SpaceX Internship Guide: Pay, Interview Process, Responsibilities

According to previous & current employees, SpaceX is the “best place on the planet for bleeding-edge R&D”. Indeed, the research and achievements of Elon Musk’s space company are next to none and have attracted the attention of the world’s top talent. It is for this very reason that SpaceX careers are one of the most popular career paths for engineering students and non-engineering students alike.  

For those looking to be part of some of the biggest advancements in spaceflight, telecommunications and engineering, a SpaceX internship is hard to beat. 

The SpaceX internship is one of the most coveted and competitive internships on the planet. Firsthand.co lists SpaceX’s internship program as the 7th most prestigious in the world-beating the likes of Facebook, Amazon, Deloitte and IBM.

Looking for SpaceX employment? At Space Crew, we can help you find your next dream job in the space & satellite industry at companies like SpaceX, NASA and more.    

What is the SpaceX internship? Is it paid? What is the starting salary for SpaceX interns? What is the application and interview process like? 

In this article, we’ll tell you all you need to know about the famous SpaceX internship program. 

What is the SpaceX Internship?

SpaceX internships are available year-round and give undergraduate & postgraduate students a great opportunity to take part in the revolutionary science and technological achievements taking place at Elon Musk’s space firm.  

SpaceX has two entry-level offerings: 

• Interns - for current students

• Associate Engineers - for recent graduates

In this article, we’ll be discussing the internship program. Want to learn about associate engineer opportunities? Check out this page on SpaceX’s website for more information.

Internships are available for both technical and non-technical roles. Unlike some internships, SpaceX prides itself on giving its interns as many responsibilities as a full-time employee. As SpaceX put it “[interns] will be an integral part of our team”. 

What do interns do at SpaceX?

SpaceX offers a range of different roles to interns in any department of the organization. 

Interns can be posted to any of the following roles: 

• Technology & engineering

• Software

• Design

• Testing & Safety

• Manufacturing

• Business Operations

Interns are given lots of opportunities and responsibilities to make things happen. They’re given real projects with real deadlines. 

What’s quite exciting about the SpaceX internship, in particular, is that large parts of the job are autonomous – i.e. you’ll be working by yourself on your own projects. 

You won’t be forced to shadow an engineer all day or be relegated to mundane admin tasks like filing or making coffee. You’re in the thick of it.

As with any role at SpaceX, interns need to work hard. Former interns and employees reveal that interns regularly work 80 hours a week. Whilst this can be a significant deal-breaker for some people, those who are keen on spaceflight and space engineering will relish the opportunity. 

Former SpaceX employees note that “you’re typically having so much fun doing what you’re doing you hardly notice the time pass”. The grind at SpaceX is, however, undoubtedly difficult. 

Are SpaceX Internships Paid?

Yes. Both internships and associate engineer opportunities are paid at SpaceX. There are other benefits to working at SpaceX as an intern too. Achievements as a SpaceX intern may also be used to satisfy college course credit if your university permits. 

Moreover, SpaceX offers a range of relocation assistance packages and housing assistance. During the work day, SpaceX offers their employees & interns “gourmet-style” food to keep them juiced up throughout the day. This also includes a free coffee bar, burgers, Chinese food and more!

Former interns on Glassdoor report good health insurance coverage with a low deductible and free monthly premium. SpaceX also offers good dental insurance and good health-care on-site.

Other benefits include an employee discount on SpaceX merch (up to 75% off) and a free gym membership.

How much do SpaceX interns get paid? 

Not only does SpaceX provide their interns with a wealth of opportunities and responsibilities to undertake cutting-edge research, but they also pay them quite well! 

According to anonymous submissions on Glassdoor, SpaceX interns make on average $63,716 a year. Of course, internships may not last a full year – so the average monthly pay is $5,309. That’s not bad at all – considering SpaceX pays 57% above the US average for an intern position. 

What qualifications do I need to become a SpaceX intern? 

The SpaceX internship is designed for undergraduates and postgraduates studying at a four-year accredited university. 

There’s no set list of top universities and colleges that SpaceX recruits from. Instead, SpaceX pays particular attention to any significant contributions you’ve made – instead of what institution you’re studying at. 

Students studying for Master’s or PhD degrees are also eligible for the internship – and indeed, given the complexity of the work, being in this position is often advantageous.

Here are some other prerequisites for a SpaceX internship application:

• Have a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

• Can demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and can work effectively in a team with limited resources at a rapid pace. Remember, research happens fast at SpaceX and you need to keep up with it!

• Are proficient in Windows and in Microsoft Office

• (For technical roles) have hands-on experience through engineering projects, lab research or through a prior relevant internship. 

• (For business operations) have prior experience through a relevant internship or work experience. 

These are “preferred qualifications”, so they’re not essential. However, you’ll find it much easier to get accepted into the internship program if you meet the above criteria. 

According to Meagan Karagias, a former recruiter at SpaceX, candidates should be able to demonstrate that they: 

• Excel academically

• Get involved in engineering groups that are focused on design/build/test/code

• Plan to apply early. 

Specifically, Karagias says that being a “member of” a group isn’t usually enough to persuade SpaceX recruiters. Instead, the company wants to see the projects and components you’ve worked on and how you’ve been developing leadership and technical responsibility as you’ve been going along. 

She says that the vast majority of successful candidates had put in between 20-40 hours a week in a design/build/test/code engineering project. 

She also says: 

“Getting face time with SpaceX engineers and recruiters goes hand-in-hand with getting involved in engineering projects.”

A big plus for SpaceX is when a candidate can demonstrate that they have engaged with the company’s campus visits, and outreach programs and regularly follow the work SpaceX do. 

When are SpaceX internship positions available? 

Internships at SpaceX last a minimum of 12 weeks – and can be extended if you have the time and you’ve demonstrated your ability to work there! 

SpaceX intern positions are available year-round in three intakes (or seasons): 

• Spring (Jan-Apr)

• Summer (May-Aug)

• Fall (Sept-Dec)

The SpaceX summer internship is by far the most popular intake - given it fits extremely well with summer break. If you’re able to take a Fall or Spring placement, you may find it easier to get accepted!

If you want to apply for an internship at SpaceX, Karagias advises you to “plan to apply early”: “Our internships fill in a rolling manner; we schedule interviews for qualified applicants as they come in for a finite number of spots. Once all positions are full, the requisition will close.”

SpaceX will hire open applications for Spring internships in the previous July. Summer internship applications usually open in the previous August. Fall applications open in February. We highly recommend applying as soon as possible to increase your chance of getting an interview. 

What is the interview process for SpaceX internships like? 

SpaceX hiring processes are notoriously long and difficult. Why? SpaceX is only looking for the top talent, and so design a gruelling interview pipeline to find the best of the best. 

You’ll be glad to hear that the internship program doesn’t follow this philosophy. Unlike for other positions at the company, the SpaceX internship interview process is relatively straightforward. 

As mentioned before, qualified candidates are selected for interviews whilst applications are still open. That’s why it’s really important to apply early – as once all the positions are filled, you’ll have to wait for the next intake. 

Internship interviews are predominantly telephone interviews. The first call is a pre-screening call – similar to a Human Resources review. Here, an interviewer will check over your resume and ask questions about your experience and interests. 

The second round of interviews – also telephone – will be with an engineer (or a business operations employee). For technical internships, your engineer will test your knowledge of mathematics, aerospace engineering, software design and anything else they find relevant to the internship you’re applying for. 

Job seekers on Glassdoor have listed some of the questions they were asked. They include: 

• Given a cantilever beam with a load on the free end, where does the beam fail? How does the beam fail, and what is the mechanism of the failure?

• What is the most weight-efficient cross-sectional area for a beam?

• How would you design the fluid pipes on a crew module? 

Non-technical questions are usually standard behavioral questions like: 

• Tell me about a time you faced a problem. How did you overcome it? 

• What leadership qualities and experience do you have? 

• Why do you want to become an intern at SpaceX?

Overall, candidates note that the SpaceX internship interview process is easy & straightforward – given you know your technical & mechanical knowledge! Be prepared to get your brain picked on the spot!

Where can I find SpaceX Internship Posts? 

The best place to find SpaceX internship job posts is on Space Crew - the solar system’s biggest space jobs website. Using our intuitive job search tool, you can quickly search all the available internship roles available at SpaceX. You’ll have your SpaceX internship application completed in no time!

Our job board also lists open positions & internships from a whole host of companies in the space industry such as OneWeb, Planet, NASA, Blue Origin and many more. We’ll connect you with space agencies, satellite companies, launch providers and everything in between.  

You can find a wide range of positions in space companies, including Software Engineering, HR, Engineering, Product Development, Operations, Research and more!