Technical Program Manager - Towers

About Zipline

Do you want to change the world? Zipline uses drones to deliver critical and lifesaving medicine to thousands of hospitals serving millions of people in multiple countries. Our mission is to provide every human on Earth with instant access to vital medical supplies. We believe that where you live should not decide whether you live. 

About You and the Role

The Ground Systems team is a multi-disciplinary hardware and software team responsible for designing and deploying the infrastructure that enables aircraft charging, package loading, and autonomous operations at the heart of Zipline’s drone delivery network.

Within Ground Systems, the Towers team develops the structural and electrical backbone of Zipline’s charging sites. Towers support docks, aircraft operations, power and data distribution, and auxiliary site systems across a wide range of geographies and environmental conditions.

As the Technical Program Manager for Towers, you will drive the development and deployment of complex hardware infrastructure that enables Zipline’s global network to scale. You will work across structural, electrical, validation, manufacturing, and software teams to guide system decisions, resolve technical risks, and ensure that designs translate successfully into real-world builds.

This role sits at the intersection of product definition, systems engineering, and execution. You will help teams navigate complex technical decisions, coordinate across disciplines, and ensure designs translate successfully into working infrastructure deployed in the field.

If you enjoy being close to the hardware and on the front lines of execution and working alongside engineers, technicians, and operations teams to bring complex systems to life, then this role will be a great fit.

We value people who take ownership of outcomes, not just responsibilities; you’ll be identifying problems early, driving decisions, and ensuring work gets completed even when challenges fall outside traditional role boundaries.

On any given week, you might facilitate a cross-team design review, coordinate a prototype build, or work with engineers and technicians to ensure a new tower design installs successfully at a deployment site.

 

What You’ll Do

• Drive complex infrastructure programs from early concept through real-world deployment, aligning cross-functional teams around clear priorities and execution plans.
• Work across structural, electrical, validation, manufacturing, and software domains to guide system-level decisions and ensure designs translate successfully into real-world builds.
• Coordinate prototypes, builds, and infrastructure deployments, ensuring teams are prepared to execute and capturing lessons learned to improve future programs.
• Identify and resolve technical, operational, and organizational bottlenecks that slow teams down, proactively addressing the areas where progress is most at risk.
• Facilitate technical discussions, design reviews, and trade studies that help engineering teams converge on effective solutions and clear decisions.
• Partner closely with manufacturing and quality teams to ensure infrastructure designs translate into reliable, repeatable production and installation outcomes.
• Develop lightweight tools, documentation, and operational processes (such as decision logs, build playbooks, and workflow improvements) that help engineering teams move faster and operate with clarity.
• Drive clear communication of program status, risks, and decisions across engineering, operations, and leadership stakeholders.
• Work closely with engineers, technicians, and deployment teams to ensure programs successfully translate from design into working systems in the field.

What You’ll Bring

• 2+ years of experience in technical program management or in a hardware engineering, systems engineering, manufacturing, or technical operations role involving complex hardware systems.
• Experience working on complex hardware systems in fields such as aerospace, robotics, automotive, energy, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, or similar technical environments.
• Strong systems thinking and the ability to dive into unfamiliar technical domains in order to understand tradeoffs, guide decisions, and unblock teams.
• A highly execution-oriented mindset;you take ownership of outcomes, follow through relentlessly, and ensure important details don’t fall through the cracks.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate cross-functional engineering teams and drive complex technical programs forward in fast-paced and ambiguous environments.
• Experience improving team effectiveness through documentation, decision tracking, or process improvements that reduce friction for engineering teams.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills, with the ability to guide technical discussions and align teams with different perspectives.
• A collaborative and relationship-driven approach to problem solving, with the ability to build trust across engineering, operations, and external partners.
• Enthusiasm for working closely with engineers, technicians, and deployment teams and being actively involved in bringing complex hardware systems to life.
• Must be eligible to work in the US.
• Must be able to work in person at Zipline’s South San Francisco office.

What Else You Need to Know   

The starting cash range for this role is $130,000 - $165,000. 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!