Lead Mechanical Engineer, Long-Range Drone Systems

Zipline; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Zipline is seeking a Mechanical Engineer for its Long Range Platform to design, validate, and deliver airframe and electromechanical hardware for long‑distance autonomous delivery aircraft. You will own end-to-end hardware responsibility from requirement definition through production ramp and field sustainment.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to reduce weight, improve reliability, and enable higher sortie rates while maintaining safety margins and cost targets.

Qualifications

• 4+ years industry experience designing electromechanical and structural assemblies.
• CAD fluency with subassemblies and top-level integration; GD&T and drawings.
• Proficient in FEA, hand calculations, and reliability margins for flight or field hardware.
• Hands-on prototyping and testing with data-driven design loops.
• Direct supplier engagement to enable producible designs.

Responsibilities

• Own Long Range mechanical subsystems from concept to sustained production.
• Translate range, payload, and cadence into quantitative mechanical targets.
• Produce CAD models, tolerances, GD&T, and manufacturing drawings for volume production.
• Perform first-principles analysis and validate with bench tests and flight-representative rigs.
• Prototype rapidly; lead build-test-iterate campaigns with clear go/no-go metrics.
• Define verification matrices and drive corrective actions through ramp and field data.
• Collaborate daily with cross-functional teams and resolve mechanical issues affecting fleet operations.
• Support field deployments and production startups with documentation and spares strategy.

Skills

End-to-end ownership

CAD fluency

GD&T expertise

FEA & structural analysis

Prototype & test leadership

Supplier engagement

Travel willingness

Tools

NX

CAD software

Job description

Zipline is seeking a Mechanical Engineer for its Long Range Platform to design, validate, and deliver airframe and electromechanical hardware for long‑distance autonomous delivery aircraft. You will own end-to-end hardware responsibility from requirement definition through production ramp and field sustainment.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to reduce weight, improve reliability, and enable higher sortie rates while maintaining safety margins and cost targets.