Engineering Validation & Reliability Technician – Ground Systems

As an Engineering Validation & Reliability Technician on the Ground Systems team, you will investigate field-return hardware, partner with Field Service Engineers to resolve complex technical issues, perform structured root cause analysis, execute engineering validation testing, and work closely with Ground Systems Test Engineers to improve product reliability. You will diagnose electrical and electromechanical failures, collect technical evidence, and document findings to support continuous improvement of Zipline's autonomous delivery infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Investigate returned hardware using structured electrical and system-level troubleshooting techniques.
• Characterize failures, isolate root causes, and document technical evidence including logs, measurements, and observations.
• Escalate complex issues with clear engineering findings and recommendations.
• Partner with Field Service Engineers to resolve escalated technical issues.
• Validate corrective actions and provide engineering feedback to improve future designs and supportability.
• Execute engineering validation plans, fixture bring-up, prototype verification, and regression testing.
• Collaborate with Ground Systems Test Engineers to verify design changes and reproduce field issues.
• Document investigations, test results, and corrective actions.
• Identify recurring failure trends and recommend improvements to products, processes, and documentation.

Requirements

• 2–5+ years supporting electrical or electromechanical hardware in engineering, manufacturing, or test environments.
• Strong electrical troubleshooting and structured root cause analysis skills.
• Experience executing engineering validation or manufacturing test procedures.
• Ability to read electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and mechanical drawings.
• Hands-on experience with multimeters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, and common laboratory equipment.
• Strong documentation, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Nice to have

• Experience with automated test equipment, robotics, embedded systems, or aerospace hardware.
• Experience with reliability engineering, failure analysis, CAD, or data analysis tools.
• Experience supporting prototype development or engineering investigations.