System Test Automation Intern (Summer 2027)
Summary
Intern role executing Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) and flight tests for Zipline's autonomous drone delivery systems. You will build and refine automated testing pipelines using Python or Rust to validate hardware and software interactions.
About Zipline
Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world’s largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products.
Our customers include the world’s largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we’ve built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations.
Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe.
We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people’s lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds.
About the System Validation Team
The System Validation Team ensures the performance, reliability, and safety of Zipline’s integrated system of systems, including the Zip, Droid, and Dock. We specialize in Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing, enabling us to validate complex interactions across hardware and software before real-world deployment. Our team builds and maintains automated pipelines that rigorously test software in a simulated environment, ensuring it meets high standards before being tested in flight. By catching potential issues early and refining system behavior, we play a critical role in delivering reliable, safe, and efficient solutions that power Zipline’s mission to transform global logistics. Our team owns automation of flight testing as well to capture issues before it happens in commercial flights.
The Role
As a System Validation Intern, you will contribute to testing and validating Zipline’s complete system of systems—spanning the Zip, Droid, and Dock. You’ll help build and refine automated testing pipelines, ensuring that software meets rigorous quality standards before being tested in flight. Working closely with a supportive and experienced team, you’ll develop hands-on experience with cutting-edge tools and technologies while solving meaningful challenges. Your work will play an essential role in ensuring the reliability of systems that deliver life-saving goods worldwide. This role offers a unique opportunity to learn, grow, and make an impact in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
What You'll Do
- Assist in executing Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) tests and flight tests to validate the interaction between Zipline’s Zip, Droid, and Dock systems.
- Collaborate with a wide range of engineers from different teams to build and refine automated pipelines that test software before it is deployed in flight.
- Design and improve tools that stress-test the system in off-nominal cases.
- Analyze and troubleshoot hardware and software issues uncovered during testing, contributing to system improvements.
- Work alongside a multidisciplinary team to design and execute system-level validation plans.
- Develop and enhance scripts and tools to support automated testing workflows.
- Learn how to ensure reliability and quality in complex, safety-critical systems, gaining valuable insights into real-world engineering challenges.
What You'll Bring
- You must have completed the second year of your undergraduate studies. Master's and PhD students are also eligible.
- Strong understanding of engineering design fundamentals and the ability to triage and identify root causes of technical issues.
- Experience writing Rust or Python scripts to automate tasks or tests, either through coursework or personal projects.
- Hands-on experience writing Python tests using tools like Pytest or Unittest.
- Familiarity with creating and executing test plans or validation plans for software or hardware systems.
- A hands-on approach to problem-solving, including debugging and triaging technical issues.
- General understanding of electrical systems such as motors, sensors, cameras, and onboard computers.
- Experience working in a Linux environment, including using command-line tools effectively.
- Familiarity with tools like Git for version control, bazel for build and test management and Jira for task tracking.
- Basic understanding of networking concepts such as RPC or sockets.
- Experience working with CI tools like GitHub Actions, Buildkite, or similar.
- Strong attention to detail and organizational skills to document test results and track issues effectively.
What Else You Should Know
This internship is a full-time position, in-person at our South San Francisco office. We will host our Summer 2027 interns from (May/June - August/September).
Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws or our own sensibilities.
Zipline is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your point of contact at Zipline know if you require any accommodations throughout your interview process.
Voluntary Self-Identification
For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.
As set forth in Zipline ’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.