Software Engineer Interview Experience - Los Angeles, California
January 1, 2017
Positive ExperienceNo Offer
Process
I applied online, and typical information was required.
An in-house recruiter reached out to me and served as my liaison throughout the process.
There was a brief phone interview, followed by a C programming test, which was easy. A follow-up Python test was long, requiring many hours and was more complex. It was difficult for me, as I was junior level at the time.
I had one more phone interview with an engineer, but ultimately did not get the job.
Overall, the experience was very professional.
Questions
Describe a software bug.
Multiple programming challenges.
Was this helpful?
Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 14 interview experiences for the SpaceX Software Engineer role in Los Angeles, California.
Success Rate
14%
Pass Rate
SpaceX's interview process for their Software Engineer roles in Los Angeles, California is extremely selective, failing the vast majority of engineers.
Experience Rating
Positive64%
Neutral14%
Negative21%
Candidates reported having very good feelings for SpaceX's Software Engineer interview process in Los Angeles, California.
SpaceX Work Experiences
4.0
Intense and Fun but Challenging
Software Engineer • Former Employee
Hawthorne, CA
September 16, 2024
Pros: Innovative Work Environment: Work on cutting-edge technology and groundbreaking projects in space exploration and aerospace.
High Impact: Contribute to missions that have global significance, like launching satellites, space missions, and Mars colonization.
Learning Opportunities: Constant exposure to new technologies and challenges fosters rapid learning and skill development.
Cons: Long Hours: Extremely demanding workload, often requiring overtime, weekends, and long shifts to meet aggressive deadlines.
High Pressure: The fast-paced and high-stakes environment can create intense pressure and stress.
Work-Life Balance: Many employees report a poor work-life balance due to the long hours and tight deadlines.
2.0
Sink or Swim (usually sink)
Software Engineer • Current Employee
Redmond, WA
April 2, 2025
Pros: Full end-to-end ownership of work.
Work with extremely skilled people.
Diversify skills.
The work is constantly changing.
Cons: You get pulled in many directions at once and are expected to execute at the highest level for all of them.
You rarely get the time to stop and get really good at one thing, and are often too spread out.
Everyone is being pulled in many directions, which results in a stressful and often blunt/harsh environment.
There are barely any women...
5.0
Very fulfilling work
Software Engineer • Current Employee
Hawthorne, CA
February 12, 2024
Pros: It is hard to find more fulfilling worth than at SpaceX, even what was normally annoying work elsewhere carries a weight of excitement at SpaceX. Almost everyone shares the same passion for space and space technology, which is a huge plus too.
Cons: There’s definitely a pressure to work as hard as possible, and sometimes various parties may not align on priorities.
- 4.0Intense and Fun but ChallengingSoftware Engineer • Former EmployeeHawthorne, CASeptember 16, 2024Pros: Innovative Work Environment: Work on cutting-edge technology and groundbreaking projects in space exploration and aerospace. High Impact: Contribute to missions that have global significance, like launching satellites, space missions, and Mars colonization. Learning Opportunities: Constant exposure to new technologies and challenges fosters rapid learning and skill development.Cons: Long Hours: Extremely demanding workload, often requiring overtime, weekends, and long shifts to meet aggressive deadlines. High Pressure: The fast-paced and high-stakes environment can create intense pressure and stress. Work-Life Balance: Many employees report a poor work-life balance due to the long hours and tight deadlines.
- 2.0Sink or Swim (usually sink)Software Engineer • Current EmployeeRedmond, WAApril 2, 2025Pros: Full end-to-end ownership of work. Work with extremely skilled people. Diversify skills. The work is constantly changing.Cons: You get pulled in many directions at once and are expected to execute at the highest level for all of them. You rarely get the time to stop and get really good at one thing, and are often too spread out. Everyone is being pulled in many directions, which results in a stressful and often blunt/harsh environment. There are barely any women...
- 5.0Very fulfilling workSoftware Engineer • Current EmployeeHawthorne, CAFebruary 12, 2024Pros: It is hard to find more fulfilling worth than at SpaceX, even what was normally annoying work elsewhere carries a weight of excitement at SpaceX. Almost everyone shares the same passion for space and space technology, which is a huge plus too.Cons: There’s definitely a pressure to work as hard as possible, and sometimes various parties may not align on priorities.
Explore Interview QuestionsTaro 75Google Interview QuestionsMeta Interview QuestionsAmazon Interview QuestionsApple Interview QuestionsNetflix Interview Questions
Explore Interview ExperiencesOpenAI Interview ExperiencesAnthropic Interview ExperiencesPerplexity Interview ExperiencesWindsurf Interview ExperiencesMistral AI Interview Experiences
