Assistant Site Lead, Nest Z

Zipline; Esparto (CA); Hybrid; USD 103,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Equity compensation

Paid time off

Job summary

Zipline is hiring for an Assistant Site Lead at our flight test facility. You will partner with the Site Lead to run the facility, lead the Ground Test Operator team, and move aircraft from engineering into flight test.

You will oversee daily execution within site procedures, ensure readiness, coordinate staffing, and monitor operator performance. This role requires strong leadership and cross-functional collaboration in a safety-critical environment.

Qualifications

• Experience leading teams in aviation, aerospace, robotics, drone operations, military operations, or similarly complex operational environments.
• Experience managing operational execution in fast-paced, safety-critical environments.
• Strong people leadership skills, including coaching, mentoring, and performance management.
• Excellent operational judgment with the ability to make sound decisions under pressure.
• Proven ability to drive process improvements and execute cross-functional initiatives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily flight test operations, including briefings, readiness checks, and safe execution of test activities.
• Manage and develop the Visual Observer and Flight Test Operator team through hiring, onboarding, coaching, and performance feedback.
• Own site readiness by coordinating facilities, equipment, layout, and operational needs with internal teams and vendors.
• Partner with engineering, safety, maintenance, and manufacturing to plan and execute complex test campaigns.
• Improve procedures, tooling, and workflows to increase test throughput, repeatability, reliability, and safety.
• Serve as acting Site Lead when needed, directing site operations and aligning cross-functional priorities.

Skills

Team leadership

Aviation operations

Safety-critical environments

Operational planning

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Job 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 flight test facility turns new aircraft capabilities into safe, repeatable operations. As Assistant Site Lead, you will partner with the Site Lead to run the facility, lead the Ground Test Operator team, and improve how aircraft move from engineering development into flight test.

You will own daily execution within established site procedures, including readiness, staffing coordination, and operator performance. Success means safe test execution, a ready site, a developing team, and improved test throughput and reliability. Escalate safety concerns, cross-functional conflicts, and decisions outside procedures to the Site Lead; when acting Site Lead, lead site operations and coordinate those decisions.

What You'll Do

• Lead daily flight test operations, including operational briefings, readiness checks, and safe execution of test activities.
• Manage and develop the Visual Observer and Flight Test Operator team through hiring, onboarding, coaching, performance feedback, and career development.
• Own site readiness by coordinating facilities, equipment, layout, and operational needs with internal teams and vendors.
• Partner with engineering, safety, maintenance, and manufacturing to plan and execute complex test campaigns.
• Improve procedures, tooling, and workflows to increase test throughput, repeatability, reliability, and safety.
• Serve as acting Site Lead when needed, directing site operations and aligning cross-functional priorities so testing can continue safely.
• Represent Flight Test Operations during facility visits, explaining Zipline’s aircraft, test approach, and operational practices to technical and non-technical audiences.

Required

• Experience leading teams in aviation, aerospace, robotics, drone operations, military operations, or similarly complex operational environments.
• Experience managing operational execution in fast-paced, safety-critical environments.
• Strong people leadership skills, including coaching, mentoring, and performance management.
• Excellent operational judgment with the ability to make sound decisions under pressure.
• Proven ability to drive process improvements and execute cross-functional initiatives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to balance tactical execution with longer-term operational planning.

Preferred

• Experience working in flight test, experimental flight operations, or prototype development.
• FAA Part 107 certificate or pilot certificates.
• Experience leading aviation or drone operations.
• Experience supporting facility or infrastructure development.
• Experience working directly with engineering organizations.
• Familiarity with autonomous aircraft or robotic systems.

What Else You Need To Know

The starting cash range for this role is $103,000 - $145,000; please note that this is a target, starting cash range for a candidate who meets the minimum qualifications for this role. We are always open to negotiation. The final cash pay for this role will depend on a variety of factors, including a specific candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, working location, and projected impact. The total compensation package for this role may also include: equity compensation; overtime pay; discretionary annual or performance bonuses; sales incentives; benefits such as medical, dental and vision insurance; paid time off; and more.

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.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Zipline ’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.