Zipline
Mechanical Test Engineer, Motors (Senior)
$130K–$180K
South San Francisco, California, USA +1 · Senior · Full-time · Posted Jul 15, 2026
- Location
- South San Francisco, California, USA
South San Francisco, California, United States
About the job
Characterizes motors, propulsion systems, actuators, and propeller subassemblies through laboratory performance and reliability testing, connecting results to flight and field performance.
What you'll do
- Own performance and reliability test campaigns, from specifications through technical recommendations, including failure analysis and model validation.
- Test motors, propulsion systems, actuators, and subassemblies for efficiency, thermal behavior, dynamics, and endurance.
- Develop automated test scripts and data-acquisition pipelines; partner with engineering and manufacturing teams on test requirements and production strategies.
What they ask for
- Hands-on experience with electric motors and actuators, including efficiency, losses, and electrical and thermal model testing.
- Hands-on experience evaluating actuator performance and control systems.
- Experience with structural and dynamics testing, including material testing, dynamic response, accelerometer and strain instrumentation.
- Experience building or improving test fixtures, dynamometers, thrust stands, instrumentation, or automated data-acquisition systems; proficiency in Python or equivalent.
Pay
$130,000 - $180,000 USD base salary
Tools
Python, BLDC motors, inverter, FEA, accelerometer
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative