The role involves integrating and maintaining delivery runtime software for autonomy systems, focusing on embedded Linux, robotics, and software reliability for complex applications.
About Zipline
Do you want to change the world? Zipline is on a mission to transform the way goods move. Our aim is to solve the world’s most urgent and complex access challenges by building, manufacturing and operating the first instant delivery and logistics system that serves all humans equally, wherever they are. From powering Rwanda’s national blood delivery network and Ghana’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution, to providing on-demand home delivery for Walmart, to enabling healthcare providers to bring care directly to U.S. homes, we are transforming the way things move for businesses, governments and consumers. The technology is complex but the idea is simple: a teleportation service that delivers what you need, when you need it. Using robotics and autonomy, we are decarbonizing delivery, decreasing road congestion, and reducing fossil fuel consumption and air pollution, while providing equitable access to billions of people and building a more resilient global supply chain.
Join Zipline and help us to make good on our promise to build an equitable and more resilient global supply chain for billions of people.
About You and the Role
You’re a systems-minded SWE who lives at the boundary of autonomy, embedded Linux, and hardware. Reporting to the Head of Droid Autonomy, you’ll own the delivery runtime end to end. You’ll bring up compute and sensors on Jetson/Linux, design flight/runtime orchestration—mission state machines, behavior gating, safe-state transitions—and build observability (logging, health monitoring, replay) for fast, trustworthy post-flight validation.
You bring deep Linux expertise (kernel, userspace, performance tuning), experience shipping robotic applications to real customers, and strong software architecture chops in strongly-typed languages (Rust/C++; Python for tooling). You communicate clearly, make legible, auditable safety decisions, and bridge HW↔SW while leading cross-functional stakeholders to closure on complex trade-offs.
What You'll Do:- Integrate and own Delivery Zip runtime software: Bring up, configure, and validate new compute and sensor hardware across our autonomy stack.
- Develop system-level observability: Build logging, health monitoring, and replay tooling for post-flight analysis and validation.
- Drive reliability of software: Autonomy subsystem requires a highly reliable platform to build solutions on.
- Develop and maintain embedded software: Write robust, low-latency Rust/C++ code on embedded Linux.
- Design flight/runtime orchestration logic: Build mission state machines, behavior gating, and safe-state transitions across compute nodes under real-time constraints.
- Validate safety and performance: Use SIL/HIL and real-flight telemetry to measure deterministic behavior and prove reliability before deployment.
- 3+ years of experience in delivering robotic applications to real-world customers.
- Strong expertise in low level OS/linux/jetson
- Strong software engineering skills, with proficiency in at least one strongly typed language; we use Rust and C++ onboard, and Python for tooling
- Strong system mindset; able to see how the full system comes together
- Deep expertise in embedded Linux development, including experience with kernel modifications, userspace programming, and performance tuning
- Strong software architecture skills, with experience designing and shipping solutions for complex real-world use cases
- Strong communication and documentation; you make complex safety decisions legible and auditable.
- Able to bridge the gap between HW and SW, to ensure a robust system.
- Technical leadership to bring multiple stakeholders together to drive complex decisions forward.
This is an in-office role. We are looking for folks who can be in our South San Francisco offices at least 4 days per week.
The starting cash range for this role is $160,000 - 210,000 a year. Please note that this is a target, starting cash range for a candidate who meets the minimum qualifications for this role. The final cash pay for this role will depend on a variety of factors, including a specific candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, working location, and projected impact. The total compensation package for this role may also include: equity compensation; discretionary annual or performance bonuses; sales incentives; benefits such as medical, dental and vision insurance; paid time off; and more.
Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other characteristics protected by state, federal or local law or our other policies.
We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!
Top Skills
C++
Jetson
Linux
Python
Rust
Zipline South San Francisco, California, USA Office
South San Francisco, CA, United States
Similar Jobs
Cloud • Fintech • Information Technology • Machine Learning • Software • App development • Generative AI
The SAP Account Executive at BlackLine is responsible for managing the sales process from prospecting to closing, targeting C-level executives in large corporations to sell SaaS solutions. This role requires building relationships, generating revenue, and achieving sales targets.
Top Skills:
Saas SoftwareSalesforce
.png)
eCommerce • Fintech • Hardware • Payments • Software • Financial Services
The Business Development Manager will drive distribution partnerships with resellers, focusing on recruitment, deal execution, and collaboration with internal teams to achieve business results.
Top Skills:
Analytical SkillsProject ManagementStakeholder ManagementStrategic Thinking
Artificial Intelligence • Big Data • Cloud • Information Technology • Software • Big Data Analytics • Automation
The Cloud Native Specialist at Dynatrace focuses on Kubernetes, multi-cloud strategies, and observability for modern infrastructures while partnering with sales and success teams.
Top Skills:
AksAws LambdaCrossplaneEbpfEksFargateGithub ActionsGitlabGkeGoHelmIstioJavaJenkinsKubernetesLinkerdNode.jsOpenshiftOpentelemetryPulumiTerraformYaml
What you need to know about the San Francisco Tech Scene
San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area attracts more startup funding than any other region in the world. Home to Stanford University and UC Berkeley, leading VC firms and several of the world’s most valuable companies, the Bay Area is the place to go for anyone looking to make it big in the tech industry. That said, San Francisco has a lot to offer beyond technology thanks to a thriving art and music scene, excellent food and a short drive to several of the country’s most beautiful recreational areas.
Key Facts About San Francisco Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 365,500; 13.9% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Google, Apple, Salesforce, Meta
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, fintech, consumer technology, software
- Funding Landscape: $50.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, Greylock Partners, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins
- Research Centers and Universities: Stanford University; University of California, Berkeley; University of San Francisco; Santa Clara University; Ames Research Center; Center for AI Safety; California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
