Mechatronics Perception Intern (Fall 2026)

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 Zip Perception Team

The Zip Perception team owns the onboard and offboard perception systems that detect and track airborne and ground obstacles. This is a multi-disciplinary team that is involved in developing the embedded sensing systems through detection, tracking, and prediction. Your work here would help define how we prepare the Zipline fleet to perform mission-critical deliveries in complex, real-world environments.

The Role

As a member of the Zip Perception Team, you'll work towards helping develop new sensing modalities to improve the safety of our Zip aircraft. You'll be able to take ownership on designing a prototype data collection platform, from the CAD design, to the software powering the platform. This role is all about your ability to drive a solution all the way from ideation to taking it out onto the field. If you're energized by solving hard problems, eliminating inefficiencies, and working with a mission-driven team that values speed, focus, and grit, this is the internship for you.

What You'll Do

• Design, build, and run prototype data collection rigs to provide key data for training and live detections.
• Use 2D and 3D CAD tools to design parts, assemblies and fixtures based on sound engineering principles.
• Develop the software to ingest sensor data and integrate with other software components.
• Use resources creatively to design, build, and test prototypes to gather quick learnings.
• Work cross-functionally with other Zipline teams and suppliers to review designs.

What You'll Bring

• You must have completed the second year of your undergraduate studies. Masters and PhD students are also eligible.
• You bring strong mechanical engineering fundamentals and can independently size components and integrate them into designs with minimal guidance.
• You are highly proficient in CAD, with a track record of designing and executing multiple projects.
• You'll bring a solid embedded software background, having written software for Arduinos, Raspberry Pi's, or similar embedded devices.
• You've worked on complex projects that require mechanical, electrical, and software design.
• You're quick to change direction when you realize you've made a mistake OR could achieve the same goal in a simpler way.
• You've had previous experience working with Radar or Camera sensors.

What Else You Should Know

This internship is a full-time position, in-person at our South San Francisco office. We will host our Fall 2026 interns from September to December.

The hourly rate for this internship is $50 per hour. Additional benefits may include relocation support, a housing stipend, overtime pay, paid sick time, and other benefits, where applicable and subject to local requirements.

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.