About the job
Join Zipline and Revolutionize Logistics
Are you ready to make a difference? Zipline is dedicated to reshaping the way goods are delivered globally. Our mission is to tackle the most pressing access challenges by creating an instantaneous logistics system that serves everyone. With our innovative approach to robotics and autonomy, we already reach tens of millions of individuals around the world. Come aboard Zipline and help us fulfill our vision of a fairer and more resilient global supply chain.
About the Systems Modeling Team
The Systems Modeling Team plays a crucial role in defining Zipline’s product landscape. We create physics-based models that are integral in designing and optimizing our aircraft and logistics systems. Through advanced simulations, we explore an extensive range of design possibilities for future innovations while enhancing the performance of our existing products.
Our team thrives on diversity, uniting expertise from various fields such as mechanical engineering, aerodynamics, electromagnetics, electrical engineering, battery chemistry, thermal dynamics, controls, fleet operations, and economics. We excel in translating complex technical discussions into well-defined engineering challenges, always emphasizing the importance of relevant inquiries and clear solutions.
Your Role and Responsibilities
As the leader of a talented group of engineers, you will apply your analytical skills to influence both product architecture and fleet operations. Your team’s insights will drive pivotal decisions throughout engineering development and scaling processes, enabling you to question assumptions and requirements that contribute significantly to cost and complexity. You will relentlessly seek high-quality insights by refining validation methodologies, cross-referencing simulation outcomes with independent calculations, ensuring the integrity of model inputs, and identifying areas where model assumptions lack robust data support.
Your primary responsibility will be to develop and sustain models that align product performance objectives with hardware/software specifications. This may involve creating aircraft models that encompass various components like motors, inverters, propellers, wings, batteries, and controllers. You will delve into the specifics of each subsystem, considering questions such as: Should the motor be paired with a gearbox? How can we optimize torque delivery without overheating while minimizing weight? What battery chemistry best meets our lifetime, mass, and power requirements? You will also evaluate broader system-level trade-offs, such as acceptable range compromises for payload capacities.
