Field Service Engineer – Avionics, Ground Systems, Powertrain, SMI (Structures, Mechanisms & Integration)

About Zipline

Zipline’s mission is to provide every human on Earth with instant access to vital medical supplies. We believe that where you live should never dictate whether you live. We are at the forefront of a logistics revolution, using autonomous aircraft to deliver just-in-time, life-saving medical supplies at national scale in several countries and expanding around the world. Are you interested in building a system that 500 million people will depend on with their lives?

About the Role

Field Service Engineers at Zipline are the tip of the spear in identifying and eliminating failure modes across our global operations. You will be the technical authority for your subsystem (Avionics, Ground Systems, Powertrain, or SMI), working across hardware and software boundaries to drive improvements into design, manufacturing, and operational practices.

You’ll combine hands-on troubleshooting, deep systems knowledge, and cross-functional communication to debug and resolve failures. Whether it’s a GPS dropout, a motor burnout, a power spike, or a hinge crack, you’ll be responsible for finding it, understanding it, and working with engineering to fix it permanently.

This is a high-trust, high-autonomy role for engineers who want to own the health and performance of our hardware in the real world.

What You'll Do

Core Responsibilities

• Own the implementation of design and processes improvements that address field reliability, reduce downtime, and support long-term economic goals
  
  
• Investigate field failures by combining data analysis, log review, and physical failure analysis
  
  
• Perform root cause analysis using first principles, 5-Whys, and fault tree methods
  
  
• Create and lead containment actions, corrective actions, and permanent design/process fixes
  
  
• Provide technical leadership during field escalations, with hands-on support as needed
  
  
• Build tooling and diagnostics to proactively monitor health of fleet systems
  
  
• Influence DFM, DFT, and maintainability for next-generation designs
  
  
• Act as the technical bridge between Ops, Engineering, and Manufacturing
  
  

Avionics

• Troubleshoot board-level failures in flight computers, camera modules, radios, GNSS, and networking components
  
  
• Work with electrical design and embedded firmware teams to validate root causes
  
  
• Use oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and in-field diagnostics to debug flaky or intermittent issues
  
  
• Analyze log data and telemetry for system-wide signal integrity or timing failures
  
  
• Drive improvements in EMI resilience, connector reliability, thermal derating, and firmware watchdog handling
  
  

Ground Systems

• Analyze log data and telemetry for system-wide performance and availability metrics 
• Develop software and dashboards to analyze large datasets including statistics and model vs. actual analysis: Python is a must.

• Root-cause missions that experience off nominal behaviours: hardware failures, intermittent communications, electromagnetic degradation, charging or thermal efficiency, thermal events 
• Hands on debug, troubleshooting and root cause analysis of electromechanical hardware issues in the field and in the lab 
• Champion the corrective-actions for Ground Systems hardware including design changes, process changes, and detection algorithms and in field containment

Powertrain 

• Understand embedded motor control and interactions with higher-level software, proficiency in Python/MATLAB and C/C++ is a must.
  
  
• Root-cause flights that experience battery or motor hardware issues: hardware failures, intermittent communications, electromagnetic degradation, powertrain efficiency, thermal events, battery capacity, propeller thrust degradation.
  
  
• Develop software to analyze large datasets including statistics and model vs. actual analysis: Python/MATLAB is a must.
  
  
• Develop software for automated log review and notification of off-nominal hardware performance.
  
  
• Champion the corrective-actions for Powertrain hardware including design changes, process changes, and detection algorithms. 

SMI 

• Troubleshoot and root cause structures and mechanism performance issues in flight: structural hardware failures, mechanism wear, damage, & underperformance, and fatigue/life damage.
• Develop software and dashboards to track critical flight metrics, analyze large datasets of flight performance, and automated log review and notification. Python is a must.
• Work with field and maintenance teams to develop rapid and robust maintenance and inspection procedures that evolve with our understanding of the hardware.
• Drive corrective actions for SMI hardware along with design engineers including design changes, process changes, and checkout and detection processes.

What You’ll Bring

• 2–7 years of experience in field engineering, failure analysis, reliability, or hardware validation
• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent experience
• Strong fundamentals in in embedded systems: electrical, mechanical, or electromechanical
• Demonstrated ability to investigate and resolve complex, intermittent field issues
• Familiarity with diagnostic tools: multimeters, oscilloscopes, CAN/serial bus analyzers, thermography, mechanical inspection, etc.
• Deep technical knowledge in at least one of: avionics, industrial/mechatronics systems, power electronics, motors, embedded motor control, batteries, carbon-fiber structures
• Strong data fluency; able to analyze large volumes of logs/telemetry using Python, SQL, MATLAB or similar
• Excellent written and verbal communication for cross-functional technical reporting
• Strong systems mindset with a bias for fast iteration, field experimentation, and permanent fixes
• Experience in aerospace, automotive, drones, robotics, or high-reliability industries
• Knowledge of FTA, DFMEA, PFMEA
• Hands-on experience in design validation testing (HALT, thermal shock, vibration)
• Familiarity with remote tooling: OTA updates, remote debug, telemetry systems
• Experience working in high-ownership environments and emerging markets

Why Join Zipline?

As a Field Service Engineer at Zipline, you won’t be sitting on the sidelines. You’ll be embedded where it matters, with real accountability for real-world outcomes. This is a chance to make global impact, influence design at scale, and improve the lives of millions through hardware that works every time.

If you're excited by owning tough problems end-to-end—and not just closing tickets—you belong here.

What else you need to know

This role is an in-person role, based out of our South San Francisco HQ. Must be eligible to work in the US and travel globally as needed. 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; overtime pay; 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!