Since the new year, I've been applying to a number of principal mechanical engineering positions within the space industry. I have 19 years experience, which includes NASA-JSC and a number of different start-ups, with work on the commercial space side.

I'm now getting a few offers, which is great, but there are a few more companies I'm interested in, and in the middle of the interview process, that are going slower (Blue Origin). I'd like to compare side-by-side real-time, but that's not possible due to various speeds that companies recruit at. The first offer is great and better than expected, and I do have a follow-up discussion with them tomorrow to address some more questions I have.

But they indicate the offer expires on Monday. I know there's leeway if they really want me, but it's a two-way street. They also want an employee that wants them. And I'm sure they have other candidates.

Just wondering how long I can drag my feet. In the past I've had companies throw on 24-48hr sign-on bonuses to get me to act quick, but I rejected those bonuses to get in a few more interviews and make an informed decision.

Thoughts?

I'd tell your preferred company you have an offer that you will accept on Monday. Make yourself available to the preferred company for any further interviews they would like to conduct. If they aren't willing and able to make a decision by then, go with the company that has tangibly shown that they want you to work for them.

Thanks for the advice, fellow Ags. I drove up to the company with the offer to get a feel for the 8am commute 45min to the office, and then hit up a coffee shop to look at the job posting, offer, and dig into some glassdoor reviews.

I ultimately declined the offer. The drive, the age of the company, and the poor reviews after the acquisition by Redwire were the primary reasons. In addition, the work was going more towards commercial product maturation vs. innovation and new product development. Ultimately I wasn't sold on it, and didn't want to string them along. I knew if I took it and got better opportunities, I would kick myself so that made it an easy decision.

I'm glad I did, because a few other companies responded to my job apps, and I have two site interviews next week with Honeybee Robotics and ispace inc. I'm also expecting an offer from a Houston company for a full-time remote position.

They say a bird in the hand it worth two in the bush. But I'm seeing four in the bush, and they are really tasty looking birds. Sometimes you gotta gamble.

Blue Origin is dead to me. I still haven't heard back after my one phone interview, and they still require a covid vax. Apparently it's easy to get a religious or medical exemptions (probably because of Florida), but still unreasonable imo.