk founded Space Exploration Technologies Corporation in 2002 to help bring space travel to the private sector, with the ultimate goal of taking human beings to Mars. Headquartered in Hawthorne, California, SpaceX has already become the first private company to successfully launch and return a spacecraft to Earth. 

The company’s main clientele is the Pentagon’s spy satellite arm, National Reconnaissance Office, as well as NASA. They also have satellites for providing broadband internet services.  

Musk had intended to start taking people to Mars by 2010, but it was a challenge. It wasn’t until 2008 that SpaceX finally sent its first rocket, Falcon 1, into orbit, but Falcon 9 followed close behind. Since Falcon 9’s initial launch in 2010, SpaceX has conducted over 80 missions from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The SpaceX Dragon is a spacecraft used to carry cargo to the International Space Station. First deployed on May 31, 2020, the Dragon was the first commercial spacecraft to be recovered after the trip to orbit. 

The future looks promising for SpaceX. Recently, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa became the first paying customer for Musk’s planned Starship mission around the moon, currently slated for 2023. After that milestone, Mars will finally be within reach. 

What’s It Like to Work at SpaceX?

Despite the company’s rapid growth, SpaceX still maintains a startup atmosphere and a flat corporate structure. All employees contribute to a rewarding and inspiring work environment, with everyone working together to actively develop space exploration strategies. 

Below is an overview of what to expect when working for SpaceX.

Open Communication

Elon Musk is one of the most approachable CEOs in the corporate world. Employees have an easy time accessing him via email or face-to-face interaction. Managers and directors are also relatively easy to approach and speak with. 

All for One, and One for All

Every time SpaceX launches a rocket, the employees gather around to cheer for the success, and everyone receives a launch patch to commemorate the occasion. It’s a gratifying experience for everyone and goes to show how unified and tight-knit the team is. 

All employees, moreover, are involved in the process of conducting phone and in-person interviews anytime the company is hiring. To get a job at SpaceX, everyone must agree unanimously that you are a perfect fit. 

Work and Play Combined

Trying to build a future for the next generation is not an easy task. You can find yourself working 13 hours a day, sometimes on weekends. In light of this, SpaceX offers employees a relaxation room where they can unwind, food and beverages onsite to ensure everyone is well-nourished, and regular space-themed movie nights.

Getting a Job at SpaceX 

Getting a job at SpaceX requires you to be passionate and unique. To rise above a pool of highly qualified applicants, you need to demonstrate past projects, skills, and expertise that cannot be matched. 

Having excellent grades, a passion for aerospace, and extensive experience in the industry may land you an interview, but not necessarily the job. That’s because Elon Musk is also keen on interpersonal skills. Having great talent in engineering is not enough. You must also be a team player. 

The hiring process at SpaceX can take a relatively long time. It can last up to six months, and several levels of screening. After going through a series of phone interviews, in-person interviews, and engineering tests, you may be shortlisted. 

Getting a job at this company will give you job security, paid holidays, extensive maternity leave, generous retirement options, paid sick leave, life insurance, and a fitness membership.

How Hard Is It to Get a Job at SpaceX? 

Unless you are an expert in your field, it can be quite difficult to land a job at Elon Musk’s company. SpaceX hires top talent for each position, conducting a grueling series of interviews to ensure that it hires the best candidates. While they ask relatively challenging interview questions, a strong set of engineering skills will help you answer them. 

Make sure that you align your vision with the company’s vision, but you should do so in an authentic way. You can also impress the panel by talking about your past projects. Keep in mind that if just one team member doesn’t approve of you, you will not be hired. 

To land any job, you need to be prepared for the interview. Conduct ample research about SpaceX in advance, and study up on company values. It will also be beneficial to know more about your potential interviewers, so you should check LinkedIn.

Applying for a Job at SpaceX 

SpaceX has many opportunities waiting for talented individuals to fill.

There are propulsion jobs, build and flight reliability jobs, software development jobs, and information technology jobs. You can also work at SpaceX as an intern. Internships at SpaceX are paid and assigned to one of SpaceX’s many locations, such as headquarters, one of its rocket and satellite development facilities, or one of its launch sites. 

SpaceX Application and Interview Process 

You can apply for a full-time or part-time job depending on your schedule and the job type. To apply for a job, go to their website and navigate to the application. After you finish the application, you can expect a response in three to five months. 

If your resume is selected, you will be contacted and taken through a series of interviews. The first round of interviews is conducted via telephone and involves between two and four sessions of MCQ coding tests. Candidates who pass are invited to the SpaceX campus.

At the campus, you will go through seven face-to-face interviews with different team members. In one of the interviews, you will be required to present an original project idea to the panel. You will also take an engineering test. 

If a single interviewer has doubts about you, you will not get the job. 

SpaceX Career Opportunities: Job Titles and Descriptions

A job at SpaceX is second to none for engineers, manufacturers, developers, and software designers. You can work in aerospace engineering, space operations, avionics, test operations, vehicle engineering, satellite development, and more.

Below are some of the highest-paying tech positions at SpaceX. 

Software Engineering Manager

• Salary: $100K – $150K
• Benefits: Paid holidays, fitness membership, casual dress, and 401(k) 
• Required Experience: 5 – 7 years
• Required Education: Bachelor of science in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or equivalent

This job is on offer at SpaceX’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California. The SpaceX Flight Software Development Team is responsible for developing and operating the software necessary to carry out the missions.

You will be responsible for managing a team of six software engineers, developing highly reliable software systems, and keeping the standards of practice up to date. 

Propulsion Simulation and Automation Engineer

• Salary: $80K – $100K
• Benefits: Paid holidays, fitness membership, casual dress, and 401(k) 
• Required Experience: Familiarity with computer software and running simulations based on principles of physics
• Required Education: Bachelor of science in computer science or related engineering discipline

This job requires an in-depth understanding of thermodynamics, mechanics, and thermochemistry. In collaboration with a team of software engineers, these individuals troubleshoot and enhance models for rocket engine development. 

Senior Full Stack Software Engineer

• Salary: $80K – $100K
• Benefits: Paid holidays, fitness membership, casual dress, and 401(k)  
• Required Experience: Less than five years
• Required Education: Bachelor’s of science in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or equivalent

These engineers build reliable software solutions for end-users, guiding your team through every stage of software development life cycle. You should also have a flexible schedule, and be prepared to work weekends and long hours. 

Software Engineer 

• Salary: $80K -$100K 
• Benefits: Paid holidays, fitness membership, casual dress, and 401(k) 
• Required Experience: Ability to write Linux code; familiarity with kernels, hypervisors, and device drivers
• Required Education: Bachelor of science in computer science, electrical engineering, math, or computer engineering

The key responsibilities for this role are to update prototypes and write Linux-based software. This is an excellent position for you if you have become a software engineer and know debugging, unit testing, and performance optimization processes. You should also have the ability to work efficiently in a dynamic environment.

What Does It Take to Get a Job at SpaceX? 

Hiring managers and recruiters crosscheck a lot of qualities, skills, and education before they hire anyone. However, SpaceX is insistent on three main attributes. They want their employees to be passionate, self-driven, and talented. 

Make sure you highlight these three essential qualities in your resume and cover letter. You should list both hard skills and soft skills, showing how they relate to your commitment and passion. You can also mention how SpaceX’s mission resonates with you.

But writing an excellent technical resume is not enough to secure the position. You also need to polish your interview skills. Try reviewing the most common interview questions and practicing with a colleague or friend.

Many qualified candidates apply to SpaceX every day, even when they are not advertising. The best way to stand out from the crowd is to mention your most significant accomplishments. Your unique successes just might be the thing that gets you a coveted interview.