Software Engineer, Production Test
Zipline · South San Francisco, California, USA
About this role
## About Zipline Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We’re on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine, and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate autonomous logistics systems that deliver critical supplies quickly and reliably—operating across four continents and completing millions of deliveries to date. ## About the Role (Software Engineer, Production Test) Zipline is hiring a **Software Engineer, Production Test** to own the software that orchestrates **electrical, functional, and automated testing** of Zipline aircraft, docks, delivery pods, and subassembly hardware. You will develop **reproducible test flows**, **instrument interfaces**, **data logging**, and **MES integration**, and carry the software through **tester validation, deployment, and sustainment**. You’ll work closely with electrical, mechanical, firmware, quality, and manufacturing partners to debug test behavior and maintain **traceable software changes** across production testers. This is a hands-on, individual-contributor role where production test directly impacts **fleet uptime**, **field reliability**, and **customer deliveries**. ## What You’ll Do - Implement **test automation** and **data pipelines** for repeatable execution, logging, **MES/MFG integration**, and production dashboards. - Own production testers and calibration stations from requirements through internal or vendor build, installation, validation, release, and sustainment. - Define test coverage, pass/fail limits, golden units, **GR&R**, capability targets, and release criteria with design, firmware, quality, and operations partners. - Build electrical and functional testers integrating harnessing, DAQ, sensors, actuators, power systems, safety interlocks, and mechanical fixtures. - Troubleshoot PCBA failures, tester instability, fixture issues, software defects, and product/tester correlation failures on the factory floor. - Improve first-pass yield, false-fail rate, cycle time, uptime, and utilization; set targets and report progress monthly. - Coordinate vendor builds, FAT/SAT, qualification, training, calibration, spares, and change control. - Standardize tester interfaces and automation to reduce operator steps and touch time; maintain procedures, validation records, and maintenance plans for traceable production. ## What You’ll Bring - **7+ years** building production test systems, automated test equipment, or end-of-line testers for electromechanical products, with ownership of multiple shipped tester programs. - BS in Electrical, Mechatronics, Mechanical, or Computer Engineering (or equivalent experience). - Hands-on skills in instrumentation, signal measurement, power delivery, harnessing, sensors, actuators, and PCBA debugging. - Strong test automation experience; **Python preferred**, with experience in **LabVIEW, TestStand**, or embedded test frameworks and common test instruments. - Familiarity with **CAN, UART, Ethernet, I2C, SPI, USB**, and firmware-hardware interactions. - Record of measurable production improvements, cross-functional coordination, and vendor qualification. - Rigorous attention to safety, traceability, hands-on troubleshooting, and technical judgment under production pressure. ## First-Year Success - Deliver and validate production tester programs with documented acceptance criteria and production-release evidence. - Reduce false failures and improve first-pa
Listing freshness
CronJobs last confirmed this listing 3h ago. If its source stops confirming the opening for seven days, this page is removed from active inventory.