Aerodynamics Intern (Spring 2027)

Zipline • South San Francisco, CA

4h • Onsite

About The Position

Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced drone delivery service, aiming to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine, and essential goods anytime, anywhere. They design, build, and operate the world’s largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries. Their system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back, with over 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown. The company is looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth, motivated by building systems with a direct, meaningful impact and scaling the future of logistics. The Applied Aerodynamics Team is responsible for the aerodynamic performance of the aircraft, from high-level aeronautical considerations to detailed surface design, working on everything from the body and propellers to vehicle dynamics and aeroacoustics. They collaborate closely with almost every other engineering team to ensure product success.

As an intern in the Aerodynamics Team, you will work on current open projects alongside experienced aerodynamicists and aeronautical engineers. This role offers an opportunity to test academic skills in a practical, fast-paced environment, leveraging physics to solve real problems. You will learn to use various tools, from low-fidelity calculations and CFD simulations to experimental analysis, to drive the design of current and future products.

Requirements

• Studying one or more of the following areas: fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, flight physics, aeronautical engineering, acoustics.
• A strong understanding of the technical content of these courses is the most valuable asset you will bring, and will help you exercise good engineering judgment.

Nice To Haves

• Understanding and experience with continuum- or Lattice Boltzmann-based computational fluid dynamics, such as STAR-CCM+, Fluent, OpenFOAM, or PowerFLOW
• Wind tunnel test identification, planning, execution, troubleshooting, and data analysis using a variety of electro-mechanical and optical diagnostic techniques
• Flight test planning for system identification and simulation validation, cross functional planning, test execution, and data analysis
• MATLAB, Python, Rust, or similar software tools
• CAD advanced surfacing tools, such as CATIA or NX

Responsibilities

• Vehicle design analysis including aerodynamics, propulsion, and power system performance.
• Low- and high-fidelity analytical modeling of vehicle subsystems and behaviors
• Aerodynamic database generation and building analysis of flight behaviors
• Experiment planning, execution and data analysis, from wind tunnels to flight tests
• Support multidisciplinary team including controls, mechanical, production, software, and electrical engineers to tackle design challenges and resolve time-sensitive issues

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed