Mechanical Engineer Interview Experience - Hawthorne, California
March 12, 2025
Positive ExperienceNo Offer
Process
I had a screening with a recruiter and an interview with the hiring manager.
For the interview with the hiring manager, most of the questions were about engineering principles.
He asked about:
- Beam theory
- Material science (e.g., Stress and Strain curve, Fatigue/cycle curve)
Some behavioral questions also asked about my biggest accomplishments.
Questions
Engineering principles:
- Structure Mechanics (Beam Theory)
- Material Science (Fatigue/cycle curve, Stress and strain curve)
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 25 interview experiences for the SpaceX Mechanical Engineer role in Hawthorne, California.
Success Rate
4%
Pass Rate
SpaceX's interview process for their Mechanical Engineer roles in Hawthorne, California is extremely selective, failing the vast majority of engineers.
Experience Rating
Positive48%
Neutral40%
Negative12%
Candidates reported having very good feelings for SpaceX's Mechanical Engineer interview process in Hawthorne, California.
SpaceX Work Experiences
3.0
Difficult work, but stock ended up well worth it in the end
Mechanical Engineer • Former Employee
Hawthorne, CA
August 25, 2026
Pros: Stock is really worth it in the long term, and it pays for some of the pain. It is a wonderful place to start a career and learn new things fast.
Cons: 1 year at spacex drains 2-3 years of your life
4.0
Hard but fun
Mechanical Engineer • Current Employee
Redmond, WA
January 14, 2024
Pros: Really rewarding work. And very fun.
Cons: Lots of extra hours of work.
4.0
Competitive Stock
Mechanical Engineer • Former Employee
Los Angeles, CA
November 4, 2025
Pros: Significant stock package, a cool product, diverse projects (team dependent), and internal mobility
Cons: High pressure, high stress, no work-life balance, and no 401k match because of stock potential.
- 3.0Difficult work, but stock ended up well worth it in the endMechanical Engineer • Former EmployeeHawthorne, CAAugust 25, 2026Pros: Stock is really worth it in the long term, and it pays for some of the pain. It is a wonderful place to start a career and learn new things fast.Cons: 1 year at spacex drains 2-3 years of your life
- 4.0Hard but funMechanical Engineer • Current EmployeeRedmond, WAJanuary 14, 2024Pros: Really rewarding work. And very fun.Cons: Lots of extra hours of work.
- 4.0Competitive StockMechanical Engineer • Former EmployeeLos Angeles, CANovember 4, 2025Pros: Significant stock package, a cool product, diverse projects (team dependent), and internal mobilityCons: High pressure, high stress, no work-life balance, and no 401k match because of stock potential.
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