On-Site Maintenance & Test Engineer – Drone Systems

Zipline; Esparto (CA); On-site; USD 91,693,056 - 120,347,136; Full time

Job summary

Zipline in Esparto, California seeks a Maintenance Operations Engineering Technician to keep prototype flight vehicles, ground infrastructure, and test equipment safe and ready for development and field operations. You will execute component replacements, perform checkouts, run endurance campaigns, and document configuration records to enable reliable test data and informed vehicle-readiness decisions.

This on-site role requires rotating shifts and travel up to 20% across the United States, with

Qualifications

• Experience operating machine-shop equipment and building mechanical assemblies.
• Hands-on experience with electrical and electronic assemblies across power levels.
• Experience setting up, instrumenting, executing, and documenting hardware tests with engineers.
• Ability to troubleshoot test issues to a first-order diagnosis and document findings clearly.

Responsibilities

• Maintain prototype aircraft, ground infrastructure, and test equipment for ready test campaigns.
• Replace vehicle components and perform checkouts with complete maintenance records.
• Run endurance tests and reliability campaigns using documented procedures.
• Prepare test articles and instrumentation to execute test specs as written.
• Verify maintenance and test setups meet safety and data-capture requirements before testing.
• Document faults and escalate root-cause analysis to engineers.
• Produce reports linking observations to reliability improvements and vehicle readiness.
• Travel 20% to support testing across Zipline locations.

Skills

Prototype aircraft

Electrical/test wiring

Hardware test setup

Troubleshooting

Documentation

Safety compliance

Shift work

Travel readiness

Tools

Electrical test equipment

Job description

Zipline in Esparto, California seeks a Maintenance Operations Engineering Technician to keep prototype flight vehicles, ground infrastructure, and test equipment safe and ready for development and field operations. You will execute component replacements, perform checkouts, run endurance campaigns, and document configuration records to enable reliable test data and informed vehicle-readiness decisions.

This on-site role requires rotating shifts and travel up to 20% across the United States, with