Production Technician

Zipline; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 39,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity compensation

Medical, dental and vision insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

Zipline's Production Team is seeking a technician responsible for the mechanical assembly and testing of all manufactured hardware. You will execute builds from engineering validation through production intent, following written instructions and SOPs while collaborating with cross-functional teams to meet schedules and quality standards.

The role emphasizes hands-on work with mechanical PCBA assembly, enclosure integration, potting, and ESD-safe practices, supporting production scale for

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent required.
• Minimum 4 years in prototyping, assembly, or manufacturing of electro-mechanical components.
• Experience with PCBA assembly, cable routing, and enclosure assembly.

Responsibilities

• Support electro-mechanical and avionics hardware builds from assembly to validation testing.
• Assemble and test PCB assemblies, cable harnesses, and integrated modules per schematics and procedures.
• Troubleshoot build issues and perform rework with engineers to resolve failures.
• Assist with mechanical integration of electronics into aircraft and calibration of test stations.
• Maintain clean, safe manufacturing lines following 5S and lean practices.

Skills

Bonding/potting processes

PCB mounting

Electrical debugging

Team collaboration

Reading schematics

ESD safety

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

Multimeters

PCBA mechanical integration

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.

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 Zipline

Do you want to change the world? Zipline is on a mission to transform the way goods move. Our aim is to solve the world's most urgent and complex access challenges by building, manufacturing and operating the first instant delivery and logistics system that serves all humans equally, wherever they are. From powering Rwanda's national blood delivery network and Ghana's COVID-19 vaccine distribution, to providing on-demand home delivery for Walmart, to enabling healthcare providers to bring care directly to U.S. homes, we are transforming the way things move for businesses, governments and consumers. The technology is complex but the idea is simple: a teleportation service that delivers what you need, when you need it. Using robotics and autonomy, we are decarbonizing delivery, decreasing road congestion, and reducing fossil fuel consumption and air pollution, while providing equitable access to billions of people and building a more resilient global supply chain.

Join Zipline and help us to make good on our promise to build an equitable and more resilient global supply chain for billions of people.

About You And The Role

Zipline's Production Team is hiring a technician who will be responsible for the mechanical assembly and the testing of all manufactured hardware at Zipline International. This includes engineering validation builds up through production intent assemblies. The technician is expected to execute builds with written instructions and follow all stand operating procedures. They must also be comfortable working with schematics, giving feedback on process instructions and working closely with cross-functional stakeholders. They will be expected to check the quality of operations and meet schedules set by the Production Lead. The ideal candidate for this role is someone with extensive problem solving experience, and a solid understanding of how to work safely with electromechanical systems.

This role is critical to scale our manufacturing team from engineering validation to volume production in order to support our distribution centers around the world. In addition, you will be hands-on in supporting the production, assembly, testing, and troubleshooting of avionics systems that power Zipline's autonomous drones. You will play a critical role in ensuring the reliability, performance, and manufacturability of our cutting-edge electronic and mechanical systems, enabling safe and efficient delivery operations around the world.

This role specifically requires hands-on experience with mechanical PCBA assembly, including enclosure integration, torque-controlled fastening, and cable/harness routing. The candidate must also be proficient in electronic potting processes, including mixing, degassing, dispensing, and curing two-part epoxies, silicones, or urethanes to ensure waterproofing and environmental protection. A strong understanding of cleanroom procedures, ESD-safe handling practices, and the ability to work to IPC standards is essential.

What You'll Do

• Support the full lifecycle of electro-mechanical and avionics hardware builds—from assembly through validation testing—ensuring high-quality output that meets tight production schedules and rigorous standards.
• Assemble and test complex electro-mechanical and avionics systems, including PCB assemblies, cable harnesses, and integrated modules, following detailed schematics, MPIs, and all quality and safety protocols.
• Troubleshoot build issues and perform rework as needed, using tools like oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and multimeters; collaborate with electrical, RF, and mechanical engineers to resolve failures and integration problems.
• Support engineering validation activities (thermal, EMI/ESD, vibration), and assist with the mechanical integration of electronics into aircraft, including precise PCB mounting, connector installation, and cable routing.
• Maintain manufacturing lines in a clean, organized, and inspection-ready state, following 5S and lean manufacturing practices to ensure safety, efficiency, and compliance.
• Provide real-time feedback on design, manufacturability, and assembly processes to Manufacturing, Quality, and Design Engineering teams to help improve quality, test coverage, and production efficiency.
• Build, maintain, and troubleshoot custom fixtures; assist with setup and calibration of test stations, and document test results, failure analysis, and process improvements in a clear and repeatable format.
• Draft training materials and support onboarding and skill development for new production technicians, especially around new hardware assembly processes.
• Adapt quickly to shifting priorities across multiple projects, and remain flexible and proactive when working under tight deadlines or extended hours, including weekends when necessary.

Core Requirements

• Demonstrated experience with bonding/potting processes and fine-detail assembly work.
• Comfortable wearing a protective respirator for extended durations as required.
• Strong ability to interpret and execute from complex technical documentation with minimal supervision.
• Quick-thinking, resourceful, and collaborative, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability

What You'll Bring

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum of 4 years' experience in prototyping, assembly, or manufacturing of electro-mechanical components.
• Proven hands-on experience with PCBA mechanical integration, cable routing, and enclosure assembly.
• Extensive experience with electronic potting, including safe handling of adhesives and respirator use.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Direct experience with reading and understanding manufacturing instructions and mechanical drawings with basic understanding of electrical systems.
• High level of craftsmanship and attention to detail married with the ability to work quickly.
• Quality focused mindset with the ability to manage time across multiple competing tasks and priorities.
• Able to lift 30-50 pounds on a daily basis and to maintain a safe working environment.
• A solid understanding of 5S methodology.
• Able to stand for long periods of time
• Perform general electrical assembly including soldering, wiring, crimping, and connector installation according to schematics and work instructions.
• Conduct battery cell assembly, handling cells in compliance with safety protocols, and ensuring correct polarity, insulation, and protection mechanisms are applied.
• Execute wirebonding operations (manual and/or automated), ensuring bond integrity, alignment, and cleanliness meet spec.
• Operate and maintain laser cleaning equipment for surface preparation of components prior to bonding or assembly.
• Follow ESD, PPE, and other safety guidelines, especially when working with high-voltage or energy-dense materials.

What Else You Need to Know

The starting cash range for this role is $28-38/hr. 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 for this role 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 our 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.