Hardware Test Automation Intern (Spring 2026)
About The Position
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 the first instant logistics system that serves all humans equally. Leveraging expertise in robotics and autonomy, Zipline designs, builds, and operates a fleet of cutting edge, autonomous delivery drones. We serve tens of millions of people around the world. Joining Zipline's Emerging Talent program as an intern is an opportunity to contribute to our promise of building a system that provides equitable access to critical healthcare supplies for millions of people. We believe that internships are more than just opportunities to learn by watching or doing low level tasks. We expect our interns to take on meaningful work that actively contributes to moving Zipline's mission forward, while learning real-world skills that will serve them in their careers for the long term. Join us, and build the future of logistics with the best humans around! About the Hardware Test Team The Powertrain Test Team plays a critical role in ensuring the performance, reliability, and safety of the electric drivetrain that powers Zipline's life-saving delivery drones. As a sub-team within the broader Powertrain organization, we design and execute rigorous testing strategies across motors, propellers, batteries, and related components. Operating at the intersection of hardware and software, we validate systems under real-world conditions to ensure our drones perform flawlessly in some of the most demanding environments on Earth. Our work directly impacts Zipline's mission to provide fast, dependable access to essential medical and commercial supplies around the globe. The Role In developing a test asset, you will gain a deep understanding of the system you are working on. This could be the full avionics stack and the embedded code that lives in them, including flight computers, power distribution boards, battery management systems, and motor controllers. The test of these systems will likely involve the design and build of mechatronics systems and along with the development of complex scripts that automate many sensors and actuators with operator safety in mind. In all cases, you will have full ownership of the results of your work from early system prototypes to the data analysis and recommendations that come from it. If this sounds like something you'd be excited to tackle, read on.
Requirements
- Experience programming in Python with some knowledge of embedded C
- Experience developing software that interfaces directly with hardware and instrumentation
- Experience navigating data sheets and writing basic drivers for new components
- An understanding of basic electrical and/or mechanical principles
- Experience working with common electrical test instrumentation (multimeters, oscilloscopes, etc.)
Responsibilities
- Work with cross-functional teams in order to build a clear set of component and/or tester requirements
- Architect and implement software to validate the design and assembly of components from circuit boards to large mechanical assemblies
- Develop automation-centric software to streamline components testing, data collection and analysis
- Gain a deep understanding of the components under test to become an expert on its expected and intended behavior under different conditions
- Own a test asset through its entire lifecycle from planning and implementation to validation and analysis of results
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Intern
Industry
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Education Level
No Education Listed
Number of Employees
1,001-5,000 employees
