When David Bangs left the Air Force, he knew the skills he’d learned there as a jet engine mechanic could help him land a high-paying civilian job.

But the reality of working in the civilian world, where teamwork and precision aren’t always as highly valued as they are in the military, was daunting.

The 38-year-old Inglewood native went to work near the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar overhauling jet engines, but the job left him wanting more — even as he obtained a master of business degree.

“One day I drove past a building and they were putting a name on the side of the building that said SpaceX,” Bangs said. “I went home and applied online.”

He started working for the commercial Hawthorne rocket maker nine years ago as a quality engineer. Now, he oversees quality control for the entire Falcon 9 production line and credits SpaceX for giving him a career that leverages his military skills while letting him stay close to home.

“It’s very similar because it’s mission-oriented,” Bangs said. “The expectation is that you’re able to help your teammates, and they respect your opinion and ability. If you’re the best candidate or have the best idea for the job, nobody will hold you back. It also helps being around tons of veterans. It teaches you to be, what we call, a ‘servant-leader.’ ”

Roughly 650 of SpaceX’s more than 5,000 employees — 13 percent of its workforce — are veterans, and company officials are actively seeking new recruits.

SpaceX is part of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s “10,000 Strong” initiative, which already has surpassed its goal of connecting 10,000 vets to full-time employment in the area.

“Our recruitment process asks prospective employees to demonstrate to us that they have the skills and drive to contribute to SpaceX’s mission of making humanity a multi-planetary species,” Brian Bjelde, SpaceX’s vice president of human resources, said in a written statement. “Veterans are smart, passionate, and driven individuals who are committed to achieving that mission and they bring a wide array of skills that can be deployed in so many of our roles.”

‘We’re pioneering, we’re trailblazing’

When Bangs started working for SpaceX, he said it was nearly impossible to imagine CEO Elon Musk’s vision of what it would become today.

“Even in our wildest dreams we didn’t think we’d get this far this fast,” Bangs said.

It’s now one of the most valuable privately held businesses in the country, worth more than $20 billion, and is credited with reinvigorating a U.S. space program that was floundering and bogged down by astronomical costs.

Since breaking up the monopoly United Launch Alliance had on U.S. space contracts in a 2015 legal settlement, SpaceX has increasingly captured government contracts to resupply the International Space Station and launch national security missions.

What’s more, SpaceX is paving the way for many other upstart commercial space companies who share its mission to colonize Mars and beyond.

For Bangs, who couldn’t even find a job that paid enough to cover his car and insurance costs when he graduated college, SpaceX has helped catapult his skills far beyond what he achieved in the U.S. Air Force.

“What I went through in the military prepared me for SpaceX,” Bangs said. “We’re pioneering, we’re trailblazing. As soon as you walk through the building you can feel the potential and excitement, and you’re willing to dedicate and sacrifice everything to accomplish the mission. That was very familiar to me.”

SpaceX also works closely with the military at its launch sites on Air Force bases in Florida and Central California.

Marine Corps veteran and Azusa native Nelson Valenzuela was hired last year as a launch quality inspector at the West Coast launch site, at Vandenberg Air Force Base near Lompoc.

The 38-year-old served in the Marine Corps from 1998 to 2003 as a mechanic quality inspector. When he left, he worked briefly as a loan officer before returning to the work he did in the military as a civilian contractor.

“I love aviation and it’s always been a dream of mine to be in aviation in one shape or form. It’s fun and humbling work,” Valenzuela said. In the military, he inspected aircraft, managed teams, and performed preventative maintenance and other duties.

He became intrigued with SpaceX when a friend and fellow Marine Corps veteran who worked at the company told him about it. The military training he received prepared him well for the job, particularly when it comes to multitasking and leadership abilities, Valenzuela said.

“We’re changing space travel completely. It’s a really good feeling being part of that and to know you’re part of history,” Valenzuela said. “We know what’s at stake. Everyone’s focused on the same mission.”

Getting to Mars

Dan Taglialatela also works at Vandenberg overseeing the fluid systems that feed the rocket as a launch engineer.

The 29-year-old joined the Air Force after a year of community college, and was trained to oversee maintenance of cargo planes. He was twice deployed to the Middle East.

After two years of intensive training and work in an active reserve unit, he split his time between military service and pursuing a college degree in mechanical engineering. After getting his degree, he snagged a SpaceX internship in 2013, and was hired full-time last year.

“I’ve always liked the feeling you get when you come in in the morning and there’s something new to learn or something you’ve never seen before,” Taglialatela said. “That’s what it’s like at SpaceX every single day. That’s what I enjoy most about the job.

“The broader mission is getting to Mars, so it’s cool to see everyone give it their all every step of the way. Everyone’s pushing to get to that end goal.”

Military members work closely with SpaceX on launches to ensure safety, particularly as the company gears up to launch astronauts next year in partnership with NASA’s Commercial Crew program.

Julie Black retired in 2014 after 22 years with the Air Force, where she worked as a range coordinator for launch operations at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The following year, she was hired at SpaceX as a range coordinator.

“I have to feel like I’m contributing to something,” Black said. “I’m not the type to sit there and sail around the world just yet. This is a wonderful opportunity to launch astronauts off U.S. soil again with a great dedicated team.”

Having assisted with NASA space shuttle launches, she was excited about the new technological tools SpaceX incorporated into its systems.

“I knew some people who worked with SpaceX and I saw how they were a game-changer in the business,” Black said. “An opportunity came up where my skill set could help SpaceX take it to the next level, especially with Commercial Crew and other objectives.

“Veterans sign up for the ultimate sacrifice. They embody the way of life: Service before self. Working for military is challenging. You get the toughest jobs and you have to get it done. SpaceX is the civilian equivalent of that.”