Flight Test Engineer Intern (Spring 2027)

About the Role

As a Flight Test Engineering Intern, you will be instrumental in analyzing flight test data logs to determine test effectiveness, identify success/failure root causes, and track performance trends. You will also directly contribute to the design of new flight test campaigns, collaborating with other engineers to define the test scope, test method, and data post-processing. This is a unique opportunity for someone excited to learn how complex robotic systems are validated, who enjoys problem-solving, and who wants to build real-world experience working with autonomy software, data analysis, and systems engineering.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze flight test data logs using custom scripts (Python, DataBricks, SQL) to identify anomalies, assess reliability, track performance trends, and perform regression analyses.
• Design, oversee the execution, and review the results of software validation and flight test campaigns to ensure new features perform as intended and prevent hardware/software regression.
• Daily test and monitor the develop branch to quickly surface instability and potential future issues.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners (GNC, Aerodynamics, Structures, Systems Engineering) to ensure system-level requirements (e.g., acceleration, range, climb rate) are clear, measurable, and that vehicle changes are mature for flight testing.
• Define or develop novel test infrastructure, including application-based tools to support flight testing, new instrumentation systems (e.g., load cells, vision systems), or modified flight control software, to collect auxiliary data in flight.
• Establish and maintain documentation, dashboards, and SQL search queries to track test progress and operational efficiency.
• Be ready to directly own any aspect of flight operations (preflight, launch, flight maneuvers, incident reporting) or supervise these activities with the flight operations team.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Strong mathematical and physics background.
• Experience in autonomous vehicle/robotic system integration and testing work.
• Experience in data process, visualization.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Qualifications

• Must have completed the second year of undergraduate studies in physics, mathematics, mechanical, aerospace, system engineering, computer science, electrical engineering or related fields.
• Masters and PhD students are also eligible.

This internship is a full-time, in-person position at Zipline's South San Francisco office from January to April/May 2027.