NPI Technical Program Manager Aerospace Hardware Launch

Zipline; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Zipline is seeking an NPI Technical Program Manager in South San Francisco, CA. You will own launch readiness and product lifecycle execution for new aircraft and major hardware changes, coordinating across Design Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Field Operations to ensure reliable field deployment.

You will define launch criteria, manage integrated plans, and drive supplier readiness while balancing schedule, cost, and risk.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, Aerospace, or related engineering.
• 3+ years of NPI, TPM, hardware development, manufacturing operations, or product lifecycle work launching complex electromechanical or aerospace systems.
• Experience with complex hardware systems (robotics, aerospace, automotive, medical devices, or electromechanical products) and a history of reducing part proliferation or improving serviceability.
• Direct exposure to suppliers and factory floors; able to run on-site readiness audits and manage supplier mitigation plans.
• Strong written and verbal communication for cross-functional leadership and executive updates.
• Deep technical judgment across product architecture, validation data interpretation, compatibility/interchangeability decisions, and tradeoffs between schedule, risk, and cost.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end NPI launch readiness and product lifecycle execution for new aircraft and major hardware changes.
• Define and enforce release-readiness gate criteria and make go/no-go launch decisions.
• Create integrated launch plans linking engineering milestones, validation tests, build schedules, and field deployment windows.
• Track schedule, cost, quality, and risk metrics with clear escalation paths.
• Evaluate engineering changes for downstream impact across production, supply chain, service, and fleet operations.
• Maintain issue-tracking for builds and releases and drive cross-functional resolution to closure criteria.
• Collaborate with Design Engineering and Field Service to improve serviceability and reduce part proliferation.

Skills

NPI

TPM

Hardware development

Manufacturing operations

Product lifecycle

Supplier collaboration

DFA/DFMEA

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, Aerospace, or related engineering

Tools

PLM/ECN workflows

ECOs

FMEA

Job description

Zipline is seeking an NPI Technical Program Manager in South San Francisco, CA. You will own launch readiness and product lifecycle execution for new aircraft and major hardware changes, coordinating across Design Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Field Operations to ensure reliable field deployment.

You will define launch criteria, manage integrated plans, and drive supplier readiness while balancing schedule, cost, and risk.