Vantaggi
Hardware is key at Spacex, the best part of working here is the ability to see all phases of your project. From conception, to design, manufacture, testing, and launch! I don't think there are many places where you can get up from your desk and walk 100 yards to see your design work in action. Not to mention, continue to be involved on the production side as well. There is a lot of interaction between design engineering and production so expect to wear a lot of hats and tackle a variety of different tasks. On the way to the rocket assembly line grab yourself a free latte or frozen yogurt. You will be challenged and will not be held back from doing whatever it is you feel you need to do to accomplish your goals. Stock options give everyone ownership of the company and reason to believe that their hard work will be handsomely rewarded.
Svantaggi
The biggest drawback to having so much personal responsibility is the time commitment. The pace of development is expected to be much faster than the rest of the industry. Hours can be long but usually you find yourself staying because you really want to. On the flipside, rapid development leads to new projects and challenges, you won't be bogged down on the same relentless boring project here.