Manufacturing Test Engineer

About You & the Role

We are hiring a Manufacturing Test Engineer to own electrical, functional, and automated test systems that verify Zipline aircraft, dock, delivery pod, and subassembly hardware at scale. Zipline operates safety-critical autonomous aircraft and logistics systems that deliver medicine and essentials across varied field conditions; production test directly affects fleet uptime, field reliability, and customer deliveries. In this role you will lead end-to-end test system delivery for factory floors that support high-throughput manufacturing and rapid product iterations. You will be expected to prioritize safety, traceability, and measurable improvements in yield and time-to-deploy while working in a fast-scaling production environment with direct consequences for aircraft reliability and delivery network performance.

This opening sits within our manufacturing engineering team; the exact focus will reflect your strengths and the team’s needs. This role is based at Zipline’s South San Francisco manufacturing site, with an onsite-first approach and regular factory-floor presence. Travel to other Zipline sites or vendor locations may be required for launches and validations.

What You’ll Do

• Own assigned electrical, functional, and automated production testers and calibration stations from requirements through internal or vendor build, installation, validation, production release, and sustainment for aircraft, docks, delivery pods, and subassemblies.
• Define test coverage, pass/fail limits, golden-unit strategies, GR&R, capability targets, and release criteria with Design, Firmware, Quality, and Operations.
• Integrate harnesses, DAQ, sensors, actuators, power systems, safety interlocks, and mechanical fixtures to meet throughput and cycle-time needs.
• Build automation and data pipelines using Python, LabVIEW/TestStand, or equivalent tools for reproducible execution, data logging, MES/MFG integration, and dashboards.
• Troubleshoot production escalations on the factory floor under time pressure, including PCBA-level electrical failures, tester instability, fixture issues, software bugs, and product/tester correlation. Distinguish product defects from measurement or tester problems and validate corrective changes before release.
• Improve first-pass yield, false-fail rate, tester uptime, utilization, and per-unit cycle time; set targets and report progress monthly.
• Coordinate assigned launch readiness with Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Technicians, Operations, and vendors, including requirements, validation plans, operator and technician training, calibration schedules, spares, change control, vendor builds, FAT/SAT, and production qualification.
• Evaluate and deploy scalable tester architectures and automation that reduce operator steps, minimize touch time, and standardize interfaces across lines.
• Maintain test procedures, maintenance and calibration plans, validation records, and change-control artifacts required for production readiness and traceability.

What You’ll Bring

• 2+ years building production test systems, automated test equipment, or end-of-line testers for electro-mechanical or mechatronic products is required; demonstrated ownership of multiple shipped tester programs.
• A BS in Electrical, Mechatronics, Mechanical, or Computer Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• Hands-on skill with instrumentation, signal measurement, power delivery, harnessing, connectors, sensors, actuators, and PCBA-level electrical debug.
• Strong test-automation experience: Python preferred; experience with LabVIEW, TestStand, or embedded test frameworks and integrating DAQ, oscilloscopes, DMMs, power supplies, and electronic loads.
• Proficiency with embedded/product interfaces, including CAN, UART, Ethernet, I2C, SPI, and USB, and strategies for validating communications and firmware-hardware interactions.
• A record of improving production metrics such as yield, cycle time, false fails, tester utilization, or GR&R through data-driven technical work, with ownership of metrics reporting.
• Comfort with frequent cross-functional coordination, vendor builds, FAT/SAT, and production qualification.
• Rigorous attention to safety and traceability, decisive technical judgment under production pressure, hands-on test/debug capability, and insistence on measurable outcomes.
• Experience working directly on manufacturing floors during launches and escalations; willingness to spend significant onsite time supporting shifts, debugging, and qualifying equipment.

Nice to Have

• 5–7 years of relevant experience preferred. This is a preference, not an additional minimum requirement.

First-Year Success

• Deliver and validate assigned production tester programs with documented acceptance criteria and production-release evidence.
• Reduce false failures and improve first-pass yield, cycle time, and tester uptime for supported lines against agreed targets.
• Sustain traceable, repeatable test execution and report progress monthly against agreed production goals.

What Else You Need to Know

The starting cash range for this role is $125,000 - $145,000. Please note that this is a target, starting cash range for a candidate who meets the minimum qualifications for this role. We are always open to negotiation. The final cash pay for this role will depend on a variety of factors, including a specific candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, working location, and projected impact. The total compensation package for this role may also include: equity compensation; discretionary annual or performance bonuses; sales incentives; benefits such as medical, dental and vision insurance; paid time off; and more.

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!