Hardware Test Automation Intern (Fall 2026)

Zipline • South San Francisco, CA

3h • Onsite

About The Position

Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced drone delivery service, on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world’s largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds. 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.

The Hardware Test Team plays a critical role in ensuring the performance, reliability, and safety of the systems that power Zipline’s life-saving delivery drones. As a cross-functional group supporting multiple hardware engineering domains, we design and execute rigorous testing strategies across avionics, power systems, mechanical assemblies, sensors, and other mission-critical components. Operating at the intersection of hardware and software, we validate integrated systems under real-world and simulated conditions to ensure our products perform flawlessly in some of the most demanding environments on Earth. Our work directly advances Zipline’s mission to provide fast, dependable access to essential medical and commercial supplies around the globe.

In developing a test asset, you will gain a deep understanding of the system you are working on—whether that includes embedded electronics, avionics, sensing systems, power distribution, mechanical actuation, or full subsystem integrations. Building these test assets often involves designing and constructing mechatronic systems as well as developing complex automation scripts that coordinate sensors, actuators, and instrumentation with operator safety in mind. You will own your test asset end-to-end: from early concept and system definition, to implementation, data collection, analysis, and ultimately the recommendations that inform engineering decisions. If you are excited by hands-on engineering, solving ambiguous technical problems, and building tools that raise the bar for hardware quality, this role is for you.

Requirements

• Experience programming in Python, with foundational knowledge of embedded C
• Experience developing software that interfaces directly with hardware and instrumentation
• Ability to interpret datasheets and write basic drivers for new components
• Understanding of fundamental electrical and/or mechanical engineering principles
• Experience working with common electrical test equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, etc.)

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to define clear component and tester requirements
• Architect and implement software to validate the design and assembly of components ranging from circuit boards to large mechanical or electromechanical assemblies
• Develop automation-centric software to streamline testing, data collection, analysis, and reporting
• Gain deep expertise in the components or systems under test to understand their expected behavior under a variety of operating conditions
• Own a test asset through its entire lifecycle—from planning and implementation to system validation, troubleshooting, and analysis of results

What This Job Offers

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