Mobile Test Site Project Manager

Zipline; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Zipline seeks a Mobile Test Site Project Manager to own the strategy, readiness, and deployment of mobile test sites used by Flight Test to capture edge-case environments. You will translate engineering demand into deployment plans, oversee site selection, design, allocation, maintenance and safety, and audit sites for compliance.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, field-oriented, and able to coordinate engineering, operations, maintenance, safety, and external partners while managing

Qualifications

• Significant project or program management experience in complex field operations or similar settings.
• Ability to transform ambiguous testing needs into concrete deployment plans.
• Experience creating standardized procedures, readiness criteria, and audit processes.
• Strong knowledge of safety, risk management, site security, and maintenance for field installations.
• Excellent cross-functional communication and leadership, with influence without direct authority.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to mobile test locations, including remote environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the roadmap for Zipline’s mobile test site program across locations.
• Lead site development from concept through deployment and readiness reviews.
• Manage asset allocation, maintenance programs, and availability of mobile sites.
• Create and improve standard operating procedures for setup, operation, inspection, and safety.
• Coordinate with engineering, operations, maintenance, safety, and external partners to deliver multi-site deployments.

Skills

Project management

Planning & forecasting

Cross-functional leadership

Safety & risk management

Vendor coordination

Travel readiness

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.

Our customers include the world’s largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we’ve built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations.

Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe.

We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people’s lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds.

About You and The Role

The Mobile Test Site Project Manager owns the strategy, organization, readiness, and deployment of Zipline’s mobile test sites. These sites allow Flight Test to access environmental and operational conditions that cannot be consistently reproduced at Zipline’s permanent facilities, including unique weather, terrain, and other edge-case environments.

This role develops the roadmap for the mobile test site program and ensures each installation can be deployed safely, efficiently, and consistently. The Project Manager will translate engineering demand into a forecasted deployment plan; own site selection, design, allocation, maintenance, safety, and security; and audit deployed sites to confirm established practices are being followed.

The ideal candidate is a highly organized, field‑oriented project leader who can turn ambiguous testing needs into safe, repeatable mobile operations. They must be comfortable coordinating across engineering, operations, maintenance, safety, security, and external partners while managing multiple deployments in different locations.

What You’ll Do

Program Strategy and Planning

Develop and maintain the roadmap for Zipline’s mobile test site program. Partner with engineering teams to forecast testing demand and identify when and where mobile deployments are needed to capture specific environmental or operational edge cases. Translate that demand into an executable plan covering locations, schedules, equipment, staffing, maintenance, and site readiness.

Site Development and Deployment

Lead mobile sites from concept through deployment, operation, and demobilization. Own location evaluation and selection, site layouts, infrastructure requirements, logistics, vendor coordination, deployment schedules, and readiness reviews. Establish scalable site designs and deployment standards that can be adapted to different test objectives and operating environments.

Operations, Maintenance, and Asset Allocation

Own the availability, condition, configuration, and allocation of each mobile installation. Maintain a clear view of where assets are located, when they are available, what maintenance is required, and whether they are ready for deployment. Partner with the designated maintenance owner to create and sustain preventive and corrective maintenance programs for mobile site equipment.

Standardization, Safety, and Compliance

Create and continuously improve standard operating procedures for site setup, operation, inspection, security, maintenance, and closeout. Own the safety and security framework for mobile sites, including risk assessments, emergency planning, access controls, and site‑specific requirements. Conduct regular audits to verify that established standards are being followed and drive corrective actions when gaps are identified.

Cross‑Functional Execution

Serve as the central program owner connecting the teams required to deliver mobile testing. Partner with Flight Test Engineering to define test objectives and test‑card needs, Flight Test Operations leaders to secure and prepare operating personnel, and the maintenance owner to ensure installations remain reliable and deployment‑ready. Communicate plans, risks, dependencies, and changes clearly to stakeholders and leadership.

What You’ll Bring

• Significant project or program management experience in complex field operations, test operations, aviation, robotics, construction, logistics, or a similarly technical environment.
• Demonstrated ability to take an ambiguous operational need from initial concept through planning, deployment, execution, and closeout.
• Experience developing standardized procedures, readiness criteria, audit processes, and continuous‑improvement systems.
• Strong working knowledge of operational safety, risk management, site security, equipment maintenance, and vendor coordination.
• Excellent cross‑functional leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence teams without relying on direct reporting authority.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to prospective and active mobile test locations, including sites in remote or challenging environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting flight test, aviation, autonomous systems, drones, aerospace, or other safety‑critical operations.
• Experience developing temporary or mobile operating sites and coordinating infrastructure, permitting, utilities, communications, or site logistics.
• Familiarity with demand forecasting, asset management, preventive maintenance programs, and operational performance metrics.
• Project management certification or equivalent demonstrated experience leading complex, multi‑site programs.

Success in This Role

Success means Zipline can deploy the right mobile test capability to the right environment at the right time. Mobile sites are safe, secure, maintained, and consistently operated; deployments are planned against forecasted engineering demand; standards are clear and auditable; and the program provides dependable access to the edge‑case conditions required to improve Zipline’s systems.

What Else You Need To Know

Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws or our own sensibilities.

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.