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. Through our technology that includes 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 RoleAs a Flight Operator, you are responsible for the safe, timely, and precise launch and recovery of delivery drones. You play a key role in maintaining operational excellence, ensuring seamless coordination across teams, and contributing to a strong safety and performance culture.
What You'll Do- Launch & Recovery Execution: Prepare Zips, perform launch and recovery procedures, and ensure alignment with SOPs.
- Operational Quality, Safety & Escalation: Conduct pre- and post-flight safety checks, identify risks, and immediately escalate off-nominals through ticketing and shift team notification. Participate in incident response procedures to support retrieval, root cause analysis and resolution.
- Zip Monitoring & Reporting: Monitor in-flight operations via Fleetdeck and report off nominals as needed.
- Airspace Coordination & Communication: Communicate with pilots and local Air Traffic Control to ensure safe integration within the airspace. Serve as the immediate point of contact for Air Traffic Control, effectively communicating with Zipline Partner Controller to ensure operations run smoothly. Alert operators/personnel around the Nest during off-nominal events regarding other airspace users. [**requires radio controlling license]
- Data Recording & Operational Improvement: Record critical data to measure and improve communication and integration with other airspace users within our operation radius. [**requires radio controlling license]
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with the Warehouse team to ensure payload readiness, the Controller team for flight clearance, and the Customer Care Center (CCC) to align on real-time customer priorities and issue escalations.
- Continuous Improvement: Actively contribute to operational improvement by identifying inefficiencies, sharing feedback, and participating in team retrospectives and solution workshops.
- Culture & Engagement: Support a strong team culture by participating in training, knowledge sharing, and peer coaching. Embody Zipline’s values in every shift and contribute to building an empowered, high-trust environment.
- Perform any other relevant tasks, services, work, or responsibilities in Flight Operations as necessary to serve Zipline’s customers.
- Diploma in Mechanical/Electrical/Electronics/Aerospace Engineering/Drone Engineering Technology or National Service Personnel or Vocational Training personnel with technical background/ or willingness to learn despite background.
- Radio Telephony Operator’s License
- Excitement about working in the field and are not afraid to get your hands dirty.
- Ability to stay focused, humble, and safety-conscious during assigned shifts.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and enjoy work that keeps you on your feet.
- Ability to maintain focus during extended daily operations.
- Must be eligible to work in Kenya
- Must be willing and able to work nights/weekends on shifts.
- Must be willing and able to work for a period not less than 48 hours/week.
- This is a full-time position based at the DC and must be willing to relocate to any of our distribution centers.
Once hired you will go through a rigorous training program with Zipline Academy to gain a deep understanding of our history, our mission, our impact, and our UAS systems. The program includes a thorough Flight Operations training that covers different parts of our system and our drone.
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, please apply!
Top Skills
What We Do
Zipline is the world's largest autonomous delivery network and is powered entirely by fixed-wing drones. Our fleet circles the equivalent distance of the equator every 2.5 days, and we have shipped hundreds of thousands of critical medical products across Rwanda, Ghana, and now beginning in the United States.
Why Work With Us
Zipline is the perfect intersection of super cutting-edge tech, deep social mission, and extremely compelling business case. Our small, scrappy, customer-obsessed, humble, and mission-driven team has set the bar for what is possible in the drone logistics industry globally, and has designed some incredibly elegant technology in the process.
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