Hardware Test Intern (Spring 2027)

Zipline; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 34,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

In-person internship (SF or Dallas)

Job summary

Zipline is seeking a Hardware Test Intern in the San Francisco Bay Area or Dallas to join our Test Team for Spring 2027. This full-time, in-person internship offers hands-on work across embedded electronics, avionics, sensing, and test automation as we validate performance and reliability of Zipline's life-saving drone systems.

You will own test assets end-to-end—from concept and implementation to data collection and analysis—while collaborating with cross-functional hardware teams.

Qualifications

• Active pursuit of a bachelor's or master's degree in electrical or mechanical engineering.
• Strong fundamentals in electrical/mechanical engineering principles.
• Nice to have Python programming and embedded C basics.

Responsibilities

• Design and build test assets for hardware subsystems.
• Run tests with electrical test equipment and document results.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define tester requirements.

Skills

Electrical testing

Python scripting

Embedded C

Data analysis

Education

Pursuing Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

Multimeters

Oscilloscopes

Power supplies

Job description

• The Hardware Test Team plays a critical role in ensuring the performance, reliability, and safety of the systems that power Zipline's life-saving delivery drones
• As a cross-functional group supporting multiple hardware engineering domains, we design and execute rigorous testing strategies across avionics, power systems, mechanical assemblies, sensors, and other mission-critical components
• Operating at the intersection of hardware and software, we validate integrated systems under real-world and simulated conditions to ensure our products perform flawlessly in some of the most demanding environments on Earth. Our work directly advances Zipline's mission to provide fast, dependable access to essential medical and commercial supplies around the globe
• In developing a test asset, you will gain a deep understanding of the system you are working on -whether that includes embedded electronics, avionics, sensing systems, power distribution, mechanical actuation, or full subsystem integrations
• Building these test assets often involves designing and constructing mechatronic systems as well as developing complex automation scripts that coordinate sensors, actuators, and instrumentation with operator safety in mind
• You will own your test asset end-to-end: from early concept and system definition, to implementation, data collection, analysis, and ultimately the recommendations that inform engineering decisions. If you are excited by hands-on engineering, solving ambiguous technical problems, and building tools that raise the bar for hardware quality, this role is for you
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to define clear component and tester requirements
• Validate the design and assembly of components ranging from circuit boards to large mechanical or electromechanical assemblies
• Streamline testing, data collection, analysis, and reporting
• Gain deep expertise in the components or systems under test to understand their expected behavior under a variety of operating conditions
• Own a test asset through its entire lifecycle -from planning and implementation to system validation, troubleshooting, and analysis of results
• Our internships are full-time positions, in-person at our South San Francisco or Dallas office. We will host our Spring 2027 interns from January to April/May

Experience working with common electrical test equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, etc.)Understanding of fundamental electrical and/or mechanical engineering principlesNice to have: Experience programming in Python, with foundational knowledge of embedded C; Experience developing software that interfaces directly with hardware and instrumentationAbility to interpret datasheets and write basic drivers for new components