Propulsion Engineer Interview Experience - Hawthorne, California
Process
I applied online. The process took 3 months.
Screening call with recruiter, then two rounds of phone interviews followed by site visit.
Screening call mostly consisted of describing past experiences relevant to the job and explaining interest in joining SpaceX.
First interview was with the hiring manager, consisting of technical questions, split evenly between rocket propulsion concepts and transient combustion behavior.
Second interview was with the hiring manager's supervisor and contained some technical discussion on transient combustion phenomena and gauging cultural fit.
Site visit consisted of a site tour, presentation, and several interviews with one or two team members to discuss technical competency in engine architecture, propulsion concepts, and transient combustion phenomena.
Questions
If a forklift hit the side of a raptor engine nozzle, and left a dent, how would you determine if the engine was safe to test or launch?
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 18 interview experiences for the SpaceX Propulsion Engineer role in Hawthorne, California.
Success Rate
SpaceX's interview process for their Propulsion Engineer roles in Hawthorne, California is very selective, failing most engineers who go through it.
Experience Rating
Candidates reported having very good feelings for SpaceX's Propulsion Engineer interview process in Hawthorne, California.
SpaceX Work Experiences
- 3.0Okay PlacePropulsion Engineer • Former EmployeeCape Canaveral, FLOctober 20, 2025Pros: I was paid very well.Cons: Had to work very long work hours.
- 5.0PropPropulsion Engineer • Current EmployeeBoca ChicaOctober 25, 2025Pros: Fun problems to solve all the timeCons: Work hours are very long.
- 5.0Challenging and fun work, but long hours drain energyPropulsion Engineer • Current EmployeeTexas City, TXJuly 24, 2026Pros: Tough challenges and always fun if you are passionate about the industryCons: Long work hours can be draining.
