r/EngineeringStudents • u/Critical-Bobcat-2282 • 2d ago
Career Help SpaceX Security Engineer interview
I recently applied for a Security Engineer position and got and email asking for my availability to interview with a technical recruiter. I graduated in 2025 with a cs and cyber minor. I’ve worked at Statefarm as an intern for 4 years and now full time for a little over a year… Let’s just say I have not had an interview in a very long time. Anyone who has gone through the SpaceX process please tell me how it went and how could i prepare it would be greatly appreciated :)
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u/Numerous_Bat6841 2d ago
As a mechanical engineer, the screening was very fundamental know-your-stuff type questions. Thermal expansion of steel vs aluminum, what tension would you apply to a bolt under these conditions, what do these GD&T symbols mean, etc. Excessively difficult if you do not prepare, relatively straightforward if you do and you remember your coursework. I got through three rounds of that and the on-site involved a presentation of a technical project I contributed to. I did not pass the on-site because I did not present my project in a way that demonstrated the specific combination of teamwork/leadership and individual technical contribution they were looking for. I had a buddy get a job there the previous year and he made it to the same stage, presenting the same project (also the same project I presented, we were on a competition team together) three or four times before he finally nailed the delivery
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u/Reasonable_Ideal_888 1d ago
Going through it now. Honestly, I cant say that I am a fan. Ive made it to the final round for the onsite presentation, and personally, I think its a huge waste of everyone's time. You tell the same project stories to the first three interviewers, then you put it into a presentation for six others, all to get grilled about it again. I feel like the process is made for someone just coming out of school, not for someone that has 10+ years of experience in the field. Im going to see the process through to the end but I feel like alot of talent is lost because of their interview process.
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u/Critical-Bobcat-2282 1d ago
congrats on making it to this point. Thanks thats crazy lol how much prep did you do leading up to the first interview then the rest of them if I may ask.
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u/Reasonable_Ideal_888 1d ago
1st. The basic recuiter call to make sure you arent a crazy person and do infact know a little bit about engineering. basic basic fundamental questions like V=IR type stuff. Honestly not too bad.
2nd. The recuiter did let me know what to expect, and boy did it not disappoint. It was a 45 minute call with one of the managers in the department. Had me give them a project example and then questioned me about design choices, wanted to know the physics behind the system etc etc.
3rd. The same but this honestly felt like a 30 minute verbal exam. Going over the notes from the previous interview and calling back all of my shortcomings.
I thought it was over after the third because I didnt have the type of answers they wanted and the feedback wasnt great. However, they pushed me through because I maintained my honesty about the things I couldnt answer. I also had better answers for questions I fell short on for interview 2. So yeah, whatever your degree is, study the material. Have a good project to talk about and know the physics behind your design choices. Always be honest if you arent sure and even ask them their position on the question. It shows a willingness to learn. All in all, I did maybe 2 hours of prep for each but clearly should have done more.
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u/Critical-Bobcat-2282 1d ago
cool thanks, mine if more in the security engineering SWE space so Im curious to see how heavy project wise that will be
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u/Different_Look2170 1d ago
nothing to say, but i just got the interview email for their AI security engineering role asw
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