Zipline
Mechanical Test Engineer, Structures and Mechanisms
$145K–$225K
South San Francisco, California, USA +1 · Full-time · Posted Aug 10, 2026
- Location
- South San Francisco, California, USA
South San Francisco, California, United States
About the job
Owns mechanical testing and validation of flight-critical aircraft structures and mechanisms, from test strategy and fixture design through execution, analysis, and failure investigation.
What you'll do
- Design, build, commission, and maintain mechanical test rigs, fixtures, environmental setups, and automated cycle systems.
- Develop and execute validation campaigns and verification plans for structural strength, fatigue, mechanism performance, and service life.
- Investigate test and flight failures, identify root causes, and communicate evidence, risks, and release recommendations.
What they ask for
- Proven ownership of mechanical or electromechanical hardware validation through development, qualification, production ramp, and field deployment.
- Hands-on experience designing and building mechanical test rigs, fixtures, instrumented assemblies, and automated cycle-test systems.
- Mechanical fundamentals and CAD design skills; practical experience selecting, installing, calibrating, and troubleshooting sensors and data-acquisition systems.
- Experience developing automated test and analysis tools using Python or an equivalent language; track record investigating complex failures and verifying corrective actions.
Pay
$145,000 – $225,000 USD base salary
Tools
CAD, Python
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative