Head of Hardware - Autonomous Drone Docking System

Zipline; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 225,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

Zipline in South San Francisco seeks a senior hardware leader to drive the Dropbox ground-side hardware system from architecture through design, validation, launch, and scalable deployment. You will manage mechanical, electrical, test, and technician teams under the Chief Hardware Officer to deliver a first-of-its-kind autonomous loading and deployment platform.

You will shepherd architecture tradeoffs, ensure production readiness, build a robust validation program, and mentor a world-class

Qualifications

• Experience leading hardware teams across ME, EE, test and technicians.
• Ability to drive architecture, design, validation, and deployment at scale.
• Proven track record in production validation and supplier engagement.

Responsibilities

• Own Dropbox hardware execution across ME, EE, test, and technician work.
• Lead system-level architecture tradeoffs across throughput, reliability, safety, and cost.
• Drive hardware path from prototype to production-intent design with mechanisms, enclosure, sensing, harnessing, power, electronics, and test coverage.
• Build the hardware team’s operating system: priorities, staffing, reviews, and escalation paths.
• Manage technical risk across mechanisms, harnesses, motor/sensor architecture, and field service.
• Partner with firmware, autonomy, RF, cloud, operations, manufacturing, and supply chain teams.
• Create durable validation evidence for safety, robustness, site compatibility, and reliability.
• Lead root-cause analysis and corrective action for design, test, production, and field issues.
• Hire, coach, and manage a world-class multidisciplinary team of engineers and technicians.
• Make clear decisions balancing speed, robustness, cost, and extensibility.

Skills

Multidisciplinary hardware leadership

System-level architecture judgment

Electromechanical product development

Production validation

Supplier engagement

Team building & ownership

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical risk management

Technical communication

Job description

Zipline in South San Francisco seeks a senior hardware leader to drive the Dropbox ground-side hardware system from architecture through design, validation, launch, and scalable deployment. You will manage mechanical, electrical, test, and technician teams under the Chief Hardware Officer to deliver a first-of-its-kind autonomous loading and deployment platform.

You will shepherd architecture tradeoffs, ensure production readiness, build a robust validation program, and mentor a world-class