Manufacturing Engineer

About the Role

Zipline builds, manufactures, and operates autonomous delivery systems. This role focuses on transforming electro-mechanical aircraft, docks, and logistics hardware into safe, reliable, repeatable production processes. Based at Zipline's South San Francisco manufacturing facility, you will work on final assembly and sub-assemblies alongside manufacturing engineers, technicians, and cross-functional partners. You will own bounded engineering tasks, gain factory floor experience, and help improve quality, throughput, and production readiness. This is an individual-contributor role suitable for new graduates and early-career engineers.

Key Responsibilities

• Help turn assembly ideas into pilot builds, validated processes, and production improvements.
• Design and improve fixtures, gauges, tooling, and workstations with technical guidance and review.
• Learn how process decisions are tested through PFMEAs, control plans, capability studies, first-article inspections, and validation.
• Use factory observations and production data to identify opportunities to improve safety, quality, yield, throughput, and downtime.
• Investigate production issues with technicians and engineers, test possible root causes, and verify corrective actions.
• Write clear work instructions and process records, and support technician and operator training.
• Contribute to design-for-manufacturing, layout, capacity, and equipment work; share progress and raise safety, quality, or schedule risks promptly.
• Rare travel between sites may be required.
• Nights or weekends may be needed to support critical production ramps or outages.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• A BS in Mechanical Engineering or a related field is required.
• Hands-on experience through internships, co-ops, laboratories, student teams, academic or personal projects, or manufacturing work, with examples of your contribution and testing.
• Foundational knowledge of mechanical and electro-mechanical assembly, engineering drawings, manufacturing processes, and safe shop or laboratory practices.
• Experience using 3D CAD to design parts, fixtures, jigs, tooling, or assemblies; Siemens NX experience is helpful.
• Familiarity with basic statistics, structured problem-solving, and process variation, and willingness to build practical skills in PFMEA, control plans, SPC, Cp/Cpk, first-article inspection, and production validation.
• Ability to organize and analyze engineering or production data using Excel or similar tools; exposure to Minitab, JMP, or MES/ERP systems is helpful.
• A hands-on approach, attention to process details, curiosity about how products are built, and commitment to safety, quality, and reliable field operation.
• Clear communication and collaboration with technicians and engineers, openness to feedback, and the judgment to seek review or escalate risks.
• Ownership of agreed tasks, documentation, and follow-through, with willingness to learn planning, procurement, commissioning, and production sustainment through supported assignments.