I applied online, and what set me apart was my inclusion of photos from several previous projects. SpaceX wants to see tangible results from previous projects and loves to ask what you learned.

There are several phone screenings in the beginning of the process with engineers and management. If you complete these, you will go to HQ in Hawthorne for a group presentation on a project you worked on in the past.

The room is full of representatives from several departments who will ask you questions on it from different disciplines. The goal is to figure out if you were just a member of the team or the one who drove the project.

After this, there are 5-8 one-on-one interview sessions. Expect the whole process at HQ to last 6-8 hours; you will be very tired when it's done.

If you are presenting on mechanical topics, expect questions in electrical, fluid, or project management to see how dynamic you are.