Aerospace Prototyping Technician

Telemetry Today LLC; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Zipline in South San Francisco, CA is seeking a Prototype Technician to create hardware that has never existed before. You will work with engineers and designers to translate concepts into physical prototypes, with significant autonomy in choosing how to build and improve designs.

You’ll fabricate, assemble, test, and refine electromechanical systems, from cardboard mockups to flight-quality prototypes, applying broad hands-on skills and disciplined documentation throughout.

Qualifications

• Broad hands-on fabrication across machining, welding, composites, electrical harnessing, soldering, additive manufacturing or sheet-metal fabrication.
• Strong mechanical intuition and ability to troubleshoot unfamiliar electromechanical hardware.
• Ability to work from incomplete drawings or early concepts to build and test hardware.

Responsibilities

• Build first-of-their-kind prototypes for aircraft, mechanisms, electrical systems, ground equipment, and experimental hardware.
• Translate sketches, CAD, and early engineering concepts into functional hardware using appropriate materials and processes.
• Create mockups and flight-quality assemblies, selecting the level of fidelity needed to answer each design question.
• Fabricate mechanical parts and composite structures using machining, welding, sheet metal, hand tools, additive manufacturing, and prototype tooling.
• Assemble, troubleshoot, modify, and repair complex electromechanical systems, including harnesses, sensors, actuators, motors, and connectors.
• Instrument prototypes with sensors, wiring, DAQ systems, and measurement equipment; support testing, diagnose failures, and implement improvements in subsequent builds.
• Document builds, configurations, repairs, failures, and lessons learned; provide feedback on manufacturability, assembly, serviceability, reliability, and design simplicity.

Skills

Fabrication

Electromechanical

Prototyping

Diagnostics

Tools

Machining

Welding

Composites

Electrical harnessing

Soldering

Additive manufacturing

Sheet metal fabrication

Job description

Zipline in South San Francisco, CA is seeking a Prototype Technician to create hardware that has never existed before. You will work with engineers and designers to translate concepts into physical prototypes, with significant autonomy in choosing how to build and improve designs.

You’ll fabricate, assemble, test, and refine electromechanical systems, from cardboard mockups to flight-quality prototypes, applying broad hands-on skills and disciplined documentation throughout.