Software Engineering Manager, Launch & Scale Platform

Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced drone delivery service, on a mission to ensure access to essential goods anytime, anywhere. The Software Engineering Manager for the Launch & Scale Platform will lead the development of software systems that enable rapid deployment of new infrastructure, directly impacting Zipline's ability to expand and deliver critical supplies reliably.

Responsibilities:

• Own end-to-end strategy, delivery, and operational reliability for the Launch & Scale Platform (site acquisition pipeline, permitting, infrastructure design, construction execution, deployment tracking, and launch readiness)
• Define and prioritize the product and technical roadmap with stakeholders, driving decisions by measurable business impact (launch velocity, mean time-to-launch, deployment predictability, and reduction in manual coordination)
• Deliver owner-level outcomes: reduce manual coordination across launch workflows by a measurable percent, improve predictability of launch dates, shorten average site launch timelines, and increase launch execution visibility for cross-functional leaders
• Translate complex, cross-functional operational processes into durable systems: long-running workflows, vendor and government interfaces, asset tracking, document and permit lifecycle, and risk/exceptions handling
• Design and operate production services for business-critical launch systems: set SLOs, incident processes, and on-call expectations; ensure operational data is accurate, auditable, and actionable
• Build integrations across ERP, GIS, document management, permitting systems, construction/project-management tools, asset management, and internal operational systems to create a unified operational source of truth
• Be hands-on: ship code, lead architecture reviews, review critical PRs, and directly troubleshoot production incidents while mentoring engineers and growing the team
• Hire, coach, and scale the engineering organization for this platform; own hiring priorities, org shape, and technical standards as the capability grows
• Operate cross-functionally: work daily with Launch Operations, Construction, Hardware, Real Estate, Flight Ops, and Commercial to drive alignment, remove blockers, and validate outcomes against real-world operational constraints

Requirements:

• Engineering Manager with demonstrated ownership of complex backend or full-stack operational platforms and experience leading small engineering teams while remaining technically hands-on
• 6+ years building software products with 2+ years managing engineers (or equivalent leadership experience). Proven ownership of projects that model real-world operational workflows or enterprise systems
• Must-have technical skills: systems design for distributed services, workflow orchestration, event-driven architectures, robust APIs, integrations with ERP/GIS/document systems, and scalable backend services
• Experience modeling long-running workflows, external dependencies (vendors, governments), physical assets, and complex state transitions with clear auditability
• Track record of defining and delivering metrics (e.g., reduced manual steps, shortened time-to-launch, improved predictability) and using them to prioritize roadmaps
• Comfortable owning software that directly impacts field operations and infrastructure deployment; understands failure modes and designs for visibility, mitigation, and recoverability
• Regular travel is expected to collaborate closely with stakeholders, understand operational challenges firsthand, and build software grounded in real-world workflows
• Clear technical judgment under ambiguity, decisive prioritization, experience influencing senior stakeholders, and a bias toward durable platform solutions rather than one-off tools