Zipline

Senior Electrical Engineer

South San Francisco, CA | Ground Systems | Full Time

About Zipline

Do you want to change the world? Zipline is on a mission to transform the way goods move. Our aim is to solve the world’s most urgent and complex access challenges by building, manufacturing and operating the first instant delivery and logistics system that serves all humans equally, wherever they are.

From powering Rwanda’s national blood delivery network and Ghana’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution, to providing on-demand home delivery for Walmart, to enabling healthcare providers to bring care directly to U.S. homes, we are transforming the way things move for businesses, governments, and consumers.

The technology is complex but the idea is simple: A teleportation service that delivers what you need, when you need it. Through our robotics and autonomy platforms, we’re decarbonizing delivery, reducing road congestion and emissions, and increasing access to essential goods worldwide.

About the Role

Zipline is seeking a senior-level electrical engineer to lead the design and development of high-performance power electronics systems that support our drone charging and docking infrastructure.

The Ground Systems team at Zipline is in charge of all the infrastructures on the ground supporting our autonomous delivery drones with automatic docking, battery charging, thermal management, ground communication and preflight check. This role is central to enable our next generation of drone logistics, solving complex challenges in power distribution, power conversion, battery charging, high performance microprocessor, high-speed network communication and system-level integration. You'll bring deep technical expertise in power electronics to help shape Zipline’s global infrastructure as we scale.

In addition, you’ll work closely with cross-functional engineering teams to own the electrical system development from concept to production. This is a hands-on engineering role, ideal for someone who wants to push the limits of hardware in the real world.

What You’ll Do

• Own the electrical design of Zipline’s drone charging systems for volume production through a full design cycle including requirements, prototype, schematic capture, layout, and validation.
• Shape the architecture of Zipline’s next generation product, making impactful design decisions daily, while working with a high level of independence.
• Lead trade studies, understand competing design priorities, and provide direction and clarity for burning down risk.
• Proactively seek out opportunities for improvement in system and component level design.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with reliability, mechanical, embedded, and systems engineers in all stages of development, including:
  • Concept: System requirement, specification, tradeoff
  • Design: Schematic capture, PCB layout, system integration
  • Validation: Function and reliability test
  • Production: DFM, design drawings, manufacturing, EOL test, certification
  • Deployment: Troubleshoot field issues, develop rapid mitigations, roll learnings into future design revisions
  • Travel occasionally to support supplier and manufacturer visit, product deployment, and field validation

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical Engineering or related discipline
• 5+ years of hands-on experience designing and testing power electronics hardware (AC-DC, DC-DC, battery charging, etc.)
• Strong understanding of high-voltage power semiconductors like SiC or Si MOSFETs
• Deep knowledge of circuit topologies for AC-DC and DC-DC power conversion
• Design experience with MCU and digital communications (Ethernet, SPI, I2C, UART)
• Proficiency in schematic capture, PCB layout, and simulation tools (Altium, SPICE, etc.)
• Familiarity with UL, IEC, and other electrical safety standards
• Strong lab skills and familiarity with test equipment like oscilloscope, digital multimeter, power analyzer, LCR meter, function generator, spectrum analyzer, etc
• Experience with EMI filter design and inductor/transformer design is a strong plus
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills across engineering disciplines
• Must be eligible to work in the U.S.
• Must be able to work at Zipline’s South San Francisco office.

What Else You Need to Know

The starting cash range for this role is $160,000 - $225,000. Please note that this is a target, starting cash range for a candidate who meets the minimum qualifications for this role. 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, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other characteristics protected by state, federal or local law or our other policies.

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!