Avionics Mechanical Test Engineer – System Validation

Zipline; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Equity compensation

Paid time off

Job summary

Zipline is seeking a Test Engineer to own cradle-to-grave design and implementation of critical test systems for the company’s autonomous drone platforms. You will collaborate with product design and reliability teams to ensure the test rigs accurately capture vehicle function while enabling future automation and high-volume capacity.

The role requires strong mechanical engineering fundamentals, cross-functional team management, and the ability to pivot in evolving regulatory environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
• Proven ability to design robust test systems.
• Experience leading cross-functional engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Cradle-to-grave design and implementation of test systems for development and proof of concept functionality and reliability metrics on Zipline systems.
• Create and manage major test systems, with some well-defined and others requiring critical analysis of customer needs before design.
• Generate requirements with product design and reliability teams to capture intended vehicle function while allowing for future automation and volume.
• Prioritize efforts to maximize impact and value on tight schedules.
• Provide technical guidance to junior engineers and technicians and adapt to evolving regulatory spaces.

Skills

Mechanical design

Cross-functional teamwork

Test system design

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Job description

Zipline is seeking a Test Engineer to own cradle-to-grave design and implementation of critical test systems for the company’s autonomous drone platforms. You will collaborate with product design and reliability teams to ensure the test rigs accurately capture vehicle function while enabling future automation and high-volume capacity.

The role requires strong mechanical engineering fundamentals, cross-functional team management, and the ability to pivot in evolving regulatory environments.