Firmware Engineer Intern (Summer 2027)

Zipline; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 34,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Zipline is seeking motivated interns to contribute to embedded firmware on our aircraft and delivery systems. You will work on C++ firmware across a distributed network of microcontrollers, from bootloaders to motor control, in a team with electrical, mechanical, and embedded Linux engineers.

You’ll gain hands-on experience with real-time systems, RTOS integration, and testing tools, while helping move firmware toward field deployment.

Qualifications

• Is passionate about learning about firmware, realtime systems, Zipline’s aircraft and systems, and our mission.
• Has prior internship or design team experience
• Has experience with writing C or C++
• Has excellent grades in embedded systems classes
• Rising seniors are preferred

Responsibilities

• Own the C++ firmware and supporting tools for safety-critical systems.
• Design and build C++ firmware for a distributed system of aircraft microcontrollers.
• Develop reliable Ethernet, serial, and other MCU interfaces.
• Develop Rust-based tooling and software-in-the-loop simulations.
• Work with cross-disciplinary engineers to turn hardware behavior into software.
• Improve observability and diagnosability at scale.

Skills

C/C++

Rust

Embedded systems

Education

Pursuing Bachelor's in Electrical/Computer Engineering

Tools

Git

Job description

• The firmware team owns the embedded firmware on all of our microcontroller systems on our aircraft and delivery system
• We range from the application layer to the platform and foundation it’s built on
• Including bootloaders, RTOS integration, serial and ethernet communication, up to battery management and motor control
• Zipline aircraft depend on embedded firmware to execute critical flight and safety functions across a network of microcontrollers and embedded Linux computers
• This software must perform reliably as aircraft move from manufacturing into delivery operations at field sites around the world, including locations that are difficult to access over a network
• You will own C++ firmware and supporting tools that are critical to the safety and operation of these systems
• While making the system more observable and easier to diagnose at scale
• Working alongside electrical, mechanical, embedded Linux, and systems engineers, you will turn hardware behavior and flight data into reliable, maintainable software for deployed aircraft
• Design and build C++ firmware for a distributed system of aircraft microcontrollers
• Develop reliable Ethernet, serial, and other microcontroller communication interfaces
• Define platform-level interfaces and reusable firmware components that support multiple aircraft subsystems
• Own the predictable and reliable performance of our microcontroller systems and the communication buses that connect them, across startup, real-time operation, fault handling, and recovery
• Optimize real-time behavior, including CPU utilization, memory usage, scheduling latency, timing jitter, and resource contention
• Develop metrics, monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities to prepare the system for field deployment at scale
• Develop Rust-based tooling and software-in-the-loop simulations to test and validate firmware behavior
• Our internships are full-time positions, in-person at our South San Francisco. We will host our Summer 2027 interns from May to June/September

• Is passionate about learning about firmware, realtime systems, Zipline’s aircraft and systems, and our mission
• Has prior internship or design team experience
• Has experience with writing C or C++
• Has excellent grades in embedded systems classes
• Rising seniors are preferred