Senior Mechanical Test Engineer - Structures & Mechanisms

Zipline; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 145,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Incentives

Medical insurance

Dental

Vision

Paid time off

Job summary

Zipline designs, builds, tests, and operates autonomous delivery aircraft at scale across diverse environments. As a Hardware Test Engineer on the Platform 2 Aircraft Structures & Mechanisms, you will own mechanical heavy test and validation for flight-critical assemblies, development of test methods, equipment, automation, and evidence to prove performance.

This hands-on, individual-contributor role spans test strategy, fixture design, instrumentation, data analysis, and failure investigation,

Qualifications

• Experience validating high-performance mechanical or electromechanical hardware.
• Hands-on experience designing and building test rigs, fixtures and automated test systems.
• Strong CAD skills and practical experience with sensors and data acquisition.
• Experience developing automated test and analysis tools using Python or similar.
• Track record of root-cause analysis and implementing effective corrective actions.

Responsibilities

• Design, analyze, build, commission, and maintain custom test stands, fixtures, environmental setups, automated cycle rigs, and representative system test articles
• Own end-to-end development and execution of validation campaigns of major structural and mechanism components from prototype through fleet deployment
• Develop verification plans with coverage, traceability, and acceptance criteria for structural strength, fatigue, and mechanism performance across thousands of flights
• Lead failure investigations from test or flight to root cause and permanent corrective action
• Collaborate with design, systems, and manufacturing to communicate test assets, evidence, and release recommendations

Skills

Hardware validation

Test rig design

CAD design

Sensors & data acquisition

Python automation

Root-cause analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Zipline designs, builds, tests, and operates autonomous delivery aircraft at scale across diverse environments. As a Hardware Test Engineer on the Platform 2 Aircraft Structures & Mechanisms, you will own mechanical heavy test and validation for flight-critical assemblies, development of test methods, equipment, automation, and evidence to prove performance.

This hands-on, individual-contributor role spans test strategy, fixture design, instrumentation, data analysis, and failure investigation,