How To Work At SpaceX

If you’re interested in working in the space industry, you’ve likely heard of SpaceX. Founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, SpaceX is a space transportation and aerospace manufacturer based in the United States.

SpaceX employment is highly sought after by industry talent, as the company is a key front-runner in space technology and exploration. They offer great compensation, strong company values and an invigorating line of work.

SpaceX is one of the many space industry companies hiring on Space Crew. In this article, we’re going to guide you through the process of getting a job at SpaceX.

SpaceX application process - first steps

How hard is it to get a job at SpaceX? There are a few tough requirements to make the cut. Firstly, due to security restrictions in the US, only US citizens are able to work for SpaceX. They also look for “world-class talent”, which means excellence in the following areas:

Education

Many positions at SpaceX require a relevant degree. For roles related to build and flight reliability, for example, you’ll need a degree in aerospace engineering, manufacturing engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related engineering field.

For software, a degree in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, math, or a related scientific discipline. If you’re yet to decide on your degree, perhaps review the position you're aiming for to see what’s required.

Experience

You’ll need related skills in both technical areas and soft skills that pertain to team culture.

The technical skills you’ve learned from previous jobs or education will naturally support your career path. Your workplace skills will be determined through behavioral questions, and will indicate how you operate as a team to solve problems.

Some jobs require a minimum tenure in the same role, or a similar department. You may need direct experience with specific programs related to the role, but the description of whichever job you apply to will contain all the specifications you need to know.

Connections

Sometimes who you know can make all the difference. Establishing career connections will help you come across opportunities early on in your career when you need them most. We’ll explore some ways you can build connections later on.

Types of SpaceX Careers

SpaceX employs people from a wide range of fields, including avionics, materials engineering, mission management and space operations, satellite development, test operations, and vehicle engineering, to name a few. Engineers, electrical technicians, and machinists are usually in high demand.

Here’s an overview of the possibilities for a career with SpaceX:

Engineering - satellite production lead. satellite engineer, mechanical engineer, structural engineer, facilities engineer, propulsion engineer, chemicals engineer, launch engineer, test engineer, missions manager, quality inspector

Finance - accounting manager, finance manager, senior tax analyst, senior accountant, purchasing manager 

Sales - customer support associate, sales consultant, proposal editor, sales manager, director of sales management 

Software and I.T. - data, software, IT systems security or network engineer; communications technician; IT systems analyst; communications technician

Human resources - ​​executive assistant, HR coordinator, HR systems analyst, technical recruiter, HR manager

Do SpaceX employees feel fairly compensated? 

According to PayScale, the average SpaceX salary is $97,000 per year. Your salary will depend greatly on your individual experience and profession.

Working for SpaceX is a mostly enjoyable experience. The company has an overall rating of 4.0 out of 5, based on over 2,636 reviews left anonymously by employees on Glassdoor.

SpaceX provides stock awards when you’re hired and during annual bonus compensation. You can also expect to receive up to 30% of your salary in stock options. 

Some of the benefits include:

• Medical and dental insurance

• Flexible spending accounts

• Life insurance and disability coverage

• 401(k) plan with company match

• Employee stock purchase plan

Best practices for working at SpaceX

The recruitment process for SpaceX will differ for everyone, but there are a number of best practices you can use to put yourself in good stead.

Perfect your CV using STAR

You’ll want to make sure your CV is as effective as can be before submission. To do so, you can use a reliable framework called STAR to make sure it meets the high standards that SpaceX is looking for.

STAR stands for:

Situation - describe a situation that could illustrate your soft skills. Bring the listener into the scene by providing useful context like who you were working with and where.

Task - what task arose in that situation and where do you come in? What were your responsibilities and what was at stake? Concisely explain the problem before moving on to the solution. 

Action - next, describe which actions you took to address the situation as well as your reasoning behind them. By critically analyzing your approach, you will give the interviewer an insight into how you might handle similar situations.

Result - finally, reflect on the outcome, whether or not the result was positive, and what lessons you learned. You can bookend the story by explaining how you adapted your approach for future tasks.

STAR is effective in communicating your agility and awareness as a problem solver. Use this framework when describing your professional experience to highlight your efficiency.

Build your network

If you can surround yourself with people who are involved in the industry then your chances of landing a SpaceX job will likely improve. Examples of ways you could build your network include:

Engage with social media communities

The internet is full of helpful professionals. Some of the most popular channels for interacting with other people in the industry are Twitter and Reddit.

Communities on Reddit like r/spacex and r/spacexlounge are particularly active. They regularly share useful updates about the company and the wider industry, which you can use to spot opportunities. There are also general discussion and development threads you can visit for advice and direction.

Attend IRL events

Search for local space industry events in your areas on Google or MeetUp. Head along and express your interest in working for SpaceX. You’ll likely discover others who share your journey and may be of assistance. There could also be panel discussions, seminars, or skills workshops that can introduce you to local space professionals.

Join organizations in your field

Seek out and sign up for relevant organizations in your field. If you’re an engineer, for example, the Society of Automotive Engineers could be for you. You may be granted access to exclusive competitions or information regarding job opportunities.

Volunteer for projects

One of the biggest perks of volunteering for an organization like the Space Foundation is meeting and working with influential space leaders. There might also be research development teams in need of your skills. Or, a local community project you could assist with. 

If you’re able to make contact, see if you can volunteer to help out an employee at SpaceX for free. If you deliver value - like saving them time - they might return the favor. It could be as simple as organizing files or cleaning a workspace. Get creative with your approach, and remember to be genuine and patient.

Practice answering interview questions

Past interview questions on Glassdoor gave us an idea of some of the questions you can expect at an interview. The technical side will depend strongly on the position, but the behavioral questions are more widely applicable.

Some of the behavioral questions they could ask include:

• Tell me about a successful project you were involved in. What was your role? What was the result?

• Tell me about your greatest professional accomplishment.

• What experience do you have in this field?

• Describe the most exciting project or team you ever worked on

• Describe a time when you had to overcome a significant obstacle on a job

• Tell me about a time you had a conflict at work. How did you handle it? What have you learned?

• Describe a time when you had to manage a large project

• What do you do when you encounter a problem that you don’t know how to solve?

• Tell me about a time when you had to make an important decision

• Describe a time when you had to deliver bad news

Try preparing some answers using the STAR method and practice them with a friend. Some of the technical questions you could be tasked with answering are:

• How would you design and analyze a heat shield for a capsule upon splashdown?

• What is the space complexity of insertion sort?

• How are beams manufactured?

• What are the three modes of heat transfer?

• What is the difference between TCP and UDP, and when should you use one over the other?

For a more in-depth insight into SpaceX interviews, check out our article on their interview questions.

Join SpaceX with Space Crew

You can find all SpaceX job openings on Space Crew. You’ll also find the best job opportunities in the wider space industry there - at Blue Origin, NASA, and hundreds of other pioneering space companies and organizations. Happy hunting!