Software Engineer - Hardware Test

Zipline; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Zipline, the world’s leading drone-delivery company, seeks a Senior Software Engineer – Hardware Test in South San Francisco to power automated testers for the next generation of P2 hardware. You will own test systems from prototype to production, with a strong emphasis on reliability, safety, and cross-functional collaboration.

You’ll drive end-to-end test campaigns, analyze field data, and work with vendors to verify future aircraft while enabling life-saving deliveries worldwide.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of Python in high-volume production applications; some knowledge of embedded C and understanding of Rust desired.
• Experience with object oriented programming and automation systems for safety-critical/factory environments.
• Experience interfacing software with hardware including datasheets and hands-on validation.
• Proficiency with Git/CI and the software development and validation process.
• Ability to develop test plans, requirements, and criteria for hardware products.
• Experience using test instrumentation and data acquisition hardware.
• Strong problem-solving skills with minimal supervision; work well in teams.
• Authorised to work in the US; onsite role in South San Francisco.

Responsibilities

• Architect, develop, and deploy test software and assets to validate components from avionics boards to sensors and mechanisms.
• Develop automation-centric software scripts to streamline design and production testing.
• Become a subject matter expert on component behavior under various environmental and system conditions.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and external vendors to deploy high-quality test systems for vehicle builds.
• Drive end-to-end test campaigns from development through validation, certification, and production automation.
• Triage and root-cause field failures using data analysis, test heritage, and correlations with operating conditions.
• Develop automation scripts and visualization tools to streamline testing processes.

Skills

Python programming

Embedded C

Rust

Object-oriented programming

Automation systems

Git / CI

Hardware interfacing

Test plans

US work authorization

Multidisciplinary problem solving

Tools

Test instrumentation

Data acquisition hardware

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 You And The Role

As a Senior Software Engineer - Hardware Test at Zipline you will have the unique opportunity to develop and deploy high quality software that will power our automated testers for our next-generation of P2 hardware. By developing these tests you will gain a deep understanding of our avionics stack, flight and embedded code, and vehicle-sensors. You will own these test systems from early prototype design all the way to field/production root-cause, driving schedules and deliverables, interfacing with vendors and bridging cross-functional teams with a reliability and safety focus. Most importantly, your work will directly contribute to the design of future vehicles and verification of our next-generation aircraft. You are the last line of defense with our production testers before our vehicles are shipped all over the world to perform vital, life‑saving deliveries.

What You’ll Do

• Architect, develop, and deploy test software and test assets that will be used to validate components from avionics boards, sensors, instrumentation, and mechanism assemblies.
• Develop automation-centric software scripts to streamline design and production testing.
• Develop a deep understanding of components under test becoming a subject matter expert in the component’s behavior under a range of environmental, performance, and system conditions.
• Coordinate cross‑functional teams and external vendors to deploy high quality test systems in a timely manner to support vehicle‑builds.
• Drive end‑to‑end test campaigns from development through design validation, certification, and production automation (often working all facets simultaneously).
• Triage and root‑cause field failures, using data analysis, test heritage, correlation to operating conditions, and one‑off test campaigns.
• Develop automation software scripts and visualization tools to streamline design and production testing.

What You’ll Bring

• 5+ years of programming experience in Python for high volume production applications (manufacturing/EOL software development experience). Some knowledge of embedded C and ability to understand Rust is desired.
• Experience with object oriented programming.
• Experience building automation systems for use in safety‑critical and factory applications.
• Experience working with Git / CI and the software development and validation process.
• Experience developing software that interfaces directly with hardware including navigating datasheets and validating hands‑on with representative hardware.
• Experience developing test plans, test requirements, and test criteria for hardware products.
• Experience using and deep understanding of common test instrumentation and data acquisition hardware.
• Experience solving complex multidisciplinary problems with little supervision on schedule as an individual or as a member of an integrated team.
• Must be authorized to work in the US.
• Note: this is an onsite role at our South San Francisco office with potential for some travel opportunities.

What Else You Need To Know

The starting cash range for this role is $160,000 - $220,000. Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws or our own sensibilities.

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