engineer

senior engineer

mechanical engineer

avionics engineer

technician

Virgin Galactic

I was a contractor working for Virgin Galactic for almost a full year before they offered me a full-time position in NM at Spaceport America. I was sent an offer letter to convert from contractor to a full-time employee and accepted the offer in October. They were generous with their sign on bonus and relocation assistance.

The issue I have is they hired me on full time, fully aware that I was purchasing a new home, and let me move forward, presumably knowing, that layoffs were coming down the pipeline. Why would a company go through the leg work and waste resources to sign me on full time just to lay me off less than a month later? They should have put a hold on converting the numerous contractors they were offering full time positions to.

I wish there was better communication with my recruiter or help was offered for situations like mine. I am out 40k in closing costs to buy my house / sell my house, accrued mortgage interest and realtor fees to sell the house. 

This has put me in a devastating financial situation. The Virgin Galactic employee that hired me and my direct management knew I was purchasing a new house in the area once the offer letter was accepted (which I did obviously accept). There was absolutely no reason why they could not wait and just keep me on as a contractor until the decision was made regarding layoffs. Had I still been a contractor, no big deal. Their poor decisions and there not being another company in the area that was seeking my skill set, forced me to start the process of selling my home less than a month after signing on full time, before I even had the opportunity to make my first mortgage payment. 

The company would be great for people that already live in the area. Not so great for anyone considering a life move.



Project Management
You will be given a project that has no requirements or specs, no bid bucket or basis of estimate, but that has a firm budget and deadline.
If you ask where the budget came from, and have the wherewithal to dig until you find it's source, it will either be an employee that has since been fired, or a conversation that a VP had with one of her friends. There is no configuration management, no traceability and no one in power that even understands what these things are.

Management
Management gives conflicting direction on a daily basis. They have no understanding of critical path and seem to prioritize on a whim. Program milestones are kept secret and then sprung on you so that you have to rearrange your projects to accommodate the secret and ever-changing program schedule. No people skills and a real sense of disdain if you put your family before your work. Some are in their position strictly because of their relationship to Branson. 

HR
HR is a nightmare. There is one gentlemen in a lower level position that handles everything, all other members are no-shows and know-nothings. 

There is a video that gained some fame in years past where an engineer is being given requirements like "We want 9 perpendicular lines and we want three of them to be green but they need to be drawn with red ink." That video is exactly what you will experience as a project manager or engineer dealing with upper management, and if you ask for clarification, you get exasperated anger in return. Don't come to work here. You will get a misrepresentation when you interview, and then in your first week your manager will have a discussion with you about the "dirty laundry." Avoid this place if you are good at project management, configuration management, requirements management, traceability etc. If you're a garage mechanic and just want to put hands on machinery without the bureaucracy of engineering, go for it.



Working at Virgin Galactic is an extraordinary experience, particularly for those passionate about innovation and the future of space exploration. The company offers a unique opportunity to be part of groundbreaking projects, surrounded by some of the brightest minds in the industry.

Perks:
Virgin Galactic provides competitive benefits, including generous health insurance, paid time off, and opportunities for professional development. Employees often enjoy an inspiring work environment and access to state-of-the-art technology. The company's commitment to pushing the boundaries of space travel creates an exciting atmosphere that motivates you to contribute to something bigger than yourself. Additionally, perks such as company events, discounts through the Virgin brand, and being part of a visionary mission are definite highlights.

Challenges with Management:
However, while the overall mission and perks are fantastic, the management culture leaves room for improvement. It can be difficult to advance within the company unless you’re part of a select group. There is a noticeable tendency toward favoritism, which can be disheartening for employees who are not part of the inner circle. This lack of equitable opportunities for career growth can make it challenging to feel fully supported or recognized for your contributions.

Conclusion:
Virgin Galactic is a great place to work if you’re motivated by the company’s vision and enjoy the perks of being part of an innovative industry. That said, the management culture could benefit from more transparency and fairness to ensure every employee has a chance to thrive. If you can navigate the challenges and focus on the mission, it’s an exciting place to build your career.

The CEO has taken a well-respected company that was highly desirable to work for, and is running it into the ground.  Any kind of meaningful work has been replaced with statusing and scheduling meetings.  It has been announced that there is no advancement opportunities available until the new Delta class spaceship is up and running.  Upper management consists of an inner circle that has zero experience in the aerospace field, and because of this, consistently makes very bad decisions, which is reflected in the stock performance.   
The workforce now consists mostly of either new grads or elderly contractors, which apparently by design, creates an environment of yes-men who will acquiesce to the senior "leadership".   All other demographics are quitting at an astonishing rate. Any move you make, any document edit, any data review, no matter how small, must be approved by a litany of managers or directors before it can be released.  
It is clear that this company is failing, and is unnecessarily late on everything it promises, even if the public-facing propaganda is presented otherwise.
The only reason to work here is for new grads to get something on their resume, or contractors looking to cash in on the chaos.

Some VPs are making very poor decisions that run counter to the goals of the company. We’ve seen many good contractors laid off a few at a time over the last several months. Several are hired at once, then let go three months later, without cause. So much is spent on training, then wasted when the employees are walked out. Retaining knowledgeable people would be a better choice. The VPs don’t know the employees or even take the time to meet with managers and supervisors to get an idea of who is adding value to the company and who isn’t. Meanwhile they retain many unproductive employees making well into six figures who sit around and shoot the breeze or surf the internet much of the day. 
As with many companies, there are some great coworkers, and some cliques with abrasive, counterproductive people. There are several VG locations in New Mexico, some are more relaxed than others. 

Virgin Galactic offers the best payrates in southwest New Mexico. You get paid time off and sick leave. Their benefits package is one of the best I ever had.

Most work done is repetitive and thankless. You will go weeks without hearing a thank you or good job. Management is not concerned about employees, just the bottom line. The constantly threaten layoffs, make uninformed decisions without consulting any of the subject matter experts they have on hand. Promotions and growth are nearly nonexistent. You will work hard and be promised growth opportunities which never come to fruition.

The company is driven by safety, which is nice. They claim to value teamwork which was hard to find.

If you're just looking for a place to make some decent money and are okay keeping your head down and working hard with little respect or gratitude, apply here. If not, look elsewhere.

This company seems to hire any one even if they are not qualified. The training they provide covered a lot but is not long enough. If you are a technician, they will run you into the ground if you let them. They will guilt you into staying late because “every one else is.” Every one is expected to stay late and if you can’t or won’t, they will bring it up in your review and tell you to stay late if you want raises. You can have a flawless review and they will tell you “keep doing what you’re doing.” Advancement is great if you make friends… not if you’re qualified.  They don’t offer to give you a raise until you tell them you got an offer elsewhere then you give you a large increase to stay. 
The only good thing about this company are the other coworkers. They’re great. Management is a mess and HR has no idea what’s going on. No one can tell you who to talk to or who is in charge of what. 


The company has many cool projects and great ideas,but there are many egos that come with it. Most lower and middle management are young, egotistical, and cocky that love micro managing. There is a buddy system in place that can be difficult to navigate as far as advancement and employee status in the company. The benefits are excellent and there is plenty of work. The work ,at least at a technician level can be rigorous and heavily tasking,with lots of authoritive leads and supervisors ready to micro manage. It is a great place to develope skills and learn new ideas, but is not ,in my opinion a career in its present state. If you are a seasoned aerospace professional, find another place.

Work-life balance
They expect you to answer the phone and emails even when you’re off the clock and an hourly employee.

Job security and advancement
They don’t give you a chance to learn or advance. Nepotism reigns supreme.

Management
Management had little knowledge of the work they were required to perform, never took responsibility for their own mistakes, and treated their employees with disrespect and derision.

Culture
2 stars for wasting money promoting a culture they didn’t practice.

Overall
The running joke was you could tell when someone hit their 1 year anniversary because all faith and hope in the company and what they promoted disappeared. If you are looking for very short term roles, you will enjoy your time. However, if you want to find something in TRUE aerospace where you can learn and grow, don’t apply here.

Virgin Galactic as a company does not value  the people that actually work on the Spacecraft and mothership. The Technicians and A&P's are considered expendable and useless. Virgin Galactic does not pay them well nor allows them opportunities for advancement. Yet Virgin Galactic's management team is favored above all else. If you're a supervisor or above, you make 6 figures, have zero responsibilities and you have nearly unlimited vacation time. Oh and you don't have to get to know your team. All you have to do is keep them in line or fire them at will. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Engineer 8 salaries reported	$135,250 per year
Senior engineer 5 salaries reported	$161,200 per year
Mechanical engineer 3 salaries reported	$98,633 per year
Avionics engineer 3 salaries reported	$40.09 per hour
Technician 1 salary reported	$20.85 per hour

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