Flight Test Engineer Intern (Fall 2026)

About the Flight Test Engineering Team

Zipline’s Flight Test Engineering team is a specialized group that designs flight test courses and methods to support our overall system validation progress. This involves developing custom flight control software for complex maneuvers and collaborating with development engineers to design rigorous tests for all critical edge cases.

We leverage expertise in system design, statistics, flight physics, and sound experimental methods to ensure our flight tests are effective and safe. The team partners closely with Controls and Dynamics, Embedded Software, Autonomy, Systems Engineering, Powertrain, Structure, and Flight Operations teams to build comprehensive test plans and test cards. 

Our work spans simulation, hardware testing, data-driven analysis, and system-level evaluations that support deployments across the globe. As an intern, you’ll collaborate with engineers across these domains, gaining hands-on exposure to how industry-leading autonomous systems are designed, tested, and validated at scale.

The Role 

As a Flight Test Engineering Intern, you will be instrumental in analyzing flight test data logs to determine test effectiveness, identify success/failure root causes, and track performance trends. 

You will also directly contribute to the design of new flight test campaigns, collaborating with other engineers to define the test scope, test method, and data post-processing. 

This is a unique opportunity for someone excited to learn how complex robotic systems are validated, who enjoys problem-solving, and who wants to build real-world experience working with autonomy software, data analysis, and systems engineering.

What You'll Do  

• Analyze flight test data logs using custom scripts (Python, DataBricks, SQL) to identify anomalies, assess reliability, track performance trends, and perform regression analyses.
• Design, oversee the execution, and review the results of software validation and flight test campaigns to ensure new features perform as intended and prevent hardware/software regression.
• Daily test and monitor the develop branch to quickly surface instability and potential future issues.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners (GNC, Aerodynamics, Structures, Systems Engineering) to ensure system-level requirements (e.g., acceleration, range, climb rate) are clear, measurable, and that vehicle changes are mature for flight testing.
• Define or develop novel test infrastructure, including new instrumentation systems (e.g., load cells, vision systems) or modified flight control software, to collect auxiliary data in flight.
• Establish and maintain documentation, dashboards, and SQL search queries to track test progress and operational efficiency.
• Be ready to directly own any aspect of flight operations (preflight, launch, flight maneuvers, incident reporting) or supervise these activities with the flight operations team.

What You'll Bring  

• You must have completed the second year of your undergraduate studies in physics, mathematics, mechanical, aerospace, system engineering, computer science, electrical engineering or related fields. Masters and PhD students are also eligible.
• Strong mathematical and physics background.
• Experience in autonomous vehicle/ robotic system integration and testing work.
• Experience in data process, visualization.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

What Else You Should Know

This internship is a full-time position, in-person at our South San Francisco office. We will host our Fall 2026 interns from September to December.

The hourly rate for this internship is $40 per hour. Additional benefits may include relocation support, a housing stipend, overtime pay, paid sick time, and other benefits, where applicable and subject to local requirements.

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.

Zipline is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your point of contact at Zipline know if you require any accommodations throughout your interview process.