Zipline
Head of Aerodynamics
$200K–$265K
South San Francisco, California, USA +1 · Director · Full-time · Posted Jul 20, 2026
- Location
- South San Francisco, California, USA
South San Francisco, California, United States - Experience
- Minimum 6+ years in industry; at least 3 years in a leadership role or clear readiness to lead a 5–9 person team.
- Visa sponsorship
- Must be eligible to work in the US.
About the job
Leads the aerodynamics discipline for autonomous delivery aircraft, delivering aerodynamic and acoustic performance across new vehicles and fleet upgrades.
What you'll do
- Own aerodynamic and aeroacoustic targets, plant models, test programs, and release-quality geometry for vehicle programs.
- Lead and grow a 5–9 person team, setting roadmaps and coordinating design reviews and flight-test milestones.
- Manage propeller trade studies and fleet aerodynamic-health metrics, collaborating across engineering, manufacturing, certification, and operations.
What they ask for
- 6+ years of industry experience in applied aerodynamics or aircraft design, including 3+ years in leadership or clear readiness to lead a 5–9 person team; hands-on contributor background.
- Deep CFD expertise and ability to validate plant models; experimental aerodynamics experience, including wind-tunnel programs and flight-test instrumentation.
- Advanced surfacing and geometry skills, with experience producing release-quality geometry for mass-produced products.
- Strong propeller/rotor aerodynamics and aeroacoustics expertise; based in South San Francisco, available on-site 5 days/week and for 10–20% domestic travel, and eligible to work in the US.
Pay
$200,000 to $265,000 USD base salary
Tools
Fluent, Star‑CCM+, OpenFOAM, powerFLOW, CATIA, NX, PIV/LDV
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative