Electrical Systems Engineer, Towers
Location: South San Francisco
Team: Ground Systems
About the Role
Zipline’s autonomous drone delivery is a marvel of precision engineering—but it only works if the power stays on. We are looking for a hands-on, commercially-minded Electrical Systems Engineer to own the "backbone" of our charging towers.
You will be responsible for the end-to-end electrical architecture, from the site stub-up to the charging docks. This role requires a rare blend of technical rigor (NEC/UL compliance), physical grit (on-site deployments), and financial strategy. You aren't just designing a system that works; you are designing a system that scales globally and fits the budget.
What You’ll Do
- System Architecture & Harnessing: Design the power distribution and cable harnesses for P2 charging towers. You will document and manage complex wire runs between docking stations and the site stub-up (RapidHarness or NX).
- Financial Ownership: Own the Bill of Materials (BOM) for the tower’s electrical systems. You will perform trade-off analyses (e.g., material choices, routing efficiencies) to drive down costs without compromising safety or reliability.
- Regulatory & Sign-off: Lead the process for getting designs and sites signed off by Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs). You will be the primary voice ensuring our towers meet NEC standards and are certified as UL-listed raceways.
- Design Advocacy: Build and present reasoned, data-backed arguments to compare design iterations. You should be able to defend why one architecture is superior to another based on cost, ease of deployment, and long-term reliability.
- Deployment & Field Work: This isn’t a "desk-only" job. You will support on-site work during deployments, ensuring that theoretical designs translate perfectly to real-world installation.
Qualifications
- The "Heavy Lifting" Experience: You have hands-on experience pulling 1-inch diameter power cables and understand the physical reality of bend radii and conduit constraints.
- Industrial Power Experience: Professional experience designing industrial electrical systems (UL508a, UL67), heavy machinery wiring, or complex infrastructure projects.
- Hands-on Grit: You aren't afraid to get your hands dirty. You have experience pulling 1-inch diameter power cables and understand the physical constraints of bend radii and conduit fill.
- Code & Compliance Mastery: Expert-level knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC) and experience navigating UL certification processes for industrial equipment.
- System Design (No PCBAs): Your expertise lies in power distribution panels, conduits, wire trough, industrial ethernet cable design, and site-level electrical stubs rather than board-level electronics.
- Harnessing Software: Proficiency in RapidHarness (or other) for designing and managing ruggedized, outdoor-rated cable assemblies.
- Strategic Thinking: A proven ability to perform financial trade-off studies. You know how to calculate the ROI of a design change and can articulate those savings to leadership.
Nice to Have
- Mechanical CAD: Ability to navigate and perform basic design tasks in Mechanical CAD to ensure electrical components fit seamlessly into the tower structure.
Project Management: Experience managing contractors or field technicians during the "stub-up" and infrastructure phase of a project.
What Else You Need to Know
The starting cash range for this role is $145,000 – $225,000. Please note that these are starting salary ranges that represent multiple internal levels. The final cash pay will depend on experience, qualifications, skills, location, and projected impact. Total compensation will also include equity, incentives, and benefits such as medical, dental, vision, paid time off, and more.
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.
We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply.
If you’d like to learn more about Zipline and our teams, feel free to check out our Instagram, one of our Reddit AMAs, or our website.
