Solder Engineering Technician, Powertrain
Zipline · South San Francisco, CA
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level manufacturing role at Zipline (aerospace & defense) in South San Francisco, CA.
- Tools it names
- Root cause, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), Tooling
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $114k–$167k.
Median of the low and high ends of 117 live postings that list pay, out of 320 manufacturing engineer openings in California, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 319 other live manufacturing postings in California.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Not stated
Typical $111k–$157k, from 105 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Tooling 53%
- New product launch 51%
- ✓ Root cause 40%
- Automation 35%
- Machining 29%
- CATIA / NX 29%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Zipline
We found 3 people at this company and state: 2 in this kind of role, 1 leaders. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Scott → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Zipline in South San Francisco
25 other open roles at this site · 3 people we found in manufacturing roles at Zipline.
- Supplier Quality Engineer · Quality
- Mechanical Engineering Manager · Reliability · Manager
- Senior Manufacturing Engineer · Manufacturing · Senior
- Marketplace Strategy & Operations Manager · Production · Manager
- Engineering Technician, Powertrain · Manufacturing
- Production Technician · Production · Technician
Full description from ZiplineAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
About You and The Role
Zipline builds autonomous delivery aircraft and ground systems that operate daily in demanding field environments. Reliable flight hardware begins with exceptional prototype craftsmanship. As an Electronics Engineering Technician specializing in soldering and prototype assembly, you will build, modify, troubleshoot, and repair the electronics that enable rapid development of our Powertrain systems.
The Powertrain organization develops the batteries, motors, motor controllers, power electronics, power distribution systems, wiring harnesses, sensors, and electromechanical hardware that power every Zipline aircraft. You will partner closely with electrical, mechanical, test, and manufacturing engineers to assemble engineering prototypes, perform precision soldering and rework, fabricate custom wiring harnesses, and rapidly iterate hardware throughout the product development lifecycle.
This role is open to technicians at all levels.
Responsibilities
and ownership will grow with experience, from supporting engineering builds to becoming a subject matter expert in high-reliability electronic assembly, prototype fabrication, and engineering laboratory support.
What You'll Do
Support engineering programs from prototype build → assembly → inspection → troubleshooting → rework → validation support .
- ◆Build, modify, troubleshoot, and repair prototype PCBAs supporting Powertrain development.
- ◆Perform precision SMT and through-hole soldering, component replacement, engineering rework, jumper wires, trace repair, and prototype modifications.
- ◆Fabricate custom wiring harnesses including wire preparation, crimping, solder splices, connector assembly, shielding, strain relief, heat shrinking, labeling, and cable routing.
- ◆Assemble electromechanical prototypes including PCBAs, harnesses, batteries, motor controllers, sensors, power electronics, and other engineering hardware.
- ◆Read and interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, assembly drawings, engineering change orders (ECOs), and bills of materials.
- ◆Inspect solder joints, crimps, connectors, and assemblies to high-reliability workmanship standards while identifying defects and recommending improvements.
- ◆Perform continuity testing, insulation resistance testing, hipot testing, and basic functional verification of engineering hardware.
- ◆Support engineers during prototype bring-up, debugging, root cause investigations, and rapid design iterations.
- ◆Maintain soldering stations, microscopes, crimp tooling, harness equipment, and laboratory organization to support efficient engineering development.
- ◆Develop and improve assembly documentation, work instructions, fixture concepts, and standard operating procedures.
- ◆Support laboratory inventory, consumables, calibration, and prototype hardware tracking.
- ◆Promote safe handling of ESD-sensitive electronics, lithium batteries, and high-voltage electrical systems.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
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.
What You'll Bring
- •Experience building, modifying, or repairing electronic assemblies, PCBAs, wiring harnesses, or electromechanical systems appropriate to your experience level.
- •Excellent hand soldering skills for SMT and through-hole electronics.
- •Experience performing electronic rework using soldering irons, hot-air rework stations, microscopes, and precision rework equipment.
- •Experience fabricating high-quality wiring harnesses including crimping, soldering, connector assembly, shielding, and cable management.
- •Ability to read electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, mechanical drawings, and assembly documentation.
- •Familiarity with multimeters, oscilloscopes, continuity testers, hipot equipment, power supplies, and other laboratory instrumentation.
- •Strong understanding of ESD controls, high-reliability electronic assembly practices, and prototype workmanship.
- •IPC certifications such as IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, IPC/WHMA-A-620, or IPC-7711/7721 are preferred, or willingness to obtain certification.
- •Strong attention to detail with pride in producing clean, reliable, flight-quality hardware.
- •Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary engineering teams.
What Else You Need To Know