Okay, so you keep hearing about Sierra Space. Maybe you saw a headline about their Dream Chaser spaceplane. Maybe a friend mentioned they just applied there. And now you’re wondering: is this a company I could actually work for? Short answer, yes. If you’re trying to figure out how to get a job at Sierra Space, this guide walks you through exactly what the company does, who they’re hiring, and the real steps to get your foot in the door. No fluff, no jargon, just what you need to know.
What Is Sierra Space, Really?
Sierra Space is one of the biggest names in commercial spaceflight that most people outside the industry haven’t fully clocked yet. They spun out of Sierra Nevada Corporation and now build things like the Dream Chaser spaceplane, inflatable space station modules, and a bunch of other hardware that’s meant to make living and working in orbit a normal thing, not a once-in-a-lifetime mission. They’re based mainly in Louisville, Colorado, with more sites in Colorado Springs, Madison, Wisconsin, and a few other spots around the country.
Here’s the part that matters to you: this is a company still in growth mode. They’re not a 60-year-old institution with a slow hiring process. They’re building fast, testing fast, and hiring fast to keep up.
Why Sierra Space Is Worth Watching Right Now
Dream Chaser has been moving through a long string of pre-flight milestones at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the kind of testing that happens right before a vehicle is cleared to actually fly. That’s a big deal. A reusable spaceplane that can carry cargo (and eventually people) to orbit and land like an airplane is a genuinely new kind of vehicle, and getting it to first flight takes an enormous team of people across engineering, manufacturing, software, safety, and operations.
When a company is this close to a first flight, hiring doesn’t slow down, it picks up. They need people to build it, test it, fly it, support it, and tell its story. That’s your opening.
You Don’t Need to Be a Rocket Scientist
I want to say this clearly because it’s the thing most people get wrong: you do not need an aerospace engineering degree to work at a company like Sierra Space. About 44% of jobs in the space industry are non-technical. That means roles in finance, marketing, HR, supply chain, communications, program management, contracts, and IT are just as real and just as needed as the engineering jobs you picture when you hear “space company.”
If your first thought reading this was “I’m not smart enough for that,” I want you to drop that thought right now. Sierra Space needs people who are good at their craft, whatever that craft is. Yours counts.
The Kinds of Roles Sierra Space Actually Hires For
Here’s a real look at the range of jobs that show up on their careers page, so you can see where you might actually fit:
Technical roles: mechanical, electrical, and systems engineers, software and avionics engineers, manufacturing and quality technicians, test engineers, and thermal and structural specialists.
Non-technical roles: program managers, contracts and procurement specialists, supply chain coordinators, HR and talent acquisition, finance and accounting, marketing and communications, and facilities and safety staff.
Entry-level and early-career roles: internships, co-ops, and new-grad rotational programs across nearly every department listed above.
Notice how long that non-technical list is. That’s not filler. Those are real, full-time, well-paying jobs at a company building spacecraft.
The Skills and Credentials That Actually Get You Noticed
You don’t need a perfect resume, but you do need to show you can do the job. For technical roles, hands-on project experience matters as much as your GPA. If you’ve used CAD software, built something with your hands, or worked on a senior design project, put it front and center. A resource like SolidWorks 2024 For Dummies (#ad): a genuinely useful, plain-English way to pick up the CAD skills that show up in job descriptions for manufacturing and design roles across the space industry, not just at Sierra Space.
For non-technical roles, what matters most is showing you understand fast-paced, deadline-driven environments. Program management experience from any industry transfers. Customer service experience shows you can handle pressure. A background in event planning shows you can juggle a hundred moving parts. Space companies aren’t looking for people who’ve only ever worked in space. They’re looking for people who are good at what they do and excited to point that skill at something bigger.
Start With the Internship Program if You’re a Student
If you’re still in school, this is your easiest way in. Sierra Space runs a real internship program with paid positions across engineering, business, IT, and more, and it’s specifically built as a pipeline into full-time roles. Interns get real project work, not just coffee runs, and a strong internship is often the single biggest thing that gets you a return offer.
Apply early. These programs move on a cycle, usually opening applications months before the internship actually starts, so if you wait until you’re ready to work, you’ve probably already missed the window.
How to Actually Apply and Stand Out
Here’s your step by step:
1. Go straight to the Sierra Space careers page and filter by location and department so you’re not scrolling through roles that don’t fit.
2. Tailor your resume to the specific posting. Pull keywords directly from the job description and mirror that language. Applicant tracking systems and human reviewers both respond to this.
3. Use your cover letter or application note to say why space, specifically, and why now. A generic application reads as generic. A specific one gets remembered.
4. Follow Sierra Space on LinkedIn and connect with a few people who already work there. A short, genuine message asking about their experience goes a lot further than you’d think, and it can turn a cold application into a warm one.
5. If you get an interview, prepare like it’s real, because it is. Practice answering “walk me through a project you’re proud of” out loud, not just in your head.
What It’s Actually Like to Work There
Sierra Space describes itself as fast-moving and mission-driven, and from what employees say, that tracks. You’re working alongside people who genuinely believe they’re building something that changes what’s possible in space. That energy is real, but so is the pace. Growth-stage aerospace companies tend to move quickly and ask a lot of their teams, especially in the run-up to a first flight. If you thrive in a place where things change fast and you get real ownership early, this is a strong fit. If you need a slower, more established environment, that’s okay too, there’s no wrong answer here, just the right fit for you.
Helpful Resources for Aspiring Space Professionals
A few tools that make this whole process easier, whether you’re applying to Sierra Space or anywhere else in the industry:
1. Knock em Dead Resumes (#ad): A practical, no-nonsense guide to building a resume that actually gets read, useful whether you’re applying for an engineering role or a program management job.
2. Aerospace Engineering For Dummies (#ad): A friendly starting point if you want to understand the basics of how spacecraft actually work, even if engineering isn’t your job title.
3. Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (#ad): Solid for locking in during virtual interviews and focused prep sessions when you need to block out distractions and bring your best answers.
Your Next Step
You don’t need to have it all figured out today. You just need one real step. So here’s mine for you: go pull up the Sierra Space careers page right now, find one role that sounds even a little bit interesting, and read the whole description. Not to apply yet, just to see it. That’s it. That’s the step. Getting a job at Sierra Space is possible, and it starts exactly like this, one small, real move at a time.
