I saw the Falcon Heavy launch today, and it was really cool.

I guess because that was trending, LinkedIn sent me a job notification for a Materials Engineer position at SpaceX.

I am fully qualified.  I have a Ph.D. in materials engineering, I run a materials lab, I have a back ground in aircraft failure analysis.  I am everything you want.

I see a lot of open positions at SpaceX.

Here’s my question.  Why are you based in Hawthorne California?

I make roughly $97,000 per year.  I bought a house in Huntsville for $230,000.  It’s got 2,800 sq-ft and a fenced in yard.  I pay roughly $1,450/mo for mortgage and escrow.

Glassdoor estimates you will pay me about $103,000.

For the same $1,450/mo, I can afford a 1 bed, 1 bath, 637 sq-ft condo in Torrance.

To have roughly the same size house in the area, for my wife and two kids, I have to spend $570,000 for a house in  the ghetto.  That will cost me in mortgage payments 40% of my salary in a year.

It’s great for Elon Musk and his $20 Billion to live in Malibu, but for a salaried engineer with the education and experience you want to move a family into 600 sq-ft of apartment is unreasonable.

The job seems pretty cool, but if you double my cost of living, you are going to have to double my salary, and I just don’t see you doing that.

Maybe next time, you’ll set up your facility in a  place were more than just the CEO can afford to live in something larger than a refrigerator box.

When you do, I’ll submit a resume.