Mechanical Design Engineer, Autonomous Ground Systems

Zipline; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

equity compensation

discretionary annual or performancebon

sales incentives

medical, dental and vision insurance

paid time off

Job summary

Zipline in South San Francisco, CA, is hiring for the New Products team to own mechanical development of ground systems for autonomous aircraft operations. You will turn ambiguous concepts into reliable, manufacturable hardware, guiding architecture through validation, early production, and deployment.

We seek hands-on engineers with strong mechanical fundamentals and experience integrating motors, sensors, and electronics, plus a disciplined design-for-manufacturing approach.

Qualifications

• Own architecture, mechanical design, build, and validation of automated ground systems from concept through testing at flight test sites, early production and deployment.
• Design structures, precision mechanisms, electromechanical assemblies, and integrated hardware for aircraft launch, recovery, recharge, and mission preparation.
• Reduce technical risk through first-principles analysis, rapid prototypes, instrumented testing, and design iteration.
• Define and execute validation that demonstrates performance, reliability, safety, manufacturability, and operational usability before production release.
• Partner with electrical, software, controls, manufacturing, operations, civil engineering, and supply chain teams to deliver complete system solutions.
• Work with suppliers and manufacturing partners to translate prototypes into production-ready assemblies, resolving design-for-manufacturing and quality issues.
• Lead technical reviews and make product tradeoffs across performance, reliability, cost, schedule, manufacturability, and customer experience.

Responsibilities

• Own architecture, mechanical design, build, and validation of automated ground systems from concept through testing at flight test sites, early production and deployment into the field.
• Design structures, precision mechanisms, electromechanical assemblies, and integrated hardware for aircraft launch, recovery, recharge, and mission preparation.
• Reduce technical risk through first-principles analysis, rapid prototypes, instrumented testing, and design iteration.
• Define and execute validation that demonstrates performance, reliability, safety, manufacturability, and operational usability before production release.
• Partner with electrical, software, controls, manufacturing, operations, civil engineering, and supply chain teams to deliver complete system solutions.
• Work with suppliers and manufacturing partners to translate prototypes into production-ready assemblies, resolving design-for-manufacturing and quality issues.
• Lead technical reviews and make product tradeoffs across performance, reliability, cost, schedule, manufacturability, and customer experience.

Skills

Electromechanical systems

Mechanical fundamentals

CAD design

Tolerance analysis

Design for manufacturing

Machining & fabrication

Prototyping

Technical communication

Job description

Zipline in South San Francisco, CA, is hiring for the New Products team to own mechanical development of ground systems for autonomous aircraft operations. You will turn ambiguous concepts into reliable, manufacturable hardware, guiding architecture through validation, early production, and deployment.

We seek hands-on engineers with strong mechanical fundamentals and experience integrating motors, sensors, and electronics, plus a disciplined design-for-manufacturing approach.