Senior Power Electronics Engineer - Ground Systems

Zipline•South San Francisco, CA

19h•$160,000 - $225,000•Onsite

About The Position

Zipline is seeking a senior-level electrical engineer to lead the design and development of high-performance power electronics systems that support their drone charging and docking infrastructure. The Ground Systems team is responsible for all ground infrastructure supporting autonomous delivery drones, including automatic docking, battery charging, thermal management, ground communication, and preflight checks. This role is crucial for enabling the next generation of drone logistics, addressing complex challenges in power distribution, power conversion, battery charging, high-performance microprocessors, high-speed network communication, and system-level integration. The engineer will bring deep technical expertise in power electronics to help shape Zipline’s global infrastructure as it scales. This is a hands-on engineering role, involving close collaboration with cross-functional engineering teams to own the electrical system development from concept to production, pushing the limits of hardware in real-world applications.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical Engineering or related discipline
5+ years of hands-on experience designing and testing power electronics hardware (AC-DC, DC-DC, battery charging, etc.)
Strong understanding of high-voltage power semiconductors like SiC or Si MOSFETs
Deep knowledge of circuit topologies for AC-DC and DC-DC power conversion
Design experience with MCU and digital communications (Ethernet, SPI, I2C, UART)
Proficiency in schematic capture, PCB layout, and simulation tools (Altium, SPICE, etc.)
Familiarity with UL, IEC, and other electrical safety standards
Strong lab skills and familiarity with test equipment like oscilloscope, digital multimeter, power analyzer, LCR meter, function generator, spectrum analyzer, etc
Excellent communication and collaboration skills across engineering disciplines
Must be eligible to work in the U.S.
Must be able to work at Zipline’s South San Francisco office.

Nice To Haves

Experience with EMI filter design and inductor/transformer design

Responsibilities

Own the electrical design of Zipline’s drone charging systems for volume production through a full design cycle including requirements, prototype, schematic capture, layout, and validation.
Shape the architecture of Zipline’s next generation product, making impactful design decisions daily, while working with a high level of independence.
Lead trade studies, understand competing design priorities, and provide direction and clarity for burning down risk.
Proactively seek out opportunities for improvement in system and component level design.
Collaborate cross-functionally with reliability, mechanical, embedded, and systems engineers in all stages of development, including: Concept: System requirement, specification, tradeoff; Design: Schematic capture, PCB layout, system integration; Validation: Function and reliability test; Production: DFM, design drawings, manufacturing, EOL test, certification; Deployment: Troubleshoot field issues, develop rapid mitigations, roll learnings into future design revisions.
Travel occasionally to support supplier and manufacturer visit, product deployment, and field validation.