Senior or Staff Machine Learning Engineer - Droid Perception

About ZiplineZipline stands as the global leader in autonomous delivery services, dedicated to ensuring equitable access to essential goods for all. Our mission is to revolutionize logistics by designing, building, and operating the most extensive autonomous logistics system in the world. With operations spanning four continents, we deliver critical supplies…

About ZiplineZipline is recognized as the world’s foremost autonomous delivery service, established with the mission to ensure equitable access to vital goods for everyone, anywhere, at any time. We create and manage the globe’s largest autonomous logistics system, facilitating the prompt and reliable delivery of critical supplies. Operating across four continents, we make deliveries every 30 seconds and have successfully completed millions of missions, delivering blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and commercial products. Our diverse clientele includes healthcare providers, governmental bodies, retailers, and renowned global brands that depend on us to save lives, minimize emissions, increase economic opportunities, and offer scalable logistics services.Our innovation extends beyond drones; we implement integrated logistics infrastructures that enhance supply chains, alleviate congestion, and enable instant delivery, fundamentally transforming the distribution of essential goods worldwide. With over 140 million safely flown autonomous miles, Zipline is revolutionizing access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe.We operate on a global scale and seek practical problem solvers who excel in real-world challenges and rapid expansion. Our team is driven by the desire to build systems that make a direct, meaningful impact on people's lives while scaling the logistics landscape of the future.About You and The RoleAs we oversee the world’s largest autonomous logistics network—delivering essential medical and commercial goods globally with exceptional reliability, precision, and scalability—we are expanding into increasingly complex and safety-critical environments. The systems supporting our autonomy stack must be resilient, adaptable, and intricately integrated, particularly where perception and deployment converge.We are looking for senior and staff perception engineers to join our Droid team, which is responsible for the autonomy powering Zipline’s backyard delivery functionality. This team manages the entire spectrum of offboard and cloud-based perception systems that inform, validate, and enhance our onboard autonomy. Your contributions will range from generating detailed 3D and semantic priors from aerial survey data to understanding customer preferences and terrain characteristics at scale, ultimately defining how we prepare Zipline aircraft for mission-critical deliveries in complex, real-world settings.This role is not research-oriented; you will be expected to act swiftly, deliver production-ready systems, and creatively employ cutting-edge techniques to solve tangible, high-impact challenges.

About Zipline Are you ready to make a significant impact? Zipline is dedicated to revolutionizing the delivery of goods across the globe. Our mission is to tackle the most pressing access challenges by creating the first instant delivery and logistics system that ensures equal service to all individuals, regardless of their location. From facilitating Rwanda’s national blood delivery network and aiding Ghana’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution to offering on-demand home deliveries for Walmart and enabling healthcare providers to deliver care right to homes in the U.S., we are reshaping logistics for businesses, governments, and consumers alike. Our technology, while intricate, is driven by a straightforward vision: to provide an instantaneous delivery service that brings what you need, when you need it. By leveraging advanced robotics and autonomy, we are not only decarbonizing logistics but also alleviating road congestion and minimizing fossil fuel use and air pollution, while ensuring equitable access for billions and fostering a more robust global supply chain. About You & the Role You will take ownership of the flight-critical runtime that maintains the safety of Zipline's aircraft, regardless of external challenges. You’ll design and implement the autonomy safety layer responsible for mission orchestration, fault detection and diagnosis, as well as executing mitigation and recovery strategies across planning, perception, and controls. This position involves deep systems work in Rust/C++ under stringent real-time constraints, requiring high-stakes design decisions that are validated through SIL/HIL and flight logs, elevating the reliability of a global, safety-critical fleet. What You’ll Do Design the mission/flight manager: Develop state machines and orchestration logic that dictate mission sequencing, safe-state transitions, and behavior gating under various constraints. Own fault management end-to-end: Implement detection, isolation, mitigation, and recovery (FIMR) strategies for sensors, compute, communications, power, and actuation systems; ensure graceful degradation and service continuity. Ship flight-critical Rust/C++ code: Create and maintain essential onboard components with robust observability (health, logs, metrics) and testability (deterministic replay, assertions, invariants). Prove safety prior to flight: Define success criteria and develop tools—including scenario libraries, SIL/HIL, log-replay harnesses, and fault injection—to validate behavior across edge cases and long-tail scenarios. Integrate across autonomy domains: Collaborate with planning, perception, and controls teams to establish interfaces, hazards, and assumptions necessary for seamless operation.

Transform the Future of Logistics with ZiplineAt Zipline, we are driven by a vision to revolutionize the way goods are delivered, ensuring that everyone has access to essential supplies, no matter where they are. Our pioneering instant delivery and logistics system is already making a significant impact, from supporting Rwanda's blood delivery network to facilitating Ghana's COVID-19 vaccine distribution. By leveraging advanced robotics and autonomous technology, we are committed to reducing carbon emissions, alleviating road congestion, and improving air quality while enhancing the global supply chain's resilience. Join our mission to create a fair and sustainable logistics solution for billions around the globe.

About ZiplineAre you ready to make a difference? Zipline is on a transformative mission to revolutionize the logistics of goods transportation. Our goal is to address the world’s most pressing access challenges by designing, manufacturing, and operating an instant delivery system that ensures equitable access for everyone, anywhere. From facilitating Rwanda’s national blood delivery network and distributing COVID-19 vaccines in Ghana to providing on-demand delivery for Walmart and enabling healthcare providers to bring essential services directly to homes in the U.S., we are redefining movement for businesses, governments, and consumers alike. Our technology combines robotics and autonomy to decarbonize delivery, alleviate road congestion, and minimize fossil fuel consumption and air pollution, all while fostering a more resilient global supply chain. Join Zipline and contribute to our commitment to build an equitable global supply chain that benefits billions.

About ZiplineZipline stands as the largest and most experienced drone delivery service globally. Our mission is to ensure equitable access to food, medicine, and essential goods for everyone, anytime and anywhere. We have designed, built, and operate the world’s largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies promptly and reliably. Currently, Zipline operates across four continents, facilitating a delivery every 30 seconds and achieving millions of successful deliveries, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products.Our clientele encompasses some of the world’s leading healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants, and global enterprises that count on us to save lives, minimize emissions, enhance economic opportunities, and provide swift deliveries from point A to point B. The drone component is just 15% of our comprehensive infrastructure aimed at enabling seamless and reliable global operations.By fortifying supply chains, alleviating congestion, and reclaiming valuable time for people, Zipline is revolutionizing access to healthcare, consumer products, and food on a global scale with over 140 million commercial autonomous miles flown safely.We operate at a global scale and seek practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is driven by the commitment to build systems that significantly impact people's lives and scale the future of logistics. We welcome individuals who think from first principles, embrace challenges, and can achieve the impossible at unprecedented speeds.OverviewWe are in search of a dedicated Senior IT Engineer to oversee daily IT operations and provide a seamless technology experience for our globally distributed workforce.This position entails leading helpdesk services, managing employee onboarding and offboarding, overseeing device lifecycle and logistics, and continually enhancing IT operations at scale. You will leverage a strong technical background and a proactive mindset, addressing issues directly while also creating the systems, processes, and automation necessary to minimize friction over time.The ideal candidate exhibits strong ownership by proactively identifying and rectifying problems while holding themselves accountable for results. They are customer-focused and operationally oriented, consistently improving processes, eliminating inefficiencies, and developing scalable systems that enhance the employee experience overall.What You’ll Be DoingRun Day-to-Day IT OperationsOwn and operate the IT helpdesk functions, ensuring prompt resolution of technical issues.Manage employee onboarding and offboarding processes to ensure a smooth technology transition for all staff.Oversee the lifecycle of devices, from procurement to disposal, ensuring efficient and sustainable management.Continuously improve IT operations, implementing best practices, and leveraging automation to enhance efficiency.

Join the Revolution at ZiplineAre you ready to make a lasting impact? Zipline is on a groundbreaking mission to revolutionize logistics and accessibility across the globe. We aim to tackle the most pressing access challenges by developing and operating an innovative delivery system that serves everyone, everywhere. From supporting Rwanda’s national blood delivery network and distributing COVID-19 vaccines in Ghana, to providing on-demand delivery for Walmart, we are reshaping the logistics landscape for businesses and consumers alike. Our advanced technology, which integrates robotics and autonomy, is not only cutting-edge but also focused on sustainability, helping to reduce road congestion and air pollution while ensuring equitable access to vital resources.About You and the RoleAre you excited by the challenge of transitioning a first-of-its-kind autonomous robotic system from prototype to mass production? Can you navigate through competing priorities to focus on the essential steps necessary for achieving both immediate and long-term objectives? If you thrive in a leadership role that demands both authority and responsibility, we want to hear from you!This is an on-site position based at our headquarters in South San Francisco, with 40-60% travel required to engage with vital partners across Asia and North America.Your ResponsibilitiesIn this prominent role, you will take charge of component development qualification activities at suppliers and collaborate closely with Engineering, Strategic Sourcing, Integrated Planning, and Manufacturing Operations teams to expand Zipline’s manufacturing capabilities.Plan, organize, and direct industrialization efforts across Design Engineering, Manufacturing, Material Planning, New Product Introduction (NPI), and Supply Chain teams.Engage in Supplier Design for Manufacturability (DFM) reviews, guiding suppliers on effective poka-yoke implementation, optimal gauging methods, and appropriate tools or assembly equipment. Provide constructive feedback to Zipline Design teams to ensure alignment during validation builds and into mass production.Lead, monitor, and enhance Supplier manufacturing process development and readiness for design changes, new products, and outsourcing initiatives.

About ZiplineZipline is the world's largest and most experienced drone delivery service, revolutionizing access to essential goods such as food and medicine across the globe. Our mission is to ensure equitable access for all, delivering critical supplies swiftly and reliably. With operations spanning four continents, Zipline makes a delivery every 30 seconds and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, and retail products.Our customers include major healthcare systems, governments, retailers, and global businesses, all relying on our services to save lives, reduce emissions, and enhance economic opportunities. While our drones represent a significant aspect of our operations, they account for only 15% of our comprehensive logistics capabilities.By strengthening supply chains and reducing congestion, Zipline is reshaping the way healthcare, consumer products, and food are accessed worldwide, having safely flown over 140 million commercial autonomous miles.We are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive in fast-paced environments and are motivated by the impact their work has on people's lives. If you enjoy tackling challenges head-on and can achieve the extraordinary at remarkable speeds, we want you on our team.About the RoleWe are in search of a Staff Optomechanical Engineer to spearhead the mechanical development of camera systems for our drone applications. This role encompasses the entire mechanical architecture lifecycle—from concept through to production—ensuring that our systems perform robustly across various conditions such as vibration, shock, and thermal exposure. You will collaborate closely with cross-disciplinary teams including electrical, optical, firmware, manufacturing, and flight-test to produce a camera system that meets stringent specifications for weight, stiffness, alignment, reliability, and perception.Your ResponsibilitiesOversee the complete mechanical development lifecycle for camera hardware: from defining requirements and concept design to CAD, analysis, prototyping, and production support.Transform optical and perception system requirements into mechanical specifications that guide the final design.Conduct trade studies to balance competing requirements effectively.

About ZiplineAre you ready to make a meaningful impact? Zipline is dedicated to revolutionizing logistics on a global scale. Our mission is to address critical access challenges by creating a pioneering delivery system that ensures equitable access to goods for everyone, everywhere. From operating Rwanda’s national blood supply network to facilitating Ghana’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution, and providing on-demand delivery services for Walmart, we are reshaping logistics for businesses, governments, and consumers.Our technology is sophisticated, but our goal is straightforward: a teleportation service that brings you what you need, precisely when you need it. By harnessing robotics and autonomous systems, we are not only reducing carbon emissions and road congestion but also enhancing global supply chains and ensuring equitable access for billions.Join us at Zipline and be part of our commitment to building a more resilient and equitable global supply chain.

About ZiplineAre you passionate about making a difference? At Zipline, we are revolutionizing logistics and delivery systems to tackle the world's most pressing access challenges. Our innovative approach is reshaping how essential goods are transported, ensuring equitable access for all, regardless of their location. From delivering blood supplies in Rwanda to COVID-19 vaccines in Ghana, and providing on-demand delivery services for major retailers, our technology integrates robotics and autonomy to create a cleaner, more efficient supply chain. Join us in our quest to build a sustainable and resilient global logistics network that benefits billions. Become part of Zipline and help us fulfill our mission to create an equitable global supply chain.

About ZiplineAre you ready to make a global impact? Zipline is dedicated to revolutionizing the logistics of goods distribution. We tackle the world’s most pressing access issues by creating the first-ever instant delivery system that ensures equitable service for everyone, regardless of location. Our innovations have powered vital services, from Rwanda’s national blood delivery to Ghana’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution, and even to on-demand deliveries for Walmart. By utilizing advanced robotics and autonomous technology, we aim to decarbonize logistics, alleviate road congestion, and minimize pollution while constructing a resilient global supply chain that benefits billions. Join Zipline in our mission to create an equitable and robust global supply chain for all.

About ZiplineZipline stands as the world's leading and most experienced drone delivery service, dedicated to ensuring equitable access to food, medicine, and essential goods for everyone, everywhere. Our mission drives us to design, build, and operate the largest autonomous logistics system globally, enabling rapid and reliable delivery of critical supplies. With operations across four continents, Zipline achieves a delivery approximately every 30 seconds and has successfully completed millions of deliveries, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products.We partner with major healthcare systems, governments, retailers, and global businesses that depend on our services to save lives, reduce emissions, and enhance economic opportunities while delivering goods swiftly and efficiently. Our innovative drone technology is just a fraction of what we've developed to facilitate seamless global operations.Our system enhances supply chains, alleviates congestion, and returns valuable time to individuals. With over 140 million commercial autonomous miles flown safely, Zipline is reshaping access to healthcare, consumer products, and food worldwide.We operate on a global scale and seek practical problem solvers who excel in real-world challenges and thrive in a fast-paced environment. Our team is passionate about creating systems that have a significant, positive impact on people's lives and about scaling the future of logistics. We are looking for individuals who can think from first principles, embrace challenges, and achieve the extraordinary at remarkable speeds.About You and The Role You are a meticulous, execution-driven individual who excels in hands-on environments. As a Journeyman Electrician, your expertise will be crucial in the installation, commissioning, and servicing of essential power systems, including generators, battery storage units, and network cabinets.This position is ideal for someone who prioritizes safety, adheres strictly to technical drawings, and finds satisfaction in overseeing complex installations to successful completion. You should be comfortable with periodic travel, approximately 3–4 days each month, and prepared to work in both warehouse and outdoor settings.What You'll Do

About ZiplineZipline is revolutionizing logistics with a mission to enhance the movement of goods globally. Our goal is to address some of the world's most pressing access challenges by creating an instant logistics system that benefits everyone equally. Specializing in robotics and autonomy, we design and operate a fleet of advanced autonomous delivery drones, reaching tens of millions of people worldwide.As a participant in Zipline's Emerging Talent program, interns will engage in impactful projects that contribute to our mission of providing equitable access to vital healthcare supplies for millions. Our internships offer much more than mere observation; we expect our interns to tackle significant tasks that drive our mission forward while acquiring practical skills for their future careers.Join us in shaping the future of logistics alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry!

About ZiplineAre you passionate about making a difference? Zipline is dedicated to revolutionizing the logistics sector. Our mission is to tackle the world's most pressing access challenges by developing an instant delivery and logistics system that serves everyone equally, regardless of location. From facilitating Rwanda's national blood supply network and distributing COVID-19 vaccines in Ghana to enabling Walmart's on-demand home deliveries and helping healthcare providers reach patients directly in the U.S., we are redefining how goods move for businesses, governments, and individuals. Our technology is sophisticated, yet our goal is straightforward: a seamless delivery service that provides what you need, precisely when you need it. Leveraging robotics and autonomous systems, we aim to reduce carbon emissions, alleviate road congestion, and minimize fossil fuel consumption, all while ensuring equitable access for billions and reinforcing a more robust global supply chain.Join us at Zipline as we fulfill our commitment to establish a more fair and resilient global supply chain for billions around the world.

About ZiplineZipline is the leading autonomous delivery service globally, dedicated to ensuring equitable access to essential goods for all individuals, anytime and anywhere. We design, develop, and manage the world's largest autonomous logistics system, delivering vital supplies swiftly and reliably. Currently, Zipline operates across four continents, executing a delivery every 30 seconds, and has successfully completed millions of deliveries of blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and commercial products. Our clientele includes healthcare systems, government entities, retailers, and renowned global brands that depend on us to save lives, minimize emissions, boost economic opportunities, and offer scalable logistics services.Our technology extends beyond drones; we implement integrated logistics infrastructure that enhances supply chains, alleviates congestion, and facilitates instant delivery, revolutionizing how essential goods reach people worldwide. With over 140 million commercial autonomous miles flown safely, Zipline is transforming access to healthcare, consumer products, and food on a global scale.Operating at a worldwide level, we seek practical problem solvers who thrive amidst real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is driven by the mission to build systems that have a direct, significant impact on lives while scaling the future of logistics.

About ZiplineZipline stands as the global leader in drone delivery services, committed to providing equitable access to essential goods, including food and medicine, at any time and from anywhere. Our innovative approach involves designing, building, and operating the largest autonomous logistics system worldwide, ensuring swift and reliable delivery of critical supplies. Operating across four continents, we execute a delivery every 30 seconds and have successfully completed millions of deliveries, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, and retail products.Our esteemed clientele encompasses major healthcare systems, governmental bodies, retailers, restaurants, and global enterprises that depend on us to save lives, reduce emissions, and enhance economic opportunities through expedited delivery services. Our drone technology is just a fraction of our sophisticated infrastructure aimed at ensuring seamless and dependable global operations.By refining supply chains and alleviating congestion, we enable people to reclaim their time. With over 140 million commercial autonomous miles flown safely, Zipline is revolutionizing access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe.We operate on a global scale, seeking practical problem solvers who excel in real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is driven by the desire to build systems that foster a direct, meaningful impact on lives and to scale the future of logistics. We value individuals who approach problems from first principles, embrace challenges, and achieve what seems impossible at unprecedented speeds.Join Zipline and be a part of our mission to create an equitable and resilient global supply chain.

About ZiplineAre you ready to make a significant impact on the world? Zipline is dedicated to revolutionizing the logistics and delivery sector. Our mission is to tackle urgent access challenges globally by creating the first instant delivery system that equitably serves every individual, no matter their location. From facilitating Rwanda’s national blood supply and Ghana’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution to enabling Walmart’s home delivery, we are transforming logistics for businesses, governments, and consumers alike. Our sophisticated technology, which integrates robotics and autonomous systems, aims to reduce delivery emissions, traffic congestion, and reliance on fossil fuels while ensuring millions have equitable access to essential goods. Join us in our endeavor to create a more resilient global supply chain.Become a part of Zipline and help us fulfill our commitment to building an accessible and sustainable supply chain for billions!

About ZiplineAre you ready to make a significant impact? Zipline is dedicated to revolutionizing the logistics of goods transport. Our mission is to address the world's most pressing accessibility challenges by building and operating an innovative delivery system that provides equal access for all people, no matter where they are. From supporting Rwanda’s national blood delivery network and distributing COVID-19 vaccines in Ghana, to facilitating on-demand home deliveries for Walmart and empowering healthcare providers in the U.S., we are transforming logistics for businesses, governments, and consumers alike. Our complex technology is underpinned by a straightforward concept: a teleportation service that delivers essential items precisely when needed. By leveraging robotics and autonomy, we are not only decarbonizing delivery but also reducing road congestion and fossil fuel consumption, all while enhancing equitable access for billions and fostering a more resilient global supply chain.Join us at Zipline and contribute to our vision of creating a fair and robust global supply chain for billions.

About You and the Role Zipline is pioneering the world’s largest autonomous logistics network, responsible for delivering critical medical and commercial supplies worldwide. As we expand our operations into increasingly complex and safety-sensitive environments, validating and demonstrating our autonomy performance at scale becomes paramount. We are in search of a highly skilled software engineer to join our Autonomy Validation team—a vital group dedicated to developing the infrastructure, tools, and frameworks necessary for software validation across the entire Autonomy division. This encompasses planning, perception, control, and the decision-making logic that drives our self-flying aircraft. Our autonomy stack is uniquely custom-built. While this provides us with unparalleled control and performance, it also necessitates the creation of tailored validation tools, as standard testing solutions are insufficient. In this position, you will be responsible for developing robust internal platforms for validation, enabling extensive simulations and rigorous scenario testing, thus ensuring that autonomy engineers can operate with confidence. This role is not focused on quality assurance; instead, it represents a foundational software engineering position that will significantly influence our approach to testing, verifying, and safely deploying autonomy on a global scale. What You'll Do Develop and maintain the infrastructure for validating autonomous features and system performance across planning, perception, and control. Design and create simulation tools and scenario generation for extensive, high-fidelity testing of autonomy in both real-world and edge-case scenarios. Build custom tools for the validation and testing of autonomy components that integrate seamlessly into our internal development stack. Create scalable, dependable, and automated solutions for executing, tracking, and analyzing thousands of validation tasks within the autonomy organization. Engage collaboratively with: Autonomy engineers, to assess how system behaviors should be evaluated. Systems and data engineers, to ensure metrics, safety thresholds, and requirements are codified in our testing infrastructure. Flight test and QA teams, to connect real-world results back into testing tools and continuous integration loops. Establish best practices for software release validation, ensuring our autonomy stack is safe, measurable, and production-ready. Contribute to internal documentation, standards, and validation workflows that can scale across the autonomy organization.