Technical Program Manager (New Product Introduction)

Zipline; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Zipline is seeking an NPI Technical Program Manager in South San Francisco, CA. You will own launch readiness and product lifecycle execution for new aircraft and major hardware changes, coordinating across Design Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Field Operations to ensure reliable field deployment.

You will define launch criteria, manage integrated plans, and drive supplier readiness while balancing schedule, cost, and risk.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, Aerospace, or related engineering.
• 3+ years of NPI, TPM, hardware development, manufacturing operations, or product lifecycle work launching complex electromechanical or aerospace systems.
• Experience with complex hardware systems (robotics, aerospace, automotive, medical devices, or electromechanical products) and a history of reducing part proliferation or improving serviceability.
• Direct exposure to suppliers and factory floors; able to run on-site readiness audits and manage supplier mitigation plans.
• Strong written and verbal communication for cross-functional leadership and executive updates.
• Deep technical judgment across product architecture, validation data interpretation, compatibility/interchangeability decisions, and tradeoffs between schedule, risk, and cost.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end NPI launch readiness and product lifecycle execution for new aircraft and major hardware changes.
• Define and enforce release-readiness gate criteria and make go/no-go launch decisions.
• Create integrated launch plans linking engineering milestones, validation tests, build schedules, and field deployment windows.
• Track schedule, cost, quality, and risk metrics with clear escalation paths.
• Evaluate engineering changes for downstream impact across production, supply chain, service, and fleet operations.
• Maintain issue-tracking for builds and releases and drive cross-functional resolution to closure criteria.
• Collaborate with Design Engineering and Field Service to improve serviceability and reduce part proliferation.

Skills

NPI

TPM

Hardware development

Manufacturing operations

Product lifecycle

Supplier collaboration

DFA/DFMEA

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, Aerospace, or related engineering

Tools

PLM/ECN workflows

ECOs

FMEA

Job description

• You are joining Zipline as an NPI Technical Program Manager based in South San Francisco, CA. In this owner-level role you will own launch readiness and product lifecycle execution for new aircraft and major hardware design changes that directly affect field availability, safety, and fleet capabilities
• You will operate at the intersection of Design Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Reliability, Field Engineering, Maintenance, and Fleet Operations to ensure products are ready to build, release, scale, service, and sustain at scale
• Your work directly determines whether new hardware enters service with the reliability, maintainability, and supply continuity required to meet Zipline's delivery commitments to customers and to avoid costly retrofits or fleet disruptions
• Single-thread ownership of NPI launch readiness from early builds through phased rollout, production ramp, retrofit campaigns, and post-launch stabilization for aircraft and associated assemblies
• Define and hold the release-readiness gate criteria (design verification, manufacturing process capability, supplier capacity, service procedures, spares plan, and training) and make go/no-go launch recommendations to program leadership; when authorized, own final launch decisions for assigned releases
• Create and maintain integrated launch plans that link engineering milestones, validation test plans, build schedules, supplier lead times, material readiness, field deployment windows, and phased rollout logistics across sites
• Track and report schedule, cost, quality, and risk metrics weekly to stakeholders with clear escalation paths; measure success with targets such as >X% production yield
• Evaluate engineering changes for downstream impact across production, supply chain, service, fleet operations, and customers; recommend whether to proceed, delay, phase, retrofit, substitute, or redesign
• Maintain detailed issue-tracking for builds and releases (component failures, process inefficiencies, material shortages, quality escapes, test failures, serviceability gaps, and readiness blockers) and drive cross-functional resolution to measurable closure criteria
• Make technical judgment calls on launch readiness, compatibility, retrofit strategy, risk buys, serviceability, and supply continuity based on product architecture, validation data, field risk, supplier lead times, and operational constraints
• Perform compatibility analysis of part design changes to determine supersession, interchangeability, and service impact
• Own demand and retrofit planning for new product releases and design changes, incorporating trial schedules, validation activities, material readiness, field deployment constraints, and phased rollout timing
• Partner with Design Engineering to implement product changes that reduce part proliferation, supply chain complexity, and lifecycle risk
• Collaborate with Field Service Engineering and Engineering Technicians to test new designs for improved serviceability, field repair effectiveness, and fleet support
• Perform end-of-life and obsolescence analyses to protect supply continuity and recommend redesigns or alternate sourcing when appropriate

Deep technical judgment across product architecture, validation data interpretation, compatibility/interchangeability decisions, and tradeoffs between schedule, risk, and cost. Comfortable making and defending high-stakes go/no-go decisions

Location & logistics: based in South San Francisco, CA with on-site presence required

Practical experience with PLM/ECN workflows, ECOs, build reviews, validation test plans, failure-mode analysis (FMEA/root cause), and issue-tracking systems. Comfortable reading mechanical/electrical drawings and BOMs

3+ years of NPI, TPM, hardware development, manufacturing operations, or product lifecycle work launching complex electromechanical or aerospace systems

Must-haves: demonstrated experience with complex hardware systems (robotics, aerospace, automotive, medical devices, or electromechanical products) and a history of reducing part proliferation, improving serviceability, or preventing large-scale retrofits

Direct exposure to suppliers and factory floors; able to run on-site readiness audits and manage supplier mitigation plans

Operates effectively under high ambiguity and intensity: prioritizes escalations, sets clear acceptance criteria, and delivers measurable outcomes under tight schedules. Strong written and verbal communication for cross-functional leadership and executive updates

Demonstrable record owning NPI launches that progressed from prototype to scaled production and field deployment with measurable reliability and ramp outcomes. Experience with retrofit programs and managing supplier continuity under schedule pressure

Required: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, Aerospace, or related engineering discipline