Engineering Test Technician (Ground Systems)

Zipline; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Zipline’s Ground Systems team designs, builds, tests, and maintains the infrastructure for autonomous delivery systems, including charging, docking, power distribution, and environmental monitoring.

As an Engineering Test Technician, you will build and test electrical hardware, troubleshoot prototypes, and work with Electrical, Mechanical, Embedded Software, Systems, Manufacturing, and Operations teams from early prototypes through validation and field deployment.

Qualifications

• 2–5+ years of experience in engineering test, electronics, manufacturing test, NPI, or related hands-on hardware role.
• Ability to read electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and test procedures.
• Experience with environmental testing and test automation is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Assemble and modify electrical prototypes and test fixtures to engineering specs.
• Perform soldering, wire termination, crimping, and PCB rework.
• Verify wiring integrity and build quality before testing; document results clearly.

Skills

Troubleshooting

Attention to detail

Independent work

Cross-functional collaboration

Documentation

Electrical hardware skills

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Multimeters

Power supplies

DAQ systems

Soldering equipment

Job description

• The Ground Systems team designs, builds, tests, and maintains the infrastructure that supports Zipline’s autonomous delivery systems. This includes charging and docking equipment, battery handling systems, electrical power distribution, communications hardware, embedded controls, package handling equipment, environmental monitoring systems, and the test infrastructure used to validate them
• As an Engineering Test Technician, you will be a hands-on member of the engineering team responsible for building, testing, troubleshooting, and improving electrical hardware and test systems. You will work closely with Electrical, Mechanical, Embedded Software, Systems, Manufacturing, and Operations teams to support products from early prototypes through validation, qualification, manufacturing, and field deployment
• Assemble and modify electrical prototypes, wire harnesses, test fixtures, breakout boards, and engineering builds
• Perform soldering, wire termination, crimping, heat shrinking, connector assembly, and PCB rework to engineering standards
• Verify wiring, harness integrity, continuity, and build quality before testing
• Follow build documentation and communicate discrepancies, design concerns, and improvement opportunities to engineering teams
• Create, maintain, and operate electrical and electromechanical test setups based on engineering requirements
• Configure and use oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, data acquisition systems, environmental chambers, and data logging tools
• Execute functional, environmental, reliability, qualification, and field-simulation testing
• Collect, organize, and document test results in a structured and repeatable manner
• Diagnose electrical, mechanical, and system-level failures in prototypes, test fixtures, and deployed hardware
• Debug wiring issues, communication failures, sensor anomalies, power distribution problems, and data acquisition systems
• Partner with engineering teams to isolate root causes, support corrective actions, and clearly communicate findings and recommendations. Zipline | Engineering Test Technician – Ground Systems (Electrical Systems)
• Support automated test execution and data acquisition using engineering tools, scripts, Linux-based systems, sensors, and test equipment
• Validate and organize test data for engineering review, perform first-order analysis, and identify anomalies or unexpected behavior
• Generate clear summaries of test results, risks, failures, and recommended next steps
• Create and improve test procedures, work instructions, and standard operating procedures
• Maintain accurate records of builds, tests, failures, and corrective actions
• Maintain laboratory equipment, fixtures, tooling, and test infrastructure, including calibration and safe operating status
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve test efficiency, reliability, safety, quality, and repeatability
• Support inventory management for components, consumables, and test hardware
• Success in this role means building accurate and safe hardware, creating reliable and repeatable test setups, identifying failures early, producing actionable test data, and communicating clearly with cross-functional partners while continuously improving how the work is done

• Experience using oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, data acquisition systems, and other electrical laboratory equipment
• Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, assembly drawings, and test procedures
• 2–5+ years of experience in engineering test, electronics, manufacturing test, new product introduction, or a related hands‑on hardware role
• Strong troubleshooting, problem‑solving, attention to detail, and commitment to quality
• Ability to work independently with limited instruction while collaborating effectively across engineering teams
• Hands‑on experience building, testing, and troubleshooting electrical hardware systems, prototypes, or test equipment
• Clear written and verbal communication skills and a willingness to learn new tools, technologies, and test methods
• Basic familiarity with Linux‑based systems and automated test environments
• Proficiency with soldering, wire harness fabrication, crimping, connector assembly, wire termination, and PCB rework
• Experience collecting test data, executing technical procedures, and documenting results clearly
• Experience creating or improving standard operating procedures, work instructions, and engineering documentation
• Familiarity with CAD, fixture design, rapid prototyping, reliability testing, or structured root cause analysis
• Experience with environmental testing, including thermal, vibration, or ingress protection testing
• Experience supporting new product introduction, engineering validation, or qualification programs
• Experience in aerospace, robotics, autonomous systems, electric vehicles, or other complex electromechanical products
• Experience with automated test equipment, data acquisition systems, or Python scripting for test automation and troubleshooting