Mechanical Test Engineering Manager (SMI)

About You and The Role

Zipline is hiring a Mechanical Test Engineering Manager that is excited to lead the team responsible for testing and validating the function and reliability of safety critical hardware at Zipline. A specific focus will be on our new system, Platform 2, as it enters the next phase of development. Platform 2 represents a groundbreaking innovation for Zipline as we prepare to manufacture 100's of thousands of these life-saving drones, making it our most ambitious and impactful project to date. This is not just another drone project; it's a game-changing hybrid eVTOL that will revolutionize the way life-saving products are delivered around the world.

In this role, you will be responsible for leading a multidisciplinary team of test engineers, with broad cross-functional engagement to deliver performant, safe and proven hardware across the range of initial development testing to full validation test. This effort will enable Zipline’s impact to expand from 100’s of thousand deliveries/year to 100’s of millions in a wide variety of environmental conditions around the world. You will act as a player-coach who is as comfortable providing strategic vision as they are being in the weeds of the team's designs, builds, analysis and reviews.This role is based at Zipline’s test lab facility in South San Francisco. Travel to field sites and test ranges is typically 5-10% depending on program phase.

You will help Zipline evolve its hardware testing philosophy and capacity, and grow the team in the process. The success of this team is vital to the success of Zipline overall.

What You'll Do

• Lead a team of test engineers and specialists. This group is responsible for:
  • Contributing to the overall intuition of the design engineering team through close involvement in design reviews, prototyping, and testing of components and assemblies.Designing, building, operating, purchasing and maintaining test equipment.
  • Developing strategies and test campaigns to efficiently evaluate function, reliability and safety of critical components and assemblies.
  • Root causing failures alongside design engineers and working to create elegant solutions.
• Raise the bar for the existing team by creating a vision for the future of the team based on company goals, and implementing strategies to achieve outcomes.
• Scope out areas where growth is needed and make key hires that revolutionize the 
• Leverage your technical leadership experience in relevant fields to establish a team culture that biases towards action and tests ideas to achieve radically simple and reliable designs.
• Motivate your team with a clear vision and create ambitious plans for your team’s work while holding a high bar for technical quality
• Build your team by hiring world class engineers

What You'll Bring

• Past success leading engineering teams to rapidly develop first of its kind hardware and deploy into the field with the level of rigor that a high volume or safety critical application requires.
• Deep technical depth in test hardware design and interfacing with software and automation, structures, mechanisms, and how to rapidly and effectively test for performance, capability, and reliability
• Enthusiasm for building a team - finding and convincing top talent to join you in your work.
• Past success managing and developing an excellent team of engineers.
• Past success bringing products through the full product development life cycle
• Location: role is based in South San Francisco
• Must be eligible to work in the US

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!