System Test Operations Technician

JobsCloseBy Editorial Insights

Zipline is hiring a System Test Operations Technician in South San Francisco for an onsite role. You will design and run tests for autonomous drones, maintain test assets, fabricate equipment, instrument tests with thermocouples and strain gauges, and collect and report data. The ideal candidate is highly organized, safety-focused, with hands-on experience in electromechanical systems, wiring, harnessing, and interpreting electrical specs and mechanical drawings. You should enjoy learning software tools for tests, scheduling equipment uptime, and writing clear data-driven reports. To apply, tailor your resume to highlight assembly, instrumentation, and any flight or test lab experience; emphasize teamwork and safety. This onsite role values diversity and encourages applicants from underrepresented groups.

About Zipline

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. 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. Through our technology that includes 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.

About You and the Role

Zipline’s aircraft are designed to fly as long as possible in a wide range of conditions: heat, rain, wind, dust, and more. Understanding how well our system responds to different stressors lets us keep customers safe, expand operations, and build world-changing aircraft. The System Test team designs and builds large assets to simulate these environments - large wind tunnels, thermal chambers, rain chambers, and many other tests that allow us to recreate and accelerate damage from harsh conditions. We are looking for candidates who are excited to work on this whole process: operate the aircraft using custom software tools, instrument and collect data for experiments, report on results, and maintain test equipment.

The ideal candidate will be exceptionally organized, safety-oriented, excellent hands-on skills in electronics or electro-mechanical systems, instrumentation (thermocouples, strain gauges), and interested in learning software tools for running tests and processing data. 

What You’ll Do

• Maintain and assemble autonomous drones including precision mechanical and electrical assembly
• Upkeep, improvement, and development of existing and new system test assets
• Fabricate new test equipment to achieve new system test goals
• Instrument one-off tests, including thermocouples and strain gauges
• Build electrical assemblies including wiring and termination of cables.
• Help generate, process, and understand data created in tests
• Accurate reporting of test results and outcomes.
• Coordinate the maintenance, scheduling, and improvements to test equipment.
• Write high quality and detailed reports that drive to the root of any issues on a given test using data and a first order analysis. 

What You’ll Bring

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 
• Strong attention to detail 
• Experience with assembly or operation of electromechanical systems (aircraft, drones, autonomous vehicles)
• Ability to understand and interpret a wide variety of technical documents (electrical specifications, mechanical drawings, etc…) 
• Experience in one or several of the following:
• Assembly of precision mechanical systems,
• Fabrication and maintaining electrical equipment (test panels, electrical equipment)
• Assembly of electronics or harness manufacturing (soldering, crimping)
• Enthusiasm for learning software tools
• Experience scheduling equipment uptime and shared use calendars
• Enthusiasm and excitement to learn about how Zipline’s aircraft work and how to make them even better

What Else You Need To Know

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. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!

Please note that this role is based in South San Francisco; a remote option is not available.