Senior Quality Engineer

Zipline; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Zipline in San Francisco is seeking a Quality Engineer for our manufacturing quality team. You will ensure every vehicle leaving the line meets Zipline’s high-performance standards and drive the disposition of inspection findings.

Lead root-cause analyses, implement corrective actions, define inspection plans, work with suppliers, and partner with Test and EOL engineers to iterate on test stations and data capture.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in quality engineering or supplier development within complex manufacturing.
• Excellent collaboration across Engineering, Production, Procurement, and Suppliers.
• Strong root-cause analysis skills: 8D, 5-Why, Fishbone, FMEA.
• Hands-on inspection techniques for mechanical, electrical, and composite systems.

Responsibilities

• Ensure every vehicle leaving the line meets Zipline’s high-performance standards.
• Lead root-cause analyses and drive corrective actions to improve yield and throughput.
• Define inspection plans, rework procedures, and supplier feedback with cross-functional teams.
• Dispostion inspection findings and non-conformances.
• Collaborate with Test and EOL Engineers to iterate on test stations and data capture.
• Own change-control and revision of SOPs, work instructions, and drawings.

Skills

Quality engineering

Cross-functional collaboration

Root-cause analysis

Technical writing

Tools

Jira

Odoo ERP

Job description

At Zipline, our work is built for the real world. Families and patients rely on us every day—there’s no room for falling short or aiming low. If you’re passionate about using your engineering talent to create elegant, effective manufacturing solutions, read on

• As a Quality Engineer on our manufacturing quality team, you will ensure every vehicle leaving the line meets Zipline’s high-performance standards
• You will drive the disposition of inspection findings and non conformances, lead root-cause analyses, and implement corrective actions to boost yield and production rates. You’ll define and document inspection plans, rework procedures, and supplier feedback, partnering with cross‑functional teams to close quality gaps
• Serve as the first line of defense for part and vehicle performance: review and disposition discrepancies coming from all production processes: from receiving inspections to system end‑of‑line tests
• Lead root‑cause analyses on one‑off and recurring quality issues, driving corrective‑action plans through to closure
• Collaborate with Supplier Industrialization to provide actionable feedback, qualify new vendors, and improve incoming part quality
• Define and document inspection plans, acceptance criteria, and rework procedures for common failures in mechanical, electrical, and composite systems
• Partner with Test and EOL Engineers to iterate on test‑station designs, refine protocols, and streamline data capture
• Occasionally execute hands‑on inspections or audits to validate new procedures and train Quality Technicians
• Analyze quality data and key performance indicators (KPIs) to identify trends, generate insights, and recommend process improvements
• Own change‑control and revision of quality documentation—SOPs, work instructions, and technical drawings—to ensure current best practices are followed

• 5+ years in quality engineering, supplier development engineering, or equivalent roles within complex manufacturing environments
• Excellent collaboration skills: able to influence across Engineering, Production, Procurement, and Supplier teams
• Continuous‑improvement orientation with a track record of driving cycle‑time reductions or yield improvements
• Strong technical writing skills: able to craft clear inspection plans, work instructions, and supplier feedback reports
• Demonstrated expertise in root‑cause analysis tools (5‑Why, Fishbone, FMEA), control plan development and corrective‑action frameworks (8D, CAPA)
• Experience partnering with suppliers on quality improvement and industrialization activities
• Hands‑on understanding of mechanical, electrical, and/or composite inspection techniques, plus familiarity with GD&T
• Experience using and navigating work tracking software such as Jira, and ERP systems such as Odoo

We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech.