Electrical Hardware Reliability Engineer

Zipline; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Zipline is building autonomous aircraft and ground infrastructure for global delivery. As an Electrical Hardware Reliability Engineer, you will tackle RF, analog, digital, and power circuits to identify failures and extend hardware lifetime across our aircraft and ground systems.

You will own reliability strategies, lead DFMEA with cross-functional teams, define test plans, run ALT campaigns, and drive data-driven decisions to raise system reliability as Zipline scales its autonomous logistics

Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering or related technical discipline.
• Hands-on experience developing and validating safety-critical electromechanical systems.
• Solid understanding of schematic design and PCB layout for analog, digital, RF, and power circuits.
• Strong technical communication skills for clear, concise documentation and cross-functional alignment.

Responsibilities

• Own the reliability strategy for mission-critical electronic subsystems.
• Allocate and decompose system reliability requirements into design-level specs.
• Lead DFMEA efforts with cross-functional teams to identify risks and mitigation.
• Develop Accelerated Life Testing (ALT) and environmental test campaigns.
• Author test plans and procedures with data-driven pass/fail criteria.
• Lead failure analysis and root cause investigations from component to system.
• Sign off on test verification results and assess flight readiness from reliability.
• Define operational life limits and service intervals using data and models.
• Advocate reliability across functions and at appropriate program stages.
• Improve Zipline’s reliability methods, tools, and decision processes as the product scales.

Skills

Electrical engineering fundamentals

Schematic design & PCB layout

RF, analog, digital, power circuits

DFR PoF knowledge

Technical communication

Education

B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering

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 is building autonomous aircraft and ground infrastructure that must operate safely and reliably across demanding environments, high utilization, and long service lives with minimal maintenance. As an Electrical Hardware Reliability Engineer, you will bring your hands‑on experience in RF, digital, analog, and/or power circuit problem‑solving to identify and resolve our most complex electrical failures and improve overall hardware lifetime.

You will own the reliability of critical electrical hardware such as our all‑electric powertrain, charging systems, de‑icing heater system, navigation sensor suite, or other electrical assemblies within our aircraft and ground systems. By combining design‑for‑reliability principles, rigorous test definition, and hands‑on root cause analysis, you’ll play a critical role in ensuring Zipline aircraft and ground‑based infrastructure meet the reliability standards that will enable Zipline to hyperscale. Depending on your experience and background, your scope may range from deep component‑level reliability ownership to setting the reliability direction for an entire system.

What You’ll Do

• Own the reliability strategy for mission‑critical electronic subsystems, applying board‑level and system‑level Design‑for‑Reliability (DfR) and Physics‑of‑Failure (PoF) principles.
• Allocate and decompose system reliability requirements into actionable design‑level specs.
• Lead DFMEA efforts with cross‑functional teams to identify early risks and drive mitigation.
• Develop Accelerated Life Testing (ALT) and environmental test campaigns to validate long‑term hardware performance.
• Author test plans and procedures with clear, data‑driven pass/fail criteria.
• Lead failure analysis and structured root cause investigations, from component to system‑level.
• Sign off on test verification results and assess hardware readiness for flight from a reliability standpoint.
• Define operational life limits and service intervals using a combination of test data, field returns, and statistical models.
• Advocate cross‑functionally for reliability: maintain an appropriately high reliability bar based on risk assessment and stage of program
• Improve Zipline’s reliability methods, tools, standards, and decision‑making processes as the company scales.

What You’ll Bring

• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline.

• A strong electrical engineering foundation and the ability to reason from first principles about hardware behavior and failure.

• Hands‑on experience developing and validating safety‑critical electromechanical systems

• Solid understanding of schematic design and PCB layout for analog, digital, RF, and power circuits.

• Strong technical communication skills, including the ability to:

  • explain complex technical issues clearly;

  • synthesize ambiguous information into a coherent problem statement;

  • write concise, decision‑oriented technical documentation; and

  • drive cross‑functional alignment on reliability trade‑offs and technical decisions around design, supply‑chain, quality, manufacturing, finance, and operations.

• Demonstrated ownership and practical problem‑solving ability, including driving technically complex issues through resolution.

• Ability to learn quickly, independently develop new technical depth, and adapt as program needs evolve.

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.