Pros
Of the Aerospace companies out there Space X sets itself apart. The work is highly demanding, but greatly rewarding to those who enjoy the engineering field. The culture: Space X has a culture that promotes excellence. Space X values innovation, teamwork, leadership, and open communication. Working at Space X you have the sense that everyone wants to be there, and is there to produce results. The people: The overwhelming majority have sharp technical skills, are competent at what they do, and are well grounded/easy to work with. Young energetic population. The work: Very fast paced. Projects and responsibility are assigned based on an individuals capability vs solely their tenure. This allows for a rapid advancement of role within the company. The organization: Less formal than most other aerospace companies out there. Very compact organization both physically (factory floor is in the same building as the engineering office) and organizationally (~2-3 levels between bottom and CEO). Information/directions flows very quickly on all fronts. Added Bonuses: -Free frozen yogurt stand -Free coffee stand -Subsidized lunches at company restaurant. -Free gym membership -and random others. Its really the little things...
Kontras
The work at times can be demanding from a time commitment standpoint. One teething issues related to the recent rapid growth: -parking at an off site garage then shuttled in (adds time to total commute).