Supplier Industrialization Engineer (Mechanical Generalist)

ZipLine•South San Francisco, CA

61d•$130,000 - $185,000•Onsite

About The Position

Zipline's mission is to provide every human on Earth with instant access to vital medical supplies. We believe that where you live should never dictate whether you live. We are at the forefront of a logistics revolution, using autonomous aircraft to deliver just-in-time, life-saving medical supplies at national scale in several countries and expanding around the world. Are you interested in building a system that 500 million people will depend on with their lives? As a Supplier Industrialization Engineer (SIE) focused on Mechanical and Top-Level Assembly (TLA), you will play a mission-critical role in scaling Zipline's manufacturing supply chain from prototype to high-volume, global production. You'll serve as a technical bridge between engineering and supply chain, embedding DFM/DFA best practices into the design process while driving supplier selection, tooling development, automation strategy, and quality assurance. This role requires deep technical expertise across a broad spectrum of mechanical and electromechanical commodities-including motors, magnetics, thermal management systems (heat pipes, fans, housings), cameras, antennas, injection-molded plastics, and high-volume metal fabrication (casting, forging, stamping, and sheet metal). You'll work with suppliers around the world to ensure high-yield, scalable processes that meet Zipline's rigorous safety and quality standards.

Requirements

7+ years of experience in Supplier Industrialization, Supplier Quality, or Manufacturing Engineering for mechanical and electromechanical systems, such as:
Motors and magnetic assemblies (including winding, insulation, dynamic balancing)
Thermal systems, such as heat pipes, fans, housings, and thermal interfaces
Injection molding, vacuum forming, and foam molding
High-volume metal production: die casting, stamping, forging, and sheet metal
Cameras, sensors, and RF-based components (e.g., antennas)
Strong understanding of fixture design, tooling development, and DFM for high-throughput, precision manufacturing
Hands-on experience with NPI ramp, supplier audits, and automated process qualification
Proficiency in GD&T and 3D CAD tools (e.g., NX, SolidWorks)
Experience with EOL testing development and in-process inspection systems for critical parts
Data-first mindset-confident using statistical tools (JMP, Minitab, Python) to drive root cause and quality tracking
Exceptional cross-functional communicator, able to lead conversations across engineering, operations, and external supplier teams
Must be eligible to work in the US and travel globally 40-50% of the time as needed.

Responsibilities

Audit, qualify, and manage global suppliers across a wide range of manufacturing processes including: Motor winding, magnetic assemblies, and thermal components such as heat exchangers, heat sinks, fans, and ducts
Injection and blow molding, vacuum forming, and foam molding for plastic and elastomeric parts
High-volume metal forming processes including die casting, forging, sheet metal forming, and stamping
Precision assemblies for cameras, sensors, and aerospace-grade antennas
Evaluate supplier capability to support automation, tight tolerance control, and consistent quality in both prototyping and full-rate production.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define supplier selection criteria that support both technical requirements and cost targets.
Own quality systems implementation with suppliers-ensuring compliance with ISO9001, AS9100, and IATF16949 standards.
Lead development and execution of pFMEA, SPC, PPAP, and process control documentation, tailored to each commodity type.
Conduct Design of Experiments (DOE) and Gage R&R studies to validate supplier capability in thermal system performance, magnet alignment, plastic part shrinkage, and casting dimensional repeatability.
Use JMP, Minitab, or R to analyze manufacturing trends, monitor yield performance, and drive defect reduction.
Investigate field and test issues related to motors, thermal components, or sensor modules, working with suppliers on root cause analysis and corrective actions.
Partner with engineering to apply DFM/DFA early in design-with special focus on parting lines, wall thickness, cooling paths, tolerances, and fastener strategies across all materials and assembly types.
Develop and optimize process flows for key assemblies that integrate motors, heat management elements, and electromechanical actuators.
Define and lead semi-automated and fully automated processes for component manufacturing and top-level integration, including for camera and sensor modules, magnetic assemblies, and foam-molded aircraft exteriors.
Collaborate with automation teams to implement robotic assembly cells and in-line test stations for cost-efficient, scalable production.