Author Topic: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions  (Read 46213 times)

Offline AncientU

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #20 on: 05/03/2017 12:05 pm »
A snapshot of the 'corporate' culture:

Quote
SpaceX's Chef Says Feeding Brainiacs Isn't Rocket Science

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SpaceX has employed Cizma since 2011 to feed workers at its Hawthorne facility. While most companies of this size have in-house food service operations, practically all of them engage outside vendors to set up and run those operations. Perhaps unsurprisingly, SpaceX's enigmatic leader, Elon Musk, did not want to do things the normal way and opted instead to hire a chef to design a food program in-house. Cizma has built the food program from scratch, hiring his own workers, building restaurants and kitchens in the facility, and finding his own vendors. "There was no road map. We made it up as we built it," he says.

The result is corporate cafeterias that focus on health, on local purveyors and local produce, and on a work culture about which Cizma feels immense pride. "In five years I've not had one employee leave voluntarily," he says. "They are all employees of SpaceX. That makes a difference. We are incredibly tight-knit."

http://www.laweekly.com/restaurants/spacexs-chef-ted-cizma-8177571

Vertical integration is in their blood.
« Last Edit: 05/03/2017 12:06 pm by AncientU »
"If we shared everything [we are working on] people would think we are insane!"
-- SpaceX friend of mlindner

Offline Svetoslav

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #21 on: 05/03/2017 12:35 pm »
Yah. And one more quote:

"""There were times early on when I questioned his directives," Cizma says. "But he was right every single time." He declines to elaborate on those conflicts, saying, "I have come to the conclusion that Elon's mind works at a level different to anyone else's. He's the smartest person I've ever encountered.""


So SpaceX looks a good place for you, if you believe in HIS vision, if you accept HIS work model, if you're comfortable with HIS corporate culture.

I'd personally prefer to work in a place where MY ideas are valued, where MY vision has a chance to bloom and flourish. OK, I get it - Elon Musk may be the smartest guy on Earth, but my way is still my own way and I prefer to walk it, rather than be the cog in the machine.

Maybe some people would like to just go there, hang for several weeks or even months, then drop out. It would look great on their CV, right? :)

Offline JamesH65

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #22 on: 05/03/2017 12:43 pm »
It has allowed to to accomplish many daring things other companies are too risk adverse to attempt.
But also causes a high turn over rate that makes it difficult for them to keep an experienced staff that could have caught problems such as the helium tank issue before they resulted in the loss of a mission.

There is no evidence whatsoever that staff turnover lead to the helium incident, which was in fact a hitherto unknown set of circumstances that had never happened in the history of rocketry. Hard to see how any staff could have predicted it. To link staff turnover with that accident is an outrageous claim.

Offline JamesH65

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #23 on: 05/03/2017 12:46 pm »
Just watch a launch webcast... 
The troops 'act' like they're loving it -- might be they are.

Lots of corporate technical jobs today have long hours and low pay. At least work at one that you can enjoy.

The webcasts show an enthusiastic workforce. Looks like most SpaceX employees (at least the ones we see) are happy to work there.

My employer sends out a notice that they need "clappers" at publicity events. We are informed of the dress code, given a cost center to charge our time to, refreshments are provided and we are told to be professional and enthusiastic. So it becomes part of our job to look enthusiastic and as professionals, we do our job.

The President of the USA brings along White House staffers to enthusiastically cheer and clap when his target audience is too quiet (e.g. his address at the CIA).

In today's environment I'd take the images of the happy kids jumping up and down with a grain of salt. Not saying that SpaceX isn't the best company ever to work for, just saying don't take the PR images as proof.

If your employer needs to pay you to do that, you probably need to find a new employer.

On the other hand, I go to events for my employer, unpaid, and enthusiastically cheer and promote and answer questions, because I believe in our product and our aims.

Offline donaldp

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #24 on: 05/03/2017 12:56 pm »
There is nothing new about the work hard/low pay sort of culture either. This was a book written in 1981.
The Soul of a New Machine
The Wikipedia article describes it well.

Offline abaddon

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #25 on: 05/03/2017 12:56 pm »
To link staff turnover with that accident is an outrageous claim.
I also find it is a rather unbalanced.  In my experience, new blood coming in can often have an invigorating effect in questioning conventional wisdom & processes that are traditional but are not fully understood.  A fresh perspective can be a real boon that is difficult to achieve when everyone is already conditioned to the existing state.  Obviously there are countervailing concerns with loss of institutional knowledge to balance that out, but it's hardly a one-way street.
« Last Edit: 05/03/2017 12:58 pm by abaddon »

Offline philw1776

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #26 on: 05/03/2017 01:34 pm »
There is nothing new about the work hard/low pay sort of culture either. This was a book written in 1981.
The Soul of a New Machine
The Wikipedia article describes it well.

Good call.  That describes the high tech culture I knew although my personal management style was quite different.  I worked with Tom at DEC before he went to Data General.  Great guy.
Also had the pleasure of working with Len Bosack before he started Cisco.
« Last Edit: 05/03/2017 01:36 pm by philw1776 »
FULL SEND!!!!

Offline Lar

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #27 on: 05/03/2017 02:59 pm »
There is nothing new about the work hard/low pay sort of culture either. This was a book written in 1981.
The Soul of a New Machine
The Wikipedia article describes it well.

Good call.  That describes the high tech culture I knew although my personal management style was quite different.  I worked with Tom at DEC before he went to Data General.  Great guy.
Also had the pleasure of working with Len Bosack before he started Cisco.

Truly a seminal book.

If your employer needs to pay you to do that, you probably need to find a new employer.

On the other hand, I go to events for my employer, unpaid, and enthusiastically cheer and promote and answer questions, because I believe in our product and our aims.

Same. I'm proud to be an IBMer. Not as proud as I once was but still proud.
"I think it would be great to be born on Earth and to die on Mars. Just hopefully not at the point of impact." -Elon Musk
"We're a little bit like the dog who caught the bus" - Musk after CRS-8 S1 successfully landed on ASDS OCISLY

Offline Lars-J

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #28 on: 05/03/2017 05:09 pm »
Yah. And one more quote:

"""There were times early on when I questioned his directives," Cizma says. "But he was right every single time." He declines to elaborate on those conflicts, saying, "I have come to the conclusion that Elon's mind works at a level different to anyone else's. He's the smartest person I've ever encountered.""


So SpaceX looks a good place for you, if you believe in HIS vision, if you accept HIS work model, if you're comfortable with HIS corporate culture.

I'd personally prefer to work in a place where MY ideas are valued, where MY vision has a chance to bloom and flourish. OK, I get it - Elon Musk may be the smartest guy on Earth, but my way is still my own way and I prefer to walk it, rather than be the cog in the machine.

Maybe some people would like to just go there, hang for several weeks or even months, then drop out. It would look great on their CV, right? :)

The SpaceX culture really bugs you, Svetoslav? Why don't you tell us what you *really* think. ;)

There's lots of stories out there about how the the upper management at SpaceX (and Elon himself) is open to suggestions and ideas from employees. I don't work there or know anyone who does, but there seems to be some element of truth to those stories. As others have pointed out Glassdoor reviews for SpaceX are very favorable compared to many other large corporations, and certainly far better than competitors like ULA.
« Last Edit: 05/03/2017 05:10 pm by Lars-J »

Offline curtquarquesso

Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #29 on: 05/04/2017 04:20 am »
There seems to be a Recovery Technician position open at KSC. Does anyone know where I could get some more information on this position?

Offline Svetoslav

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #30 on: 05/04/2017 12:36 pm »
The SpaceX culture really bugs you, Svetoslav? Why don't you tell us what you *really* think. ;)

I have nothing against the culture of SpaceX personally. Why should I? I'm not a SpaceX employee. I'm not an engineer either - I'm a biologist. I'm happy for the opportunities I currently have, and I'm grateful for these. Space exploration is a big field and there's a place for everyone.

So why should you care for what I really think? My position is exactly that: Everybody should be comfortable with the things he's doing and should pursue the goals he believes in.

So I don't have anything against Musk, SpaceX, or Tesla. Elon Musk is doing what he believes is right. He has his favourite work model. Many people agree with him and many others don't. Jim Cantrell, for example, didn't believe he'll succeed.. so he left SpaceX in 2002. Later he founded the Vector company. Doesn't this make Cantrell right and Musk wrong? No, they have different business ideas and have different business models. And each has the place in the big picture.

There's one thing I'm against - it's the uncritical amazing peopleism. As a person who's interested in research, it goes against the nature of what I think is right. Ideas should be challenged, modified and refuted. I don't think that a single person and his fans should hold a monopoly for what is right and what is wrong.

Quote
There's lots of stories out there about how the the upper management at SpaceX (and Elon himself) is open to suggestions and ideas from employees. I don't work there or know anyone who does, but there seems to be some element of truth to those stories. As others have pointed out Glassdoor reviews for SpaceX are very favorable compared to many other large corporations, and certainly far better than competitors like ULA.

Yes, there are these stories. Nobody denies the qualities Musk has. Apparently, he's charismatic, inspirational, open to suggestion and ideas. But there are also other stories. That although he'll listen to your ideas, he'll say "no" far more frequently than "yes". That he takes criticism personally and is easily offended. That the level of his intolerance is very high. Last year Elon Musk personally canceled a Tesla order because he thought a customer of him was "rude" due to a post on a social network.

And guess what? I tried to work together with a local space entrepreneur currently in the business of small satellites, about 8 years ago. We didn't get along, for the same reasons listed above. A single post on Facebook, a very slight disagreement. Then I got a nasty call on the phone about how this doesn't fit in the view of his company, that they have "rules", that I am to abide these rules...

This was the last time I ever worked for the vision of another person. Okay, it was HIS vision. I had MINE. So I prefer to work for the things I believe in.

If your decision is to work for somebody else's vision, go on! Nobody stops you. But don't scold people if their way of thinking is different.
« Last Edit: 05/04/2017 12:38 pm by Svetoslav »

Offline WmThomas

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #31 on: 05/04/2017 01:37 pm »
There is nothing new about the work hard/low pay sort of culture either. This was a book written in 1981.
The Soul of a New Machine

I've read it, years ago. Loved it. It is one of those rare books that is both very true to life and shows the drama of creative business activities in positive, unironic light.

You are right: that book represents the kind of tech company culture centered on inventive engineering that is in the SpaceX DNA.

Offline mme

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #32 on: 05/04/2017 02:09 pm »
The plural of anecdote is not data.
Space is not Highlander.  There can, and will, be more than one.

Offline gospacex

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #33 on: 05/04/2017 02:24 pm »
So SpaceX looks a good place for you, if you believe in HIS vision, if you accept HIS work model, if you're comfortable with HIS corporate culture.

I'd personally prefer to work in a place where MY ideas are valued, where MY vision has a chance to bloom and flourish. OK, I get it - Elon Musk may be the smartest guy on Earth, but my way is still my own way and I prefer to walk it, rather than be the cog in the machine.

If I would run a business, I would also (shock, horror) want people I hire to do what I need to be done, not what they want to do.

Offline DOCinCT

Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #34 on: 05/04/2017 02:30 pm »
There seems to be a Recovery Technician position open at KSC. Does anyone know where I could get some more information on this position?
http://www.spacex.com/careers/position/207840

Offline Svetoslav

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #35 on: 05/04/2017 02:43 pm »
If I would run a business, I would also (shock, horror) want people I hire to do what I need to be done, not what they want to do.

Well, of course. Nobody disputes that. But there are business models, different visions and so on.

Look, I'm not lamenting the fact that I didn't get along with that smallsat entrepreneur I spoke about in my previous post. We didn't get along, we had a clash back about a decade ago, we weren't able to work together and that's that.

It's a question of what the company CEO expects from his coworkers, and what the worker expect from the CEO and the company to. It was an experience that ultimately shaped me as a person with a vision.

Initially I was sorry that things didn't happen as expected. I told myself: it only we were able to get along together, if only we were able to share a common vision... then things would have been great and the future would have been glorious. I knew my strength and qualities, he knew his strength and qualities, so what was the problem?

Then I came to realize that I didn't want to work for him. He was radically different than me, with a different experience. I rather wanted to be around him and because he was started to gain local fame, I wanted to get a share of that in my CV. But working for him, helping his vision? Not so much.

Years have passed. Now we've both found our places in our causes for space exploration. I came to respect him for what he was doing, but he does the things differently. And gosh, I really respect that fellow guy and when I see him on the streets, I genuinely greet him.

To put my experience in what I said about SpaceX... I'd say: if somebody wants to work for SpaceX, go for it! If you believe in Elon Musk, that's perfectly right. If you accept his business model - there's nothing wrong with that.

But before sending the CV for SpaceX, I'd really like to ask - why do you want to work for SpaceX? What are your motives? Is it just because you really value Musk's vision, his workstyle? Are the opportunities that SpaceX offers the right for you? Are you comfortable for the sacrifices you'll make in your personal life?

People are different and there are those who'll see SpaceX as a great company. I respect their choice. But this doesn't mean that this is the only way forward.

Offline su27k

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #36 on: 05/04/2017 03:25 pm »
Is it just because you really value Musk's vision

What you're missing here is those are not Musk's vision. Space colonization, lower cost of access to space, reusability, these have been the vision for space enthusiasts for decades, they exist before Musk was even born. As a fan, I'm not following SpaceX because I believe in Elon Musk, I'm following SpaceX because their plans and actions aligns well with my belief in spreading humanity to the stars.

Offline Svetoslav

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #37 on: 05/04/2017 07:45 pm »
What you're missing here is those are not Musk's vision. Space colonization, lower cost of access to space, reusability, these have been the vision for space enthusiasts for decades, they exist before Musk was even born. As a fan, I'm not following SpaceX because I believe in Elon Musk, I'm following SpaceX because their plans and actions aligns well with my belief in spreading humanity to the stars.

Bolded because you said - "as a fan". Guess what? I'm also a fan of Elon Musk  8) But it's one thing to be a fan and it's another thing to work for him.

A fellow professional astronomer told me that astronomy is most beautiful when it's your hobby. There's wisdom in his words.

So, as a fan, I wish Elon Musk every success. In my view, he kinda already succeeds. He has already made a very important and a positive impact. Mars and reusability is in the news. Everyone speaks about these things and by saying "everyone" I don't mean "we", the regular space enthusiasts, but the society in general.

The negative impact? It's the unrealistic dates Elon gives. People will be eventually disappointed.

Offline curtquarquesso

Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #38 on: 05/04/2017 09:39 pm »
There seems to be a Recovery Technician position open at KSC. Does anyone know where I could get some more information on this position?
http://www.spacex.com/careers/position/207840

:|

I saw that bit. I was wondering if someone could steer me in the direction of someone with experiential knowledge of the job. (without breaking NDAs and such.)

Offline AncientU

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Re: SpaceX has hundreds of open job positions
« Reply #39 on: 05/08/2017 12:24 pm »
At the Cape:
Quote
Space X Now Hiring For More Than 30 Positions at Cape Canaveral
http://spacecoastdaily.com/2017/05/employment-spotlight-space-x-now-hiring-for-more-than-30-positions-at-cape-canaveral/

List sounds like manning up for parallel LC-39A and LC-40 operations
"If we shared everything [we are working on] people would think we are insane!"
-- SpaceX friend of mlindner

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