Engineering Test Technician - Ground Systems

Zipline; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 56,481 - 71,635; Full time

Job summary

Zipline, based in South San Francisco, is seeking an Engineering Test Technician for Ground Systems (Electrical Systems). You will build, test, and troubleshoot electrical hardware and test systems, collaborating with Electrical, Mechanical, Embedded Software, Systems, Manufacturing, and Operations teams to support products from early prototypes through validation, manufacturing, and field deployment.

You will set up and run electrical tests, collect data, analyze results, and document findings

Qualifications

• 2–5+ years in engineering test, electronics, manufacturing test, NPI, or a related hands-on hardware role.
• Hands-on experience building, testing, and troubleshooting electrical hardware systems, prototypes, or test equipment.
• Proficiency with soldering, wire harness fabrication, crimping, connector assembly, wire termination, and PCB rework.
• Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, assembly drawings, and test procedures.
• Strong troubleshooting, problem-solving, attention to detail, and commitment to quality.

Responsibilities

• Build and assemble electrical hardware and prototypes.
• Create, maintain, and operate electrical and electromechanical test setups based on engineering requirements.
• Diagnose electrical, mechanical, and system-level failures in prototypes and test fixtures.
• Collect, organize, and document test results in a structured and repeatable manner.
• Improve test procedures, work instructions, and lab operations.

Skills

Soldering

Wire harness

PCB rework

Oscilloscope use

Troubleshooting

Linux basics

Data logging

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Multimeters

Power supplies

DAQ systems

Environmental chambers

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

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.

You enjoy solving practical hardware problems, working directly with electrical and electromechanical systems, and taking ownership of tasks from setup through documentation. You are comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment, communicate clearly across disciplines, and look for ways to improve safety, quality, reliability, and repeatability.

What You'll Do

Build and assemble electrical hardware

• 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 and execute engineering tests

• 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.

Troubleshoot and investigate failures

• 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 data collection and analysis

• 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.

Improve documentation, processes, and lab operations

• 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.

What You'll Bring

Minimum qualifications

• 2–5+ years of experience in engineering test, electronics, manufacturing test, new product introduction,
  or a related hands-on hardware role.
• Hands-on experience building, testing, and troubleshooting electrical hardware systems, prototypes, or
  test equipment.
• Proficiency with soldering, wire harness fabrication, crimping, connector assembly, wire termination, and
  PCB rework.
• 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.
• Experience collecting test data, executing technical procedures, and documenting results clearly.
• Basic familiarity with Linux-based systems and automated test environments.
• Strong troubleshooting, problem-solving, attention to detail, and commitment to quality.
• Ability to work independently with limited instruction while collaborating effectively across engineering
  teams.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills and a willingness to learn new tools, technologies, and
  test methods.

Nice to have

• Experience with automated test equipment, data acquisition systems, or Python scripting for test
  automation and troubleshooting.
• Experience in aerospace, robotics, autonomous systems, electric vehicles, or other complex
  electromechanical products.
• Experience supporting new product introduction, engineering validation, or qualification programs.
• Experience with environmental testing, including thermal, vibration, or ingress protection testing.
• Familiarity with CAD, fixture design, rapid prototyping, reliability testing, or structured root cause
  analysis.
• Experience creating or improving standard operating procedures, work instructions, and engineering
  documentation.

Success in this role means building accurate and safe hardware, creating reliable and repeatable testsetups, identifying failures early, producing actionable test data, and communicating clearly with
cross-functional partners while continuously improving how the work is done.

What Else You Need To Know

The starting hourly rate for this role is $41-$52. 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.