Manufacturing Engineer Interview Experience - Hawthorne, California
Process
As I'm sure you know, SpaceX is intense. Prior to being invited to Hawthorne for an in-person interview, I completed three separate phone interviews with engineers and recruiters. On-site, it's about a 5-6 hour interview process. They'll ask you to prepare a 20-minute presentation on an engineering project where you took a leadership role, and present it to a panel of about 8 or 9 engineers. Next, if you pass that stage, there are about 4.5 hours of one-on-one interviews.
Questions
They asked me to draw out how I would design the propulsion system for a Falcon 9 rocket.
This included tanks, valves, and safety measures.
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 35 interview experiences for the SpaceX Manufacturing Engineer role in Hawthorne, California.
Success Rate
SpaceX's interview process for their Manufacturing Engineer roles in Hawthorne, California is fairly selective, failing a large portion of engineers who go through it.
Experience Rating
Candidates reported having very good feelings for SpaceX's Manufacturing Engineer interview process in Hawthorne, California.
SpaceX Work Experiences
- 4.03 month review - Raptor MachiningManufacturing Engineer • Current EmployeeHawthorne, CAAugust 25, 2025Pros: - A very rewarding job - A good variety of things in the job where every week is different - You have the freedom to come up with and work on projects that impact the company - When you ask, people are happy to teach you about what they do and there are a lot of smart people to learn fromCons: - Like any SpaceX job, it is a lot of hours. - You very much so get thrown into the fire at the start, but it gets better after a few months.
- 3.0Driven team but tough communication and workloadManufacturing Engineer • Current EmployeeBastrop, TXSeptember 23, 2026Pros: Super driven and organized teams, and good opportunities to moveCons: Works people too hard and is hard to talk to.
- 4.0Shaping the future of space travelManufacturing Engineer • Current EmployeeHawthorne, CAMay 8, 2025Pros: Always a new challenge and a fast-paced work environment. The scope of work is flexible and adaptive.Cons: Extremely long hours! It's hard to set boundaries and continue to meet expectations.
