HW Test Engineer, Battery and Power Electronics

About the Role

Zipline builds autonomous delivery aircraft and ground systems that operate daily in varying field conditions. You will develop the validation systems and test infrastructure that ensure battery and power electronics hardware is safe, reliable, manufacturable, and ready for deployment. The Battery & Power Electronics team is responsible for delivering power throughout the aircraft—including batteries, power distribution systems, busbars, and power connectors. In this role, you'll design, build, automate, and operate the systems that validate these products throughout development, qualification, manufacturing, and field support. This role is open to engineers at all levels. Scope and ownership grow with experience—from developing individual fixtures and executing validation tests to leading validation strategy, architecting complex test systems, and defining engineering standards across multiple programs.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end delivery of validation systems from requirements → design → build → automation → execution → analysis → release → production support.
• Design and build mechanical, electrical, and software-integrated test equipment for battery cells, battery packs, power electronics, busbars, and power distribution hardware.
• Develop validation strategies covering functional, environmental, vibration, thermal, abuse, reliability, and durability testing for safety-critical power systems.
• Design custom fixtures, instrumentation, wiring harnesses, power distribution systems, and data acquisition hardware capable of repeatable, high-throughput testing.
• Develop automated test sequences, data collection, and analysis workflows that improve test repeatability, reduce operator effort, and accelerate engineering feedback.
• Plan and execute battery characterization, DV&P/R, vibration, thermal cycling, shock, crash, fire mitigation, fatigue, ingress protection, and electrical validation campaigns.
• Own test readiness reviews, equipment qualification, calibration strategy, operating procedures, and laboratory safety documentation.
• Analyze failures using instrumentation, teardown inspections, root cause analysis, and statistical methods, partnering with design engineers to implement corrective actions.
• Partner daily with Systems, Mechanical, Electrical, Software, Reliability, Manufacturing, Supplier Quality, Integration & Test, and Field Operations to translate engineering questions into efficient, data-driven validation plans.
• Develop scalable test infrastructure supporting engineering development, manufacturing validation, supplier qualification, and fleet investigations.
• Support supplier qualification, acceptance testing, and failure investigations for externally manufactured hardware.
• Contribute to engineering standards, laboratory best practices, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Engineer II

• Independently owns validation equipment and test campaigns for individual subsystems.
• Designs custom fixtures, automation, and data acquisition systems.
• Troubleshoots complex test issues and partners with cross-functional teams to resolve failures.

Senior Engineer

• Leads development of complex validation systems supporting major hardware programs.
• Defines validation approaches, mentors engineers, and improves laboratory capabilities.
• Drives automation, test infrastructure improvements, and cross-functional technical decisions.

Staff Engineer (Lead Engineer)

• Defines validation strategy across multiple programs.
• Establishes engineering standards for test equipment, automation, instrumentation, and laboratory operations.
• Leads major cross-functional initiatives that improve engineering quality, development velocity, and organizational capability.
• Serves as the technical authority for large-scale validation systems and laboratory infrastructure.

Requirements

• Experience developing validation systems, production test equipment, or engineering test infrastructure for complex electromechanical products appropriate to your career level.
• Experience designing and building custom test equipment, fixtures, instrumentation, or automated validation systems.
• Strong mechanical design skills using NX, SolidWorks, or equivalent CAD software for developing robust laboratory equipment and fixtures.
• Strong understanding of measurement systems, sensors, DAQ hardware, instrumentation, electrical power systems, and laboratory best practices.
• Experience planning and executing environmental, vibration, fatigue, thermal, abuse, reliability, or safety testing.
• Ability to design experiments, analyze data, identify failure modes, and communicate actionable engineering recommendations.
• Experience developing automated test software using Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, NI Test Stand, or similar platforms is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to improve test throughput, repeatability, automation, or laboratory efficiency.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to clearly communicate technical findings and recommendations.

Pay

The starting cash range for this role is $130,000 - $180,000. The final cash pay will depend on experience, qualifications, skills, working location, and projected impact. The total compensation package may also include equity compensation, discretionary annual or performance bonuses, sales incentives, benefits such as medical, dental and vision insurance, and paid time off.