SpaceX Software Engineer Interview Questions + Guide in 2024

SpaceX, founded with the vision of exploring the stars and enabling human life on Mars, is at the forefront of aerospace innovation. As a software engineer at SpaceX, you will play a crucial role in developing technologies that support groundbreaking missions.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the interview process, share commonly asked SpaceX software engineer questions, and provide essential tips to help you succeed. Join us as we explore the key steps to landing a Software Engineer role at this pioneering company. Let’s get started!

The interview process usually depends on the role and seniority, however, you can expect the following on a SpaceX Software Engineer interview:

Recruiter Phone Screening (20 minutes)

If your CV is selected, a recruiter from the SpaceX Talent Acquisition Team will contact you to verify key details such as your experiences, skills, and interest in the role. The phone screen includes basic behavioral questions and an opportunity for you to ask questions about the role and the company. This initial call typically lasts around 20 minutes.

Take-Home Assessment (4 hours)

Following the recruiter phone screen, you will be invited to complete a take-home assessment. This assignment is typically a difficult algorithms problem where you can choose your preferred programming language (e.g., C++, Python, TypeScript, C#). The evaluation criteria include test coverage, runtime complexity, and code style. You will have 4 hours to complete this assessment.

Technical Virtual Interview (1 hour)

If you successfully pass the take-home assessment, you will proceed to a technical virtual interview with an engineer from the team. This 1-hour interview focuses on your technical skills and may include coding challenges and questions about your past projects and experiences.

Onsite Interview Rounds

After clearing the technical virtual interview, you will be invited to the onsite interview. This is typically an all-day event consisting of multiple interview rounds with engineers and managers. Each session lasts about 1 hour and covers different aspects of technical and behavioral skills. Be prepared to discuss system design, problem-solving, and your adaptability in high-pressure situations.

Typically, interviews at SpaceX vary by role and team, but commonly Software Engineer interviews follow a fairly standardized process across these question topics.

1. How would you explain what a p-value is to someone who is not technical?

Explain the concept of a p-value in simple terms to someone without a technical background.

2. What is the difference between Logistic and Linear Regression? When would you use one instead of the other in practice?

Describe the differences between Logistic and Linear Regression and provide practical examples of when to use each method.

3. How do we select the best 10,000 customers for a pre-launch of a new show on Amazon Prime Video?

You are working as a data scientist at Amazon Prime Video, and they want to test the launch of a new show on 10,000 customers first. How would you go about selecting the best 10,000 customers for the pre-launch?

4. How would you evaluate the results of an A/B test on an eCommerce checkout page for free shipping?

You ran an A/B test on an eCommerce checkout page to see if surfacing free shipping increases conversions. The control group had no free shipping specification, while the experiment group did. How would you evaluate the results and determine if the test was successful?

5. How would you conduct an experiment to test displaying ETA as a range instead of a direct estimate at Uber?

A PM at Uber is considering a new feature to display ETA as a range (e.g., 3-7 minutes) instead of a direct estimate (e.g., 5 minutes). How would you conduct this experiment and determine if the results are significant?

6. How would you decide whether Google should build a game feature for Google Home?

Your co-worker has an idea to build a game feature for Google Home. How would you go about deciding whether Google should build it?

7. How would you measure the effectiveness of giving extra pay to delivery drivers during peak hours at a food delivery company?

You work at a food delivery company and need to measure the effectiveness of giving extra pay to delivery drivers during peak hours to meet consumer demand. How would you measure this?

8. How would you create a policy for refunds with regards to balancing customer sentiment and goodwill versus revenue tradeoffs?

Let’s say you work at a food delivery startup. The customer success team is asking for a standardized refund policy for the company after historically processing each case differently.

9. Identify all duplicate values in a list of integers.

Given a list of integers, identify all the duplicate values in the list. Assume that the list can contain both positive and negative numbers, and the order of the list does not matter. A number is considered a duplicate if it appears more than once in the list. Return a list of the duplicate numbers.

10. Create a query to count rows resulting from different joins between ads and top_ads.

Create a subquery or common table expression named top_ads containing the top 3 ads (by popularity) and return the number of rows that would result from the following operations: ads INNER JOIN top_ads, ads LEFT JOIN top_ads, ads RIGHT JOIN top_ads, and ads CROSS JOIN top_ads. Make the join_type column in your output have the values inner_join, left_join, etc., for each of their respective join types.

11. Determine if a binary tree is a valid binary search tree (BST).

You are given the root of a binary tree. You need to determine if it is a valid binary search tree (BST). A valid BST is defined as follows: The left subtree of a node contains only nodes with values less than or equal to the node’s value. The right subtree of a node contains only nodes with values greater than or equal to the node’s value. Both the left and right subtrees must also be binary search trees. Return True if the binary tree is a valid BST. Otherwise, return False.

You should plan to brush up on any technical skills and try as many practice interview questions and mock interviews as possible. A few tips for acing your SpaceX Software Engineer interview include:

• Understand SpaceX’s Mission: Make sure you have a deep understanding of SpaceX’s mission and values. They highly value candidates who are passionate about their goal of enabling human life on Mars.
• Prepare for Intense Technical Questions: The technical interviews at SpaceX are known to be very challenging. Practice extensively on platforms like Interview Query to brush up on your coding and system design skills.
• Show Resilience and Adaptability: SpaceX looks for candidates who can perform well under pressure and adapt to rapidly changing environments. Be ready to provide examples of how you have demonstrated these traits in your past experiences.

What is the average salary for a Software Engineer at Spacex?

What kind of technical skills is SpaceX looking for in Software Engineers?

SpaceX looks for Software Engineers with strong coding skills in languages such as Python, C++, C#, and MATLAB. The job might require experience with multi-threaded applications, SQL or NoSQL databases, and continuous integration and delivery practices. Familiarity with FPGA, microcontrollers, and various digital communication protocols can be a plus.

What is the company culture like at SpaceX?

SpaceX has an intense and fast-paced work environment, driven by the exciting mission of making human life multi-planetary. Engineers describe the culture as highly motivated, technically proficient, and extremely collaborative. The work is demanding, with long hours often required, but the energy and passion for space exploration are palpable.

How can I stand out when applying for a Software Engineer role at SpaceX?

To stand out, ensure your resume highlights relevant technical skills, significant projects, and any experience with space-related technology if applicable. Make sure to demonstrate your passion for SpaceX’s mission in your application and interviews. Being well-prepared to discuss your previous experiences, solving complex technical problems, and your ability to work in fast-paced environments will help you shine.

Interviewing for a Software Engineer position at SpaceX is an intense but rewarding journey. The process is meticulously structured, often involving multiple stages including a recruiter screening, technical assessments, coding challenges, and in-depth interviews with various team members. While demanding, the interview stages are designed to pinpoint candidates who can thrive in SpaceX’s high-pressure, high-stakes environment, where the ultimate goal is to enable human life on Mars.

For more in-depth insights into the company, check out our SpaceX Interview Guide. Here, we’ve curated a comprehensive list of interview questions and answers that could help you prepare. We’ve also created interview guides tailored to specific roles, such as data analyst, to give you a clearer picture of what to expect.

Good luck with your interview!