Launch Engineer Interview Experience - Hawthorne, California
Process
Three interviews were scheduled in total:
- A short 30-minute interview with the recruiter.
- A 30-minute technical interview with the hiring manager.
- An onsite interview with the team.
The first interview was a general overview of the process and provided additional information on the job role.
The second interview consisted of pure technical questions regarding thermodynamics and fluid dynamics. This took me by surprise and felt like an oral pop quiz for which I had not studied. The manager was also very condescending when answers were incorrect.
I did not make it to the final interview, but after the second interview, I no longer wanted to work for the company.
Questions
Technical topics included:
- Pipe flow for incompressible and compressible fluids
- Friction loss in a pipe
- Gas laws (ideal vs. non-ideal)
- Reynolds number
- Pump design
- Pump sizing
- Tank design
- Refrigeration cycle, etc.
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 3 interview experiences for the SpaceX Launch Engineer role in Hawthorne, California.
Success Rate
SpaceX's interview process for their Launch Engineer roles in Hawthorne, California is incredibly easy as the vast majority of engineers get an offer after going through it.
Experience Rating
Candidates reported having very good feelings for SpaceX's Launch Engineer interview process in Hawthorne, California.
SpaceX Work Experiences
- 4.0Cool Hardware Long HoursLaunch Engineer • Former EmployeeCape Canaveral, FLJuly 5, 2024Pros: - A very motivated staff - Food is provided - Trauma bonding - It is easy to figure out who is responsible for what - Documentation is very easy to look through - Improving the process is encouraged - Management helps with blockers - Meetings are shortCons: - You are disposable. - You work 50+ hours a week. - Trauma (stress dreams are common). - You will have to triage between your responsibilities (that are all on fire lol). - Excessive documentation has to be created to do work. - It can take an act of congress to make a simple change. - Management sets overly aggressive goals and wonders why there is burnout.
- 3.0Cool projects, but burnout is commonLaunch Engineer • Former EmployeeBrownsville, TXAugust 9, 2026Pros: Working on the coolest stuff in the worldCons: The company runs on burning people out.
- 5.0I love what I do and love the company even moreLaunch Engineer • Current EmployeeVandenberg AFB, CAMarch 27, 2024Pros: You see direct impact in your work everyday. You get to actually feel like you are changing the world and see it everyday. You work with the brightest minds and get to learn from them non-stop.Cons: With a large mission and large vision comes large responsibilities. You must learn to prioritize quickly and be self-sufficient in your work.
