Mechanical Test Engineering Manager (SMI)

🏢 Summary: Hands-on Mechanical/Electromechanical Test Engineer role focused on validating drone hardware systems from prototype through fleet deployment. The position involves developing automated test systems, conducting failure investigations, designing fixtures and instrumentation, and collaborating across engineering and manufacturing teams to ensure reliability and release readiness. Based onsite in South San Francisco with lab work and travel to suppliers and deployment sites. 🗂️ Requirements: Experience validating mechanical or electromechanical hardware, Experience designing and building mechanical test rigs and fixtures, Strong knowledge of statics, dynamics, kinematics, fatigue, wear, materials, bolted joints, tolerance analysis and FEA, Advanced CAD and technical drawing skills, Experience with sensors and data-acquisition systems, Experience validating actuators, transmissions, bearings, seals, PCBAs and embedded controls, Expertise in experimental design and statistical testing methods, Experience developing automated test and analysis tools using Python or equivalent, Experience performing root cause and failure investigations, Experience testing environmental durability and high-cycle mechanisms, Ability to translate field data into laboratory tests, Experience collaborating with design, manufacturing and supplier teams, Strong written and verbal technical communication, Ability to work onsite in South San Francisco and travel as needed 📃 Skills: Python, CAD, FEA, PCBAs, DAQ, Instrumentation, Kinematics, Dynamics, Statics, Thermocouples, Accelerometers, Sensors, Actuators, Bearings, Transmissions, Automation, Telemetry, Calibration, Reliability, Embedded 🏢 Description: About Zipline Zipline is the world's largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world's largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products. Our customers include the world's largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we've built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations. Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe. We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people's lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds. About You and The Role We are hiring ME Test engineers across multiple different teams; Avionics, Ground Systems and SMI. We are a hardware engineering organization with Mechanical, Electrical, Embedded Systems and Test Engineering and are responsible for the design of all flight hardware and operations equipment; this includes Safety Systems, Primary Structure, Launcher, Recovery System, Battery Chargers, Power System, Network System and countless other mechanisms critical to the function of the vehicle and ground systems. We are working on a product that can be deployed in hours, integrate seamlessly with our customers, and operate without human intervention while being deployed worldwide at scale. This is a hands-on individual-contributor role spanning test strategy, fixture design, instrumentation, experimental execution, data analysis, manufacturing test and failure investigation. You will work closely with design engineers while maintaining independent judgment about test adequacy, product risk, and release readiness. What You'll Do • Own end-to-end validation of mechanisms, structures, enclosures, electromechanical assemblies, and mechanical interfaces from prototype through fleet deployment. • Translate product requirements, hazard analyses, field conditions, customer workflows, and known failure modes into measurable test requirements and pass/fail criteria. • Develop verification plans with clear coverage, traceability, sample sizes, margins, acceptance criteria, and exit gates. • Design, analyze, build, commission, and maintain test stands, fixtures, environmental setups, automated cycle rigs, and representative system test articles. • Select and integrate instrumentation such as load cells, torque sensors, displacement sensors, accelerometers, strain gauges, thermocouples, cameras, current sensors, and data-acquisition hardware. • Produce drawings, tolerance analyses, safety reviews, BOMs, assembly instructions, calibration procedures, and maintenance documentation for test equipment. • Apply free-body diagrams, hand calculations, tolerance analysis, kinematics, fatigue and wear models, and FEA to design test equipment and establish representative loading. • Develop tests covering structural strength, mechanism performance, high-cycle life, wear, ingress, contamination, corrosion, temperature, humidity, misuse, obstruction, package variation, installation variation, and fault recovery. • Validate interactions among mechanical hardware, actuators, sensors, electronics, embedded controls, packages, users, and droids. • Automate test execution, data collection, health monitoring, fault detection, and reporting using Python or equivalent tools. • Define sample sizes, acceleration factors, confidence levels, and statistical acceptance criteria that produce defensible reliability evidence. • Correlate bench and accelerated tests with field telemetry, returned hardware, service records, and observed environmental conditions. • Identify gaps between laboratory tests and field failures, then update test profiles to improve fidelity. • Lead structured failure investigations using physical inspection, teardown, dimensional measurements, logs, instrumentation, and fault-tree methods. • Distinguish product failures from fixture, instrumentation, software, setup, and operator-induced failures. • Partner with Mechanical, Electrical, Embedded Software, Systems, Reliability, Manufacturing, Operations, and Safety to drive failures to root cause and permanent corrective action. • Establish regression tests that detect hardware and software changes affecting mechanism performance, safety, or reliability. • Present test evidence, unresolved risks, and release recommendations clearly during design and readiness reviews. • Work directly with suppliers and manufacturing partners to validate components, tooling, processes, and production changes. • Mentor engineers and technicians in fixture design, instrumentation, experimental methods, test execution, and failure analysis. • Improve test throughput, repeatability, automation, lab utilization, and failure-to-answer time. What You'll Bring • Proven ownership of mechanical or electromechanical hardware validation through development, qualification, production ramp, and field deployment. • Deep hands-on experience designing and building mechanical test rigs, fixtures, instrumented assemblies, and automated cycle-test systems. • Strong mechanical fundamentals, including statics, dynamics, kinematics, fatigue, wear, materials, bolted joints, tolerance analysis, and FEA. • Advanced CAD and drawing skills for test equipment, fixtures, interfaces, and released hardware. • Practical experience selecting, installing, calibrating, and troubleshooting sensors and data-acquisition systems. • Experience validating mechanisms containing actuators, transmissions, bearings, seals, sensors, PCBAs, harnesses, and embedded controls. • Demonstrated expertise in experimental design, measurement uncertainty, repeatability, sample-size selection, accelerated testing, and statistical confidence. • Experience developing automated test and analysis tools using Python or an equivalent language. • Track record finding root causes for complex or intermittent failures and verifying that corrective actions prevent recurrence. • Experience testing environmental durability, high-cycle mechanisms, structural loads, abuse conditions, and fault recovery. • Ability to translate imperfect field data into representative laboratory tests and actionable engineering conclusions. • Experience working with design teams, suppliers, manufacturing, and technicians to execute test programs under aggressive schedules. • Clear written and verbal communication, including concise test plans, reproducible reports, and evidence-based readiness recommendations. Location and logistics: This role is in person in South San Francisco with regular work in the lab. Travel to suppliers, manufacturers, test locations, and deployment sites is expected based on program needs. Periodic off-hours support may be required during critical builds, test campaigns, production ramps, and field escalations. Traits: Mechanical curiosity, disciplined experimental practice, skepticism of weak evidence, calm troubleshooting, and willingness to remain with a problem until it is understood. What Success Looks Like • Delivered repeatable test systems and validation evidence that enabled Dropbox assemblies to meet their reliability and release targets. • Identified critical failure modes before fleet deployment and verified effective corrective actions. • Improved correlation between accelerated testing and field performance. • Reduced test cycle time, manual effort, and failure-to-answer time through better fixtures, automation, and analysis. • Established reusable test methods that increased validation coverage and supported production and fleet expansion. What Else You Need To Know Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws or our own sensibilities. We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!

🏢 Summary: Senior Flight Test Engineer role focused on leading end-to-end flight test campaigns for autonomous drone delivery systems, validating hardware and software readiness, and building automated testing infrastructure. The position involves analyzing flight data, coordinating with cross-functional engineering teams, and supporting global deployment readiness for critical logistics operations. 🗂️ Requirements: 3+ years experience with autonomous robotic systems, Experience with UAS systems, Ability to analyze large test data sets, Experience debugging hardware and software systems, Systems-level understanding of structures, aerodynamics, embedded systems, and software, Experience maintaining safety in fast-paced environments, Willingness to travel internationally and domestically, Ability to work outdoors in varying weather conditions 📃 Skills: UAS, Robotics, Aerodynamics, Embedded, Software, Automation, Testing, Debugging, Logistics, Data 🏢 Description: About Zipline Zipline is the world's largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world's largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products. Our customers include the world's largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we've built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations. Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe. We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people's lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds. About You and The Role Zipline operates autonomous delivery systems that move critical goods through real-world airspace and logistics environments. As a Senior Flight Test Engineer you will lead comprehensive flight test campaigns and integrate automated testing infrastructure into our flight test program. In this role, you will develop a deep understanding of Zipline's end-to-end logistics system and work closely with cross-functional partners to generate rapid insights into changes across hardware, software, and operations. Your work will serve as the final line of defense before software or hardware are deployed globally to perform critical real-world deliveries. You will own system-level flight test campaigns from planning through execution and analysis. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys translating complex engineering questions into effective test programs and using data and automation to accelerate learning. What You'll Do - Develop and lead end-to-end flight test campaigns validating aircraft performance, delivery and pick up operations, docking systems, and fleet orchestration. - Define system-level objectives, success criteria, and test plans with mechanical, electrical, software, systems and operations partners. - Assess hardware and software readiness, evaluate risk posture, and make flight-readiness decisions before test execution. - Analyze flight data to identify anomalies, trends, and opportunities for continuous improvement. - Produce deployment-readiness recommendations and prioritized corrective actions from campaign evidence. - Build and integrate automated test tooling that improves test precision, insight, capacity, and velocity. What You'll Bring - 3+ years designing, developing, or validating autonomous robotic systems; UAS experience is preferred. - Strong ability to analyze and interpret large test data sets for engineering decisions. - Experience bringing up and debugging hardware and software systems for automated platforms. - Systems-level reasoning across structures, aerodynamics, embedded systems, and software. - Sound judgment about when to move quickly with pragmatic solutions and when to invest in durable infrastructure, process and tooling. - Experience maintaining and enforcing safety in a fast-paced, rapidly evolving environment. - Willingness to travel domestically and internationally for flight testing, approximately 2–6 weeks per year, and work outdoors in varying weather conditions. What Else You Need To Know Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws or our own sensibilities. We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!

🏢 Summary: Senior Integration & Test Software Engineer role focused on building and owning software-driven SIL, HIL, and EOLT test systems for autonomous delivery drones. The position involves developing automation, integrating embedded hardware and software, supporting production operations, and improving fleet reliability at scale. The role requires strong cross-functional collaboration, production support, and hands-on work with embedded systems and factory test infrastructure. 🗂️ Requirements: 5+ years building integration and test software interfacing with hardware, Strong Python skills, Strong C/C++ skills, Linux system administration experience, Experience with CI and Git, Experience with test automation frameworks, Hands-on embedded systems experience, Experience with board bring-up and instrumentation, Experience with HIL/SIL/EOL test architectures, Experience building automation for factory or safety-critical environments, Ability to own cross-disciplinary test programs end-to-end, Ability to work onsite in South San Francisco regularly, Willingness to participate in on-call rotations and travel up to 20% 📃 Skills: Python, C++, C, Linux, Git, CI, SIL, HIL, EOLT, DAQ, Automation, Embedded, Oscilloscopes, Instrumentation 🏢 Description: About Zipline Zipline is the world's largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world's largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products. Our customers include the world's largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we've built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations. Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe. We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people's lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds. About You and The Role You will be the Senior Integration & Test Software Engineer (Long Range Platform) owning software-driven test systems that validate our long-range delivery drones across engineering, manufacturing, and fleet operations. Zipline's mission to deliver critical goods at scale depends on test systems that catch failures before flight and enable rapid, reliable product iterations. You will operate at the intersection of embedded flight code, factory automation, and field operations: designing, deploying, and sustaining turnkey SIL/HIL/EOLT test rigs and automation that directly affect throughput, defect rates, and fleet reliability in production and operational deployments. What You'll Do - Own end-to-end delivery of test systems (SIL, HIL, EOLT, bench rigs) from prototype through production deployment and field sustainment. You are the technical owner accountable for schedules, acceptance criteria, and production readiness. - Ship measurable improvements: define and meet targets such as test coverage %, mean time to detect (MTTD) critical failures, reduction in test cycle time, and defect escape rate reductions tied to your systems. - Architect, implement, and maintain software that runs and orchestrates test sequences, data capture, analysis, and reporting. Build automation and dashboards used by manufacturing engineers and test operators. - Integrate software with hardware under test: board bring-up, sensor calibration, motion systems, power systems, and DAQ instruments. Validate against datasheets and representative hardware in lab and factory settings. - Lead investigations and root-cause analysis for failures discovered in test or production, produce corrective plans, and drive fixes to closure with engineering and operations stakeholders. - Define and enforce test standards, pass/fail criteria, and validation protocols used across products and production lines. Own CI/validation pipelines that gate changes to flight or manufacturing systems. - Work cross-functionally with embedded firmware, hardware, manufacturing engineering, supply chain, and field ops to deploy test systems at scale; coordinate vendor hardware and field installation when required. - Support on-call and production escalation cadence for systems you own. Travel to manufacturing or distribution sites as required. What You'll Bring - Proven history owning cross-disciplinary test or integration programs end-to-end. - 5+ years building integration/test software that interfaces with hardware. - Strong Python and C/C++ skills. - Linux system administration experience. - Experience with CI, Git, and test automation frameworks. - Hands-on experience with embedded systems, board bring-up, instrumentation, and interpreting datasheets. - Experience with HIL/SIL/EOL test architectures. - Experience building automation used in factory or safety-critical environments. - Demonstrated record of delivering systems with measurable impact on throughput, yield, defect reduction, or reliability improvements. - Comfortable with high-impact deadlines, on-call rotations, and occasional site travel. - Ability to drive cross-functional technical decisions and define acceptance criteria. - Ability to work regularly onsite in South San Francisco. - Visa sponsorship available. What Else You Need to Know Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type. We value diversity and welcome applications from those traditionally underrepresented in tech.

🏢 Summary: Engineering role focused on designing and developing electromechanical test equipment for validating battery and power electronics systems used in autonomous delivery aircraft. The position involves building custom mechanical test systems, integrating automation and instrumentation, and supporting crash, structural, and environmental validation programs. Responsibilities scale with experience, from subsystem ownership to leading validation infrastructure strategy across aircraft programs. 🗂️ Requirements: Experience designing mechanical systems or engineering test equipment, Strong mechanical design skills, Proficiency with CAD software, Knowledge of machine design and structural analysis, Experience with GD&T and tolerance analysis, Experience performing FEA and hand calculations, Familiarity with hydraulic or pneumatic actuation systems, Experience designing welded and machined assemblies, Hands-on experience assembling and troubleshooting mechanical equipment, Ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering teams 📃 Skills: NX, SolidWorks, CAD, FEA, GD&T, Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Servo-electric, Automation, Instrumentation, Structural, Manufacturing 🏢 Description: About Zipline Zipline is the world's largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world's largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products. Our customers include the world's largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we've built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations. Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe. We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people's lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds. About You and The Role Zipline builds autonomous delivery aircraft and ground systems that operate daily in varied field conditions. Reliable products begin with reliable validation. As an Electromechanical Test Equipment Design Engineer, you will own the design and development of the test systems that enable engineers to characterize, validate, qualify, and manufacture battery and power electronics hardware with confidence. The Battery & Power Electronics team is responsible for delivering power throughout the aircraft—including batteries, power distribution systems, busbars, and power connectors. You will develop custom test equipment integrating mechanical design, electrical hardware, instrumentation, controls, automation, and software to create robust, scalable systems that accelerate product development and generate accurate, repeatable engineering data. This role is open to engineers at all levels. Responsibilities and scope will scale with experience—from owning individual fixtures and subsystems to leading the architecture and strategy for complex validation infrastructure spanning multiple aircraft programs. What You'll Do • Own end-to-end development of crash safety equipment from requirements through concept, design, fabrication, commissioning, validation, and continuous improvement. • Design and develop custom mechanical test equipment supporting impact, crush, penetration, drop, abuse, fire, vibration, and structural testing of batteries and aircraft hardware. • Design structural frames, fixtures, reaction structures, containment systems, mounting interfaces, and mechanisms capable of safely supporting high-energy testing. • Develop systems utilizing hydraulic, pneumatic, servo-electric, and mechanical actuation to apply controlled static and dynamic loading. • Perform engineering analyses including hand calculations, tolerance stacks, bolted joint design, load path analysis, FEA, fatigue assessments, and failure mode evaluations to ensure equipment performance and operator safety. • Produce CAD assemblies, detailed drawings, GD&T, bills of materials, and manufacturing documentation for fabricated and machined assemblies. • Design equipment with operator safety as a primary requirement, incorporating guarding, interlocks, energy isolation, debris containment, fire mitigation, and ergonomic considerations. • Partner with electrical, controls, and software engineers to integrate instrumentation, sensors, data acquisition, and automation into mechanical test systems. • Build, commission, troubleshoot, validate, and continuously improve laboratory equipment to maximize safety, repeatability, throughput, and maintainability. • Support crash safety, abuse, and structural validation campaigns by rapidly developing new test capability and modifying existing equipment. • Work closely with Mechanical Design, Reliability, Systems Engineering, Manufacturing, Integration & Test, and Safety teams to translate validation requirements into practical engineering solutions. • Lead supplier engagement for fabricated equipment, machined components, welded structures, hydraulic systems, and custom mechanical assemblies. What You'll Bring • Experience designing mechanical systems, structural equipment, automated machinery, manufacturing equipment, or engineering test equipment appropriate to your career level. • Strong mechanical design skills using NX, SolidWorks, or equivalent CAD software. • Strong engineering fundamentals including machine design, structural analysis, GD&T, tolerance analysis, hand calculations, bolted joints, fatigue, material selection, and design for manufacturing. • Experience performing structural analysis using hand calculations and FEA. • Familiarity with hydraulic, pneumatic, servo-electric, or other high-force actuation systems. • Experience designing welded structures, machined assemblies, and fabricated equipment. • Hands-on experience assembling, commissioning, troubleshooting, and improving mechanical equipment. • Experience supporting crash, impact, abuse, structural, environmental, or durability testing is preferred. • Demonstrated ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering teams and communicate technical tradeoffs effectively. What Else You Need To Know Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws or our own sensibilities. We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!

🏢 Summary: Engineering role focused on developing and operating validation systems and automated test infrastructure for battery and power electronics hardware used in autonomous delivery aircraft. Responsibilities include designing test equipment, executing environmental and reliability testing, analyzing failures, and improving laboratory automation and validation processes across multiple hardware programs. 🗂️ Requirements: Experience developing validation systems or engineering test infrastructure for electromechanical products, Experience designing and building custom test equipment and automated validation systems, Mechanical design experience with CAD software, Knowledge of measurement systems, sensors, DAQ hardware, instrumentation, and electrical power systems, Experience with environmental, vibration, thermal, fatigue, reliability, or safety testing, Ability to analyze data, identify failure modes, and provide engineering recommendations, Experience developing automated test software, Strong written and verbal technical communication skills 📃 Skills: Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, TestStand, NX, SolidWorks, CAD, DAQ, Instrumentation, Automation, Sensors, Electrical, Mechanical, Validation, Testing 🏢 Description: About Zipline Zipline is the world's largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world's largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products. Our customers include the world's largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we've built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations. Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe. We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people's lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds. About You and The Role Zipline builds autonomous delivery aircraft and ground systems that operate daily in varying field conditions. You will develop the validation systems and test infrastructure that ensure battery and power electronics hardware is safe, reliable, manufacturable, and ready for deployment. The Battery & Power Electronics team is responsible for delivering power throughout the aircraft—including batteries, power distribution systems, busbars, and power connectors. In this role, you'll design, build, automate, and operate the systems that validate these products throughout development, qualification, manufacturing, and field support. This role is open to engineers at all levels. Scope and ownership grow with experience—from developing individual fixtures and executing validation tests to leading validation strategy, architecting complex test systems, and defining engineering standards across multiple programs. What You'll Do Own end-to-end delivery of validation systems from requirements → design → build → automation → execution → analysis → release → production support. Typical Responsibilities - Design and build mechanical, electrical, and software-integrated test equipment for battery cells, battery packs, power electronics, busbars, and power distribution hardware. - Develop validation strategies covering functional, environmental, vibration, thermal, abuse, reliability, and durability testing for safety-critical power systems. - Design custom fixtures, instrumentation, wiring harnesses, power distribution systems, and data acquisition hardware capable of repeatable, high-throughput testing. - Develop automated test sequences, data collection, and analysis workflows that improve test repeatability, reduce operator effort, and accelerate engineering feedback. - Plan and execute battery characterization, DV&P/R, vibration, thermal cycling, shock, crash, fire mitigation, fatigue, ingress protection, and electrical validation campaigns. - Own test readiness reviews, equipment qualification, calibration strategy, operating procedures, and laboratory safety documentation. - Analyze failures using instrumentation, teardown inspections, root cause analysis, and statistical methods, partnering with design engineers to implement corrective actions. - Partner daily with Systems, Mechanical, Electrical, Software, Reliability, Manufacturing, Supplier Quality, Integration & Test, and Field Operations to translate engineering questions into efficient, data-driven validation plans. - Develop scalable test infrastructure supporting engineering development, manufacturing validation, supplier qualification, and fleet investigations. - Support supplier qualification, acceptance testing, and failure investigations for externally manufactured hardware. - Contribute to engineering standards, laboratory best practices, and continuous improvement initiatives. As scope increases, lead technical reviews, mentor teammates, and define validation strategy across multiple programs. Engineer II - Independently owns validation equipment and test campaigns for individual subsystems. - Designs custom fixtures, automation, and data acquisition systems. - Troubleshoots complex test issues and partners with cross-functional teams to resolve failures. Senior Engineer - Leads development of complex validation systems supporting major hardware programs. - Defines validation approaches, mentors engineers, and improves laboratory capabilities. - Drives automation, test infrastructure improvements, and cross-functional technical decisions. Staff Engineer (Lead Engineer) - Defines validation strategy across multiple programs. - Establishes engineering standards for test equipment, automation, instrumentation, and laboratory operations. - Leads major cross-functional initiatives that improve engineering quality, development velocity, and organizational capability. - Serves as the technical authority for large-scale validation systems and laboratory infrastructure. What You'll Bring - Experience developing validation systems, production test equipment, or engineering test infrastructure for complex electromechanical products appropriate to your career level. - Experience designing and building custom test equipment, fixtures, instrumentation, or automated validation systems. - Strong mechanical design skills using NX, SolidWorks, or equivalent CAD software for developing robust laboratory equipment and fixtures. - Strong understanding of measurement systems, sensors, DAQ hardware, instrumentation, electrical power systems, and laboratory best practices. - Experience planning and executing environmental, vibration, fatigue, thermal, abuse, reliability, or safety testing. - Ability to design experiments, analyze data, identify failure modes, and communicate actionable engineering recommendations. - Experience developing automated test software using Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, NI Test Stand, or similar platforms is preferred. - Demonstrated ability to improve test throughput, repeatability, automation, or laboratory efficiency. - Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to clearly communicate technical findings and recommendations. What Else You Need To Know Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws or our own sensibilities. We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!

🏢 Summary: Test Engineering Manager role focused on leading end-to-end validation and test strategy for Zipline’s Dropbox autonomous delivery system. The position involves managing test engineering teams, building automated test infrastructure, driving reliability and failure analysis, and ensuring safe scalable deployment of electromechanical and robotic products. 🗂️ Requirements: Experience managing test/validation engineers for electromechanical or robotic products, Expertise in test rigs, fixtures, instrumentation, DAQ, and automated test equipment, Knowledge of mechanical hardware, sensors, electronics, embedded software, and controls, Experience with experimental design and statistical analysis, Ability to conduct root-cause analysis and implement corrective actions, Experience building test automation and analysis tools, Strong written and verbal communication skills, Ability to work onsite in South San Francisco, Experience with system-level validation for hardware and software products, Ability to scale test capabilities for production and fleet deployment 📃 Skills: Python, SQL, DAQ, Automation, Instrumentation, Electronics, Sensors, Embedded, Controls, Robotics, Telemetry, Statistics, Hardware, Manufacturing, Reliability 🏢 Description: About Zipline Zipline is the world's largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world's largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products. Our customers include the world's largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we've built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations. Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe. We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people's lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds.About You and The Role Zipline builds and operates autonomous delivery systems that move critical goods reliably and safely. Dropbox is our customer-facing package-loading product that integrates mechatronics, sensors, electronics, access control, user interaction, and environmental protection to enable untrained users to hand off packages to our droids. The Test Engineering Manager for Dropbox will lead a team that proves Dropbox is safe, reliable, and production-ready across development, qualification, and fleet deployment. You will own the test strategy, infrastructure, automation, and system-level evidence that determine whether Dropbox can scale to hundreds or thousands of sites, and you will convert field learnings into design and process changes that reduce failures in the field. What You'll Do Own end-to-end test and validation for Dropbox: define measurable success criteria, test coverage, traceability, and exit gates from prototype through production and fleet rollout. Lead and grow a team of test engineers: set technical standards, assign clear ownership, hire, and mentor engineers to deliver test scope on schedule. Translate product requirements, hazards, customer workflows, and failure modes into quantifiable test requirements and pass/fail criteria. Design and execute component, subsystem, and system-level tests that measure functionality, safety, reliability, lifetime, environmental exposure, misuse, packaging variation, and fault recovery. Build and maintain automated test stands, fixtures, instrumented rigs, DAQ, and analysis tooling to increase test throughput and repeatability. Define sample sizes, acceleration factors, confidence levels, and statistical acceptance criteria to produce defensible reliability evidence. Correlate lab and accelerated tests with production and field telemetry to validate test fidelity and update test profiles based on operational data. Establish regression and release-readiness testing that reliably catches hardware and software regressions before field deployment. Lead structured failure investigations and root-cause analysis; own corrective actions that feed into design, manufacturing, and deployment changes. Partner daily with Mechanical, Electrical, Embedded Software, Systems, Reliability, Manufacturing, and Operations to remove test-blockers and align release criteria. Deliver dashboards and metrics (coverage, MTBF, P95 latency for critical operations, failure rate per 1,000 cycles, test throughput) that make readiness and risk visible to stakeholders. Improve lab utilization, automation levels, and the speed at which the organization converts test evidence into product decisions. What You'll Bring Proven experience managing a team of test/validation engineers for complex electromechanical or robotic products through development, qualification, production, and field deployment. Hands-on expertise designing test rigs, fixtures, instrumentation, DAQ, and automated test equipment; comfortable operating and iterating lab hardware. Strong systems judgment across mechanical hardware, sensors, electronics, embedded software, controls, and user interactions. Demonstrated skill with experimental design and statistical analysis: defining sample sizes, confidence intervals, acceleration models, and correlating lab-to-field performance. Track record driving failure investigations to a root cause and implementing design or process changes that measurably reduce field failures. Experience building test automation and analysis tools (Python, SQL, or equivalent) and authoring reproducible test reports and dashboards. Clear written and verbal communication; able to present tradeoffs and readiness recommendations to engineering and product leadership. Operate at the intensity required by customer-facing, unattended field systems: prioritize rapid learning while enforcing safety and reliability gates. Location & logistics: this is an in-person role based in South San Francisco; regular onsite presence in the lab is required. Role will include travel to suppliers, manufacturers, test sites, and deployment sites as needed. Must-haves: proven ownership of system-level validation for hardware+software products and demonstrated ability to scale test capabilities to support production ramp and fleet expansion. What Else You Need To Know Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws or our own sensibilities. We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!

🏢 Summary: Hands-on Flight Test Operator role focused on executing and validating drone flight test campaigns for autonomous aircraft from prototype through production readiness. The position involves flight operations, troubleshooting hardware and software issues, safety management, and coordination with engineering teams in onsite field environments. Candidates must hold FAA Part 107 certification and have experience piloting drones or manned aircraft. 🗂️ Requirements: FAA Part 107 certification, Experience piloting drones or manned aircraft, Ability to execute and own end-to-end flight test campaigns, Experience with preflight checklists and go/no-go flight decisions, Ability to troubleshoot hardware and software issues onsite, Experience documenting and escalating safety incidents, Ability to work outdoors in field conditions, Ability to lift and move 50+ lb equipment, Availability for weekends, night shifts, and regional travel 📃 Skills: FAA, Drones, Avionics, Linux, 3Dprinting, Machining, FlightSystems, Diagnostics, Troubleshooting, Testing 🏢 Description: About Zipline Zipline is the world's largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world's largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products. Our customers include the world's largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we've built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations. Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe. We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people's lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds. About You and The Role You are a hands-on Flight Test Operator focused on bringing early-stage Zipline aircraft from prototype through production bring-up. You will execute, iterate, and sign off on flight operations that validate airworthiness, avionics/software integration, and field-deployable procedures that enable drone delivery at scale. You'll work at Zipline's test site(s) and coordinate closely with vehicle engineering, software, safety, manufacturing, and field operations to turn early stage flight software into reliable, release-ready aircraft. This role matters because timely, rigorous flight validation reduces deployment risk, shortens product development cycles, and directly affects delivery reliability for our customers. What You'll Do - Own end-to-end daily flight test campaign execution - Act as Remote Pilot in Command for Zipline's Autonomous Aircraft - Execute mission profiles, feature testing, and fault injection testing - Validate functionality through repeatable ground and flight test procedures - Troubleshoot and repair software and hardware issues on-site to return aircraft to flight - Summarize test results and provide qualitative and quantitative analysis on aircraft performance - Escalate flight performance anomalies to engineering and safety teams - Enforce and improve site safety, manage risks for prototype flights, run briefings and debriefs, and refine SOPs - Work onsite at outdoor test sites with weekends, night shifts, and occasional regional travel What You'll Bring - FAA Part 107 certification required at time of joining - Experience piloting drones or manned aircraft - Demonstrated aeronautical decision making and accountability - Experience creating preflight checklists and escalating safety incidents with documentation - Comfortable working in iterative field environments with rapid diagnostics and repairs - Ability to lift and move 50+ lb equipment and work outdoors for multi-hour test windows - Proven ability to own test campaigns end-to-end and coordinate across engineering, safety, and manufacturing - Nice-to-have: Linux command-line comfort, rapid prototyping skills such as 3D printing and basic machining, and experience with automated flight systems What Else You Need To Know - Full-time position - Starting cash range: $37 - $45 per hour Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!

🏢 Summary: Lead the systems engineering team for autonomous drone logistics platforms, defining product architecture, verification, and safety-critical system capabilities at global scale. The role focuses on scaling autonomous aircraft operations, optimizing performance and safety, and driving cross-functional technical roadmaps for complex real-world environments. 🗂️ Requirements: Leadership experience delivering complex technical systems, Experience with safety-critical autonomous systems, Systems engineering expertise, Architecture and interface definition experience, Verification and validation planning experience, Fault-tolerant and fail-safe systems knowledge, Tradeoff analysis using models and metrics, Cross-functional communication skills, Team mentoring and technical leadership 📃 Skills: Systems, Autonomy, Architecture, Verification, Validation, Safety, FaultTolerance, Modeling, Optimization, Metrics, Testing, Regulatory, Hardware, Software, Logistics, Aerospace 🏢 Description: About Zipline Zipline is the world's largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world's largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products. Our customers include the world's largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we've built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations. Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe. We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people's lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds. About You and The Role You will lead the systems engineering team responsible for defining the product capabilities roadmap, decomposing those capabilities into concrete architectures engineering teams can deliver on, and system validation & verification of new capabilities across our current platforms as well as new and novel autonomous aircraft concepts. In 2026, we will scale Platform 2 deliveries per day by 10x while we ramp range by 5x - so, we'll fly 50x further every day than we do today. We'll do that while ramping into significantly more complex airspaces and environmental conditions across 5 metros in the US. Then, in 2027 we'll make a similar 10x+ jump while expanding across the globe. This is a key leadership position to find the right path for enabling safe scaling into complex environments, defining architectures to achieve safety and cost goals over hardware and software revisions, and balancing competing objectives such as range, acoustics, delivery throughput, and cost. What You'll Do Scope: Product level requirements, architecture and decomposition, verification plans, operational performance monitoring of key product attributes and functions including: - Network Optimization & Capacity - Aircraft Autonomy - Flight Performance - Operational Design Domain / Operating Envelope - Flight Reliability and Fault Management Responsibilities: - Serve as a trusted technical expert of high-reliability, safety-critical autonomous systems owning system level architecture, requirements, metrics, and test coverage to ensure product capabilities are delivered safely - Define interfaces and drive cross-disciplinary discussions to align on architectures - Develop frameworks and facilitate trade studies to optimize performance, safety, and cost - Create and maintain systems models and diagrams - Set standards for hardware and software releases and test requirements - Partner with safety engineering and regulatory teams to prove flight worthiness Leadership: - Grow and mentor a world-class Systems Engineering team and adjacent teams - Drive multi-year technical roadmap across the product What You'll Bring - Demonstrated leadership delivering complex technical solutions amid ambiguity and competing priorities - Track record of shipping high-reliability, safety-critical autonomous systems into real-world operation - Deep systems engineering experience with product requirements, architecture, interface definition, system decomposition, verification planning, and validation - Technical judgment in safety-critical autonomy including fail-safe, fault-tolerant, and fail-operative approaches - Experience making tradeoffs among safety, performance, cost, and operational constraints using models, metrics, and test evidence - Ability to develop technical leaders and communicate system decisions across engineering, safety, regulatory, and operational teams What Else You Need To Know Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We value diversity and welcome applications from those traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply.

🏢 Summary: Senior Motor Test Engineer role focused on testing and validating electric propulsion systems, motors, actuators, and propeller assemblies for autonomous aircraft. The position involves leading performance and reliability test campaigns, analyzing field failures, validating models, and developing automated testing systems to support design, manufacturing, and flight readiness. 🗂️ Requirements: Hands-on experience with electric motors and actuators, Experience with efficiency characterization and electrical and thermal model evaluation, Experience with actuator performance and control system evaluation, Experience with structural and dynamics performance testing, Experience with accelerometer and strain instrumentation, Experience building test fixtures, dynamometers, thrust stands, or automated data-acquisition systems, Proficiency in Python or equivalent, Ability to analyze reliability risks and connect test results to design decisions, Experience collaborating with hardware design and manufacturing teams 📃 Skills: Python, BLDC, FEA, Dynamometers, Instrumentation, Actuators, Propulsion, Accelerometers, Strain, Thermal, ControlSystems, DataAcquisition 🏢 Description: About Zipline Zipline is the world's largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world's largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products. Our customers include the world's largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we've built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations. Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe. We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people's lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds. About You and The Role Zipline's aircraft rely on electric propulsion and actuation hardware that performs predictably in demanding conditions. As a Senior Motor Test Engineer, you will build the evidence behind that confidence by characterizing motors, propulsion systems, actuators, and propeller subassemblies in the lab and connecting results to flight and field performance. You will own performance and reliability test campaigns from specification through technical recommendation. Your work will inform design release, vehicle readiness, field reliability, model validation, and production-test decisions. What You'll Do - Conduct full electromechanical characterization of BLDC motors including loss characterization, thermal coefficient extraction, and demagnetization testing - Evaluate propulsion systems (motor + inverter + propeller) for thrust, efficiency, and thermal behavior across the full operational envelope - Test servo and motor-based actuators for positional accuracy, losses, holding torque, and closed-loop dynamic response - Define and own test specifications covering efficiency maps, thermal performance, torque-speed curves, cogging, back-EMF, and endurance - Perform root cause analysis on field failures and correlate back to test data to close the loop between lab and flight - Own the full performance and reliability test campaign for your hardware - Characterize wear-out mechanisms for complex actuator and propeller subassemblies, subject to billions of damage cycles per lifetime - Develop novel ways for validating motor and structural models and FEA validation - Partner with mechanical, electrical, and firmware engineers to translate design intent into rigorous test requirements - Work with manufacturing to develop production test strategies that balance coverage, throughput, and cost - Develop automated test scripts and data acquisition pipelines (Python, or equivalent) What You'll Bring - Hands-on experience with electric motors and actuators, including efficiency characterization, losses evaluation, testing to evaluate electrical and thermal models - Hands-on experience with actuator performance and control system evaluation - Hands-on experience with structural and dynamics performance, including material testing, dynamic response, accelerometer and strain instrumentation - Experience building or improving test fixtures, dynamometers, thrust stands, instrumentation, or automated data-acquisition systems - Proficiency in Python or equivalent - Sound engineering judgment to connect test results to design decisions, model validation, reliability risks, and field performance - Experience working across hardware design and manufacturing teams to translate test evidence into practical product and production changes What Else You Need To Know Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws or our own sensibilities. We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!

🏢 Summary: Senior Hardware Test Engineer role focused on validating mechanical and electromechanical systems for autonomous delivery infrastructure. The position involves designing test methods, fixtures, automation, and reliability validation processes for Dropbox package-loading systems used in drone logistics operations. The role includes hands-on testing, failure analysis, instrumentation, and cross-functional collaboration from prototype through fleet deployment. 🗂️ Requirements: Experience owning mechanical or electromechanical hardware validation, Experience designing and building mechanical test rigs and automated cycle-test systems, Strong knowledge of statics, dynamics, kinematics, fatigue, wear, materials, bolted joints, tolerance analysis, and FEA, Advanced CAD and technical drawing skills, Experience with sensors and data-acquisition systems, Experience validating actuators, transmissions, bearings, seals, PCBAs, harnesses, and embedded controls, Expertise in experimental design, accelerated testing, and statistical confidence methods, Experience developing automated test and analysis tools using Python, Experience performing root cause analysis for complex hardware failures, Experience testing environmental durability, structural loads, abuse conditions, and fault recovery, Ability to translate field data into laboratory validation tests, Experience collaborating with suppliers, manufacturing, and engineering teams, Ability to work onsite in South San Francisco and travel as needed 📃 Skills: Python, CAD, FEA, PCBAs, Sensors, Instrumentation, DAQ, Kinematics, Statics, Dynamics, Tolerance, Automation, Embedded, Actuators, Bearings, Thermocouples, Accelerometers, Loadcells, Straingauges, Cameras 🏢 Description: About Zipline Zipline is the world's largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world's largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products. Our customers include the world's largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we've built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations. Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe. We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people's lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds. About You and The Role Zipline builds and operates autonomous delivery systems that move critical goods reliably and safely. Dropbox is our customer-facing package-loading product that integrates mechatronics, sensors, electronics, access control, user interaction, and environmental protection so untrained users can hand off packages to our droids. Failures or slow service at Dropbox directly increase field escalations, maintenance cost, and delivery delays. As a Senior Hardware Test Engineer on Dropbox, you will own mechanical-heavy test and validation for critical assemblies and system-level behaviors. You will develop the test methods, equipment, automation, and evidence needed to prove that Dropbox meets its functional, safety, reliability, environmental, and lifetime requirements. This is a hands-on individual-contributor role spanning test strategy, fixture design, instrumentation, experimental execution, data analysis, and failure investigation. You will work closely with design engineers while maintaining independent judgment about test adequacy, product risk, and release readiness. What You'll Do - Own end-to-end validation of Dropbox mechanisms, structures, enclosures, electromechanical assemblies, and mechanical interfaces from prototype through fleet deployment. - Translate product requirements, hazard analyses, field conditions, customer workflows, and known failure modes into measurable test requirements and pass/fail criteria. - Develop verification plans with clear coverage, traceability, sample sizes, margins, acceptance criteria, and exit gates. - Design, analyze, build, commission, and maintain test stands, fixtures, environmental setups, automated cycle rigs, and representative system test articles. - Select and integrate instrumentation such as load cells, torque sensors, displacement sensors, accelerometers, strain gauges, thermocouples, cameras, current sensors, and data-acquisition hardware. - Produce drawings, tolerance analyses, safety reviews, BOMs, assembly instructions, calibration procedures, and maintenance documentation for test equipment. - Apply free-body diagrams, hand calculations, tolerance analysis, kinematics, fatigue and wear models, and FEA to design test equipment and establish representative loading. - Develop tests covering structural strength, mechanism performance, high-cycle life, wear, ingress, contamination, corrosion, temperature, humidity, misuse, obstruction, package variation, installation variation, and fault recovery. - Validate interactions among mechanical hardware, actuators, sensors, electronics, embedded controls, packages, users, and droids. - Automate test execution, data collection, health monitoring, fault detection, and reporting using Python or equivalent tools. - Define sample sizes, acceleration factors, confidence levels, and statistical acceptance criteria that produce defensible reliability evidence. - Correlate bench and accelerated tests with field telemetry, returned hardware, service records, and observed environmental conditions. - Identify gaps between laboratory tests and field failures, then update test profiles to improve fidelity. - Lead structured failure investigations using physical inspection, teardown, dimensional measurements, logs, instrumentation, and fault-tree methods. - Distinguish product failures from fixture, instrumentation, software, setup, and operator-induced failures. - Partner with Mechanical, Electrical, Embedded Software, Systems, Reliability, Manufacturing, Operations, and Safety to drive failures to root cause and permanent corrective action. - Establish regression tests that detect hardware and software changes affecting mechanism performance, safety, or reliability. - Present test evidence, unresolved risks, and release recommendations clearly during design and readiness reviews. - Work directly with suppliers and manufacturing partners to validate components, tooling, processes, and production changes. - Mentor engineers and technicians in fixture design, instrumentation, experimental methods, test execution, and failure analysis. - Improve test throughput, repeatability, automation, lab utilization, and failure-to-answer time. What You'll Bring - Proven ownership of mechanical or electromechanical hardware validation through development, qualification, production ramp, and field deployment. - Deep hands-on experience designing and building mechanical test rigs, fixtures, instrumented assemblies, and automated cycle-test systems. - Strong mechanical fundamentals, including statics, dynamics, kinematics, fatigue, wear, materials, bolted joints, tolerance analysis, and FEA. - Advanced CAD and drawing skills for test equipment, fixtures, interfaces, and released hardware. - Practical experience selecting, installing, calibrating, and troubleshooting sensors and data-acquisition systems. - Experience validating mechanisms containing actuators, transmissions, bearings, seals, sensors, PCBAs, harnesses, and embedded controls. - Demonstrated expertise in experimental design, measurement uncertainty, repeatability, sample-size selection, accelerated testing, and statistical confidence. - Experience developing automated test and analysis tools using Python or an equivalent language. - Track record finding root causes for complex or intermittent failures and verifying that corrective actions prevent recurrence. - Experience testing environmental durability, high-cycle mechanisms, structural loads, abuse conditions, and fault recovery. - Ability to translate imperfect field data into representative laboratory tests and actionable engineering conclusions. - Experience working with design teams, suppliers, manufacturing, and technicians to execute test programs under aggressive schedules. - Clear written and verbal communication, including concise test plans, reproducible reports, and evidence-based readiness recommendations. - Location and logistics: this role is in person in South San Francisco with regular work in the lab. Travel to suppliers, manufacturers, test locations, and deployment sites is expected based on program needs. - Periodic off-hours support may be required during critical builds, test campaigns, production ramps, and field escalations. - Traits: mechanical curiosity, disciplined experimental practice, skepticism of weak evidence, calm troubleshooting, and willingness to remain with a problem until it is understood. What Success Looks Like - Delivered repeatable test systems and validation evidence that enabled Dropbox assemblies to meet their reliability and release targets. - Identified critical failure modes before fleet deployment and verified effective corrective actions. - Improved correlation between accelerated testing and field performance. - Reduced test cycle time, manual effort, and failure-to-answer time through better fixtures, automation, and analysis. - Established reusable test methods that increased validation coverage and supported production and fleet expansion. What Else You Need To Know Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws or our own sensibilities. We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!