Author Topic: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX  (Read 4419 times)

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Online EEVblogTopic starter

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14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« on: June 15, 2023, 12:38:08 pm »
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2023/06/13/kairan-quazi-teenage-space-x-engineer-elon-musk/70316906007/

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Kairan Quazi, 14, is the newest team member of SpaceX: 'Nobody winced at my age'
Natalie Neysa Alund
USA TODAY

Kairan Quazi, 14, before he is slated to graduate from Santa Clara University's School of Engineering on Saturday June 17, 2023. The teen recently accepted a job with SpaceX.
Kairan Quazi skipped elementary school and was the youngest artificial intelligence fellow at a Fortune 100 company global research organization.

At 14 years old, he is set to graduate this week from Santa Clara University's School of Engineering.

Soon he'll be the newest team member of SpaceX.

"Next stop...SpaceX!!!," Quazi posted on Instagram alongside an excerpt of an email from the spacecraft manufacturer company offering him the job. "I accepted a position as Software Engineer at one of the coolest companies on the planet! Thank you everyone for continuing to follow my crazy journey!"


While some may be shocked at his many accomplishments as a teenager, Kairan does not let a number impact his success.

"I can't believe so many people would want me to be graduating middle school right now," Kairan told USA TODAY Tuesday. "It feels cruel to infantilize my intellectual and emotional needs and demand that I be trapped in a linear environment where the only metric is age."


Kairan wants to 'be part of something bigger'
The Bay Area teen prodigy, who received his high school diploma from the state of California at age 10, said he accepted the offer letter in late April and will begin work for Starlink − the satellite internet team at SpaceX − next month.


"They (SpaceX) have been really accommodating of my schedule," Kairan said. "I was elated and surprised by how quickly they made the decision. The SpaceX opportunity resonates with my deep desire to be part of something bigger."

SpaceX could not immediately be reached by USA TODAY Tuesday, but the teen said he went through 10 rounds of interviews with the Elon Musk-led company before being hired.

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Now he plans to move with his mother to Redmond, Washington, for the job.

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3 job offers and 95 rejections
Kairan, who lives in Pleasanton, California, said he applied for 98 jobs. Three offered him one.


He picked SpaceX to work for because the company did not use his age as a proxy for maturity.

"The rejections would come literally within hours of the recruiters seeing me on the Zoom interviews so I never even got to meet the hiring managers at these 95 companies. All three offers were from companies where the leadership values matched the talent acquisition process. Nobody winced at my age."

Kairan Quazi, 14,  is slated to graduate from Santa Clara University's School of Engineering on Saturday June. The teen recently accepted a job with SpaceX.
Kairan said he chose SpaceX because he's "excited by the challenge of applying multidisciplinary skills toward expanding communication capabilities across the globe."

"They draw people who are similarly driven by radical innovation and collaborative impact. SpaceX has something like a 0.2% acceptance rate for applicants. So the fact that their hiring managers believe I have the potential to be among the top engineers in the country is humbling."

Under Washington state labor laws, SpaceX does not need special permission to hire the teen because he meets the minimum legal age to work.


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'My soul was slowly dying'
Kairan's mother, Jullia Quazi, said she and her husband are beyond proud.

"We are elated that he ended up with SpaceX," she told USA TODAY. "We know their hiring bar is set really high. Once again, he proved us wrong."

When asked about skipping most of primary school, the teen joshed about its simplicity.

"My soul was slowly dying in elementary school," the teen quipped. "I finished third grade though, barely."

Here's how his educational path went instead:

◾ 2018: Started college at age 9.

◾ 2019: Got high school equivalency diploma from the state of California at age 10. (Also started a co-op internship at Intel Labs where he was the first undergrad and youngest ever AI Fellow at Intel Labs.)


◾ 2020: Received Associate of Science degree in Mathematics at age 11.

◾ 2022: Interned at a cyber intelligence startup.

◾ 2023: Slated to graduate Saturday from college.

He hasn't met Elon Musk yet
Kiaran's hobbies include gaming, reading and traveling (he said he's been as far away from home as Malaysia).

In his online bio, the teen describes his personality as "fun, fearless, and driven by an intense intellectual curiosity."

"I haven't met Elon yet but I think his hiring philosophy is infused in the entire talent acquisition process," the teen told USA TODAY when asked if he had spoken to SpaceX's CEO.

Kairan will graduate from college on Saturday with a degree in Computer Science and Engineering.
 

Offline Ed.Kloonk

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2023, 12:40:02 pm »
Question. Do we really want Doogie Howser steering rockets? Life experience and all that.

 :-\
iratus parum formica
 

Online EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2023, 12:41:49 pm »
Question. Do we really want Doogie Howser steering rockets? Life experience and all that.

SpaceX has adult supervisi.........  :o

But he's an AI Fellow at Intel Labs, so no worries.
 
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Offline Simon

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2023, 01:06:24 pm »
He's an AI fellow? does that mean he just knows slightly more than the nothing that everyone else seems to know about AI labs as they gush keywords and hyperboly.
 
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Offline madires

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2023, 02:00:15 pm »
Child labour at SpaceX?
 

Online xrunner

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2023, 02:19:25 pm »
Question. Do we really want Doogie Howser steering rockets? Life experience and all that.

 :-\

But think of how good he'll be @ 60!  :clap:
I told my friends I could teach them to be funny, but they all just laughed at me.
 

Offline SiliconWizard

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2023, 08:45:43 pm »
Child labour at SpaceX?

Yeah, I was gonna say too.
However impressive the achievement of this kid is, sounds kind of disturbing.

But more official info there: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/YouthRules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15
 

Offline Simon

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2023, 08:55:34 pm »
It's also excruciating to be surrounded by kids when you are not one inside.
 
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Online themadhippy

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #8 on: June 15, 2023, 09:02:40 pm »
idiot,14 aint the time to be discovering the joys of work,around  that age its all about sex, drugs and rock n roll booze ,the only reason you took a paper round  was to pay for your journey of discovery
 

Offline Bud

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #9 on: June 15, 2023, 09:14:07 pm »
And you guys expect the co-worker engineers will be taking his input seriously, do you.
Facebook-free life and Rigol-free shack.
 

Offline james_s

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #10 on: June 15, 2023, 09:54:05 pm »
Throughout history there have been a handful of savants that exhibit truly amazing abilities, usually in a narrow range of topics and starting at a young age. I suspect that if his abilities are for real they will be respected.
 
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Offline thm_w

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #11 on: June 15, 2023, 10:00:28 pm »
Child labour at SpaceX?

Yeah, I was gonna say too.
However impressive the achievement of this kid is, sounds kind of disturbing.

But more official info there: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/YouthRules/young-workers/non-ag-14-15

It sounds like he can work, but, hardly worth the risk to HR or the company. There are a bunch of restrictions on what kind of jobs are not allowed.

"There are some exceptions to the hours standards for 14- and 15 year-olds if you have graduated from high school, you are excused from compulsory school attendance, or you are enrolled in an approved Work Experience or Career Exploration Program or Work-Study Program."
https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/legacy/files/childlabor101.pdf
« Last Edit: June 15, 2023, 10:08:19 pm by thm_w »
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Online themadhippy

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #12 on: June 15, 2023, 10:12:34 pm »
Arn't child labour laws aimed mainly to ensure the kids education dosnt suffer.if you've finished education with the paper work to prove it then what's  the problem
 
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Offline coppice

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #13 on: June 15, 2023, 10:17:07 pm »
Question. Do we really want Doogie Howser steering rockets? Life experience and all that.

SpaceX has adult supervisi.........  :o

But he's an AI Fellow at Intel Labs, so no worries.
A fellow on the subject of AI, or an AI who is a fellow?
 

Offline coppice

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #14 on: June 15, 2023, 10:18:34 pm »
Arn't child labour laws aimed mainly to ensure the kids education dosnt suffer.if you've finished education with the paper work to prove it then what's  the problem
Nope, Child labour laws came before compulsory education in many places. The have more to do with the abuse of the vulnerable, and still developing, than with education.
 

Offline tszaboo

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #15 on: June 15, 2023, 10:24:57 pm »
Arn't child labour laws aimed mainly to ensure the kids education dosnt suffer.if you've finished education with the paper work to prove it then what's  the problem
In many countries he isn't even able to start higher education. You have to sit your ass on that chair and listen to every lecture in a high school.
University is not just about being able to answer the questions in a test.
I'm sure he is a smart kid. The people letting him (and children like him) do this are the dumb ones.
 

Online wraper

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #16 on: June 15, 2023, 10:49:16 pm »
I'm sure he is a smart kid. The people letting him (and children like him) do this are the dumb ones.
:palm: If you read an article, he said his soul was dying in school. If such kid is not let to advance, he will be totally disincentivized to do anything. And likely will not even get into higher education as it too often happens with talented kids. They just don't find any need to study in school, but later have a hard awakening because they did not learn how to study. And then their way less talented peers beat them by experience and self discipline skill. Not to say he unlikely would to fit with his classmates anyway, so it achieves nothing but torture.

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I can't believe so many people would want me to be graduating middle school right now," Kairan told USA TODAY Tuesday. "It feels cruel to infantilize my intellectual and emotional needs and demand that I be trapped in a linear environment where the only metric is age.
Quote
My soul was slowly dying in elementary school," the teen quipped. "I finished third grade though, barely.
 

Offline AndyBeez

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« Last Edit: June 15, 2023, 11:16:21 pm by AndyBeez »
 

Online wraper

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #18 on: June 15, 2023, 11:00:58 pm »
:rant: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_parenting
Tiger parenting does not get you to graduate Uni at 14. And frankly if my parents would ever actually push me do things, I would be way more successful and happy. Wasted way too much talent due to procrastination and complacency.
« Last Edit: June 15, 2023, 11:04:34 pm by wraper »
 
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Offline tszaboo

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #19 on: June 15, 2023, 11:05:02 pm »
I'm sure he is a smart kid. The people letting him (and children like him) do this are the dumb ones.
:palm: If you read an article, he said his soul was dying in school. If such kid is not let to advance, he will be totally disincentivized to do anything. And likely will not even get into higher education as it too often happens with talented kids. They just don't find any need to study in school, but later have a hard awakening because they did not learn how to study. And then their way less talented peers beat them by experience and self discipline skill. Not to say he unlikely would to fit with his classmates anyway, so it achieves nothing but torture.

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I can't believe so many people would want me to be graduating middle school right now," Kairan told USA TODAY Tuesday. "It feels cruel to infantilize my intellectual and emotional needs and demand that I be trapped in a linear environment where the only metric is age.
Quote
My soul was slowly dying in elementary school," the teen quipped. "I finished third grade though, barely.
I read it, and I don't think I care what he thinks his experience was.
Now we let someone in the workforce, that has no experience in living with the same age people for years and learn their personality. He never shared a beer after a university test. He never had to stand up and motivate other students, his friends after they had a failed test to continue. He is working, but biology doesn't work that way, brain development doesn't stop until the age of 25. How did he pass sports class, when it's set up to have a certain volume of movement over a certain period of time? How did he pass arts?
It's bad enough we don't have military drafts anymore, I think men really lost a very valuable and necessary life experience, and you let this kid to miss out on even more things.
Once again, do you think that the entire education system is set up to memorize some stuff and answer tests? Computers can do that.
 
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Online wraper

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #20 on: June 15, 2023, 11:22:18 pm »
Now we let someone in the workforce, that has no experience in living with the same age people for years and learn their personality. He never shared a beer after a university test. He never had to stand up and motivate other students, his friends after they had a failed test to continue.
As I said, if you would not let him to advance, most likely he would not fit in those groups anyway. You cannot fit into a group with no common interests.
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He is working, but biology doesn't work that way, brain development doesn't stop until the age of 25. How did he pass sports class, when it's set up to have a certain volume of movement over a certain period of time? How did he pass arts?
As if development stops in uni. You learn through the job. He can develop his brain further by doing challenging stuff at work and become even smarter.
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It's bad enough we don't have military drafts anymore, I think men really lost a very valuable and necessary life experience
Like experience of acquiring bad habits like smoking. And be taught to know your place and be a yes-man who executes orders with no second thought. Ex military are actually terrible advisors to higher ups. Because they would not challenge what boss says, even if they know it's a total garbage.
« Last Edit: June 15, 2023, 11:24:09 pm by wraper »
 

Online wraper

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #21 on: June 15, 2023, 11:47:41 pm »
A very good argument at 2:50
 

Offline james_s

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #22 on: June 16, 2023, 12:21:10 am »
I read it, and I don't think I care what he thinks his experience was.
Now we let someone in the workforce, that has no experience in living with the same age people for years and learn their personality. He never shared a beer after a university test. He never had to stand up and motivate other students, his friends after they had a failed test to continue. He is working, but biology doesn't work that way, brain development doesn't stop until the age of 25. How did he pass sports class, when it's set up to have a certain volume of movement over a certain period of time? How did he pass arts?
It's bad enough we don't have military drafts anymore, I think men really lost a very valuable and necessary life experience, and you let this kid to miss out on even more things.
Once again, do you think that the entire education system is set up to memorize some stuff and answer tests? Computers can do that.

Life experience like disfigurement or death in Vietnam? I'm personally glad there is no more military draft, at least in my country. I respect those that serve, but the military is not for everyone and it is pretty widely known that random people that are drafted make lousy soldiers.

I have met plenty of grown adults that are no more mature than a typical 14 year old so I don't really see the issue here. There is no evidence that he's being forced into anything, I'm sure he's being paid well and who knows what he will end up doing with his life. He could turn out to be the next Einstein or Stephen Hawking.
 

Online EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #23 on: June 16, 2023, 12:47:04 am »
And you guys expect the co-worker engineers will be taking his input seriously, do you.

Hired as a software engineer, so probably just junior level code cutting. It's not like he's designing rocket engines.
 

Online EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: 14yo Engineering Gradute Gets Job at SpaceX
« Reply #24 on: June 16, 2023, 12:49:09 am »
I have met plenty of grown adults that are no more mature than a typical 14 year old so I don't really see the issue here. There is no evidence that he's being forced into anything, I'm sure he's being paid well and who knows what he will end up doing with his life. He could turn out to be the next Einstein or Stephen Hawking.

Most likely will just turn into Joe Average engineer though. I got my first professional job in engineering at 17.
 


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