Mechanical Test Engineer, Avionics

AdaMarie; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Job summary

Zipline, the world’s leading drone delivery company, is seeking a Mechanical Test Engineer for Avionics in South San Francisco. You will rapidly develop multiple test iterations for aerospace components, driving full vehicle test systems with a small team on site.

You will design, build, and maintain critical test systems, while prioritizing actions to maximize output. Collaboration with structures, aero, embedded, and software teams is essential to deliver reliable tests and wow customers.

Qualifications

• Experience designing test systems for mechanical testing.
• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams across structures, aero, embedded, and software.
• Must be eligible to work in the US.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain critical test systems.
• Generate requirements for test systems capturing vehicle function while enabling future automation.
• Explore and define product edge cases from field data and logs.
• Manage test systems for early stage designs with prioritization of efforts.
• Provide technical guidance to junior engineers and technicians.

Skills

Mechanical design

Engineering fundamentals

Cross-functional leadership

US work authorization

On-site work

Job description

About Zipline

Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world’s largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products.

Job Details

Mechanical Test Engineer, Avionics
Zipline
Quality Assurance
South San Francisco, CA, USA
USD 130k-180k / year + Equity
Posted on Aug 14, 2026

About You And The Role

Does quickly developing multiple iterations of systems to test novel components through the extreme environments demanded of aerospace applications sound like the way you want to spend your time? Do you love designing tests for cross-functional interfaces with little information, full ownership, and the responsibility to make it happen? At Zipline our work is intended for the field. Patients are counting on it today--there is no time for aiming low or coming up short. If leveraging your talent to drive full vehicle test systems to fruition with a small but dedicated team at your side sounds like your cup of tea, please read on.

What You'll Do

• Work with the product design and reliability teams to generate requirements for test systems that accurately capture the intended function of the vehicle while leaving the door open for future automation and high volume capacity.
• Explore and define product edge cases based on data you collect from the field, existing logs, and in anticipation of future use cases and environments.
• Design, build, and maintain critical test systems
• Manage test systems for early stage designs. This will include ruthlessly prioritizing where our efforts must be spent to get the most out of every precious day.
• Provide technical guidance to junior engineers and technicians. Pivot often as we navigate uncertain regulatory space and learn more about what it will take to really wow our customers.

What You'll Bring

• Design for user experience of mechanical test systems. You can develop a machine that accomplishes complex interactions reliably and can be used by anyone with minimal training.
• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals. You understand the theory behind good design decisions and have a proven track record of executing these designs to make a test system that is more reliable than the product it is testing.
• Cross functional team management experience such that you can balance the needs of structures, aero, embedded, and software engineering teams to create one product that works for all.
• Understand when we can get away with a quick and dirty or scrappy solution and when it is worth our time and money to make investments in the future.
• Must be eligible to work in the US
• Must be able to work in person at Zipline’s South San Francisco headquarters

What Else You Need To Know

The starting cash range for this role is $130,000 - $180,000. Please note that this is a target, starting cash range for a candidate who meets the minimum qualifications for this role. The final cash pay for this role will depend on a variety of factors, including a specific candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, working location, and projected impact. The total compensation package may also include: equity compensation; discretionary annual or performance bonuses; sales incentives; benefits such as medical, dental and vision insurance; paid time off; and more.

Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other characteristics protected by state, federal or local law or other policies.

We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file. As set forth in Zipline ’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

See more open positions at Zipline