Hey, graduating in May and just started applying. SpaceX is one of my target companies. Really struggling to find solid info on what the new grad / entry level SWE process looks like in 2026. Hoping people who've been through it recently can fill in the gaps.
Here's what I think I know from scattered posts: Phone screen with a recruiter One or two technical screens (LeetCode style?) Maybe an onsite or virtual onsite with behavioral + technical rounds
But I have no idea on a few things:
LeetCode level? Do they ask hard problems or mostly mediums? Is there a specific topic weight, like graphs or DP heavy?
Behavioral rounds: Do new grads get behavioral interviews at SpaceX or is it mostly technical? If behavioral, do they use STAR format or something different?
Timeline: Application to offer, how long are we talking? I've heard SpaceX can be slow. Is that still true?
Prep path: I've been doing NeetCode blind 75. Is that enough or should I go deeper on any specific topics?
Also I'm at a mid-tier CS school, not a T10. Does that affect my chances or is it mostly about the interviews?
Any data points from people who went through the entry level loop in the last 6-12 months would be really helpful. Even just "here's what topics came up" would save me weeks of scattered prep.
5 replies
remote_swe_42
For new grad: mediums are the core. You'll see some hards but they're not the majority. Blind 75 is good baseline but go deeper on arrays/strings and graphs specifically. SpaceX seems to like problems that have a "simulation" feel, like you're modeling something physical or iterative.
marketer_mei
i went through the entry level loop last fall. two coding screens, both medium difficulty, one binary search variation and one graph problem. then a virtual onsite with 3 rounds: one coding, one system design (super lightweight for new grad, more "how would you think about this"), and one behavioral. behavioral was definitely STAR. they asked about a time I worked under pressure and a time I disagreed with a decision.
jp_newgrad
this is exactly what I was looking for, thank you. did the school prestige thing come up at all or was it really just about how you performed in the interviews?
content_cole
School doesn't matter as much as people think, but referrals do. If you know anyone at SpaceX, now is the time to reach out. Their referral process genuinely bumps you up in the queue. Timeline has improved recently -- I've heard 3-5 weeks start to finish for new grads, not the 3-month horror stories from a few years ago.
pivot_pat
prep the "why SpaceX" answer as seriously as you prep LeetCode. i've heard from multiple people that culture fit / mission alignment is weighted unusually high even for new grads. they'd rather hire someone who's obsessed with the company than a slightly better coder who doesn't care.