Mechanical Engineer Intern (Fall 2026)

About the role

Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We design, build, and operate the world’s largest autonomous logistics system, ensuring access to food, medicine, and essential goods globally. Our customers include leading healthcare systems, governments, retailers, and global businesses. We are seeking Mechanical Engineers who can contribute to our mission of saving lives, reducing emissions, and increasing economic opportunity.

Responsibilities

• Tackle cross-disciplinary projects from concept to field deployment
• Eliminate circular discussions by running tests or building prototypes
• Work with a fast-paced, driven team focused on executing with practicality
• Own big problems integral to our system
• Develop concepts and evaluate tradeoffs for product and engineering requirements
• Design, build, and test prototypes to gather quick learnings
• Work cross-functionally with other Zipline teams and suppliers
• Review designs and components on a material, element, and fully integrated product level
• Root cause failures and develop tests to replicate failure modes
• Document work for others to understand key decisions

Requirements

• Completed at least the second year of undergraduate studies
• Experience designing and building multiple mechanical systems outside of the classroom
• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals for structural analysis, part sizing, and component integration
• Automation experience with actuators and Raspberry Pi’s (or similar)
• Solid CAD skills and experience designing multiple projects
• Complex project experience requiring mechanical, electrical, and software design
• Quickly changing direction when necessary or achieving the same goal in a simpler way
• Consistent communication with team to meet project goals
• Bias to action and enthusiasm for building design skills
• “Can do” attitude for vital work

Qualifications

• Well-versed in CAD and have designed multiple projects
• Experience with electro-mechanical testers to prove reliability of critical components
• Knowledge of material properties and static strength, durability, and dynamic response

Skills

• Robust mechanical engineering fundamentals
• Experience with CAD tools
• Automation experience with actuators and Raspberry Pi’s (or similar)
• Complex project experience requiring mechanical, electrical, and software design
• Quickly changing direction when necessary or achieving the same goal in a simpler way
• Consistent communication with team to meet project goals
• Bias to action and enthusiasm for building design skills
• “Can do” attitude for vital work

Benefits

• Full-time position in-person at our South San Francisco or Dallas office
• Internship duration from September to December
• Equal opportunity employer
• Reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities

Pay

• Competitive compensation package

Schedule

• Full-time, in-person internship