Mechanical Engineer Interview Experience - South San Francisco, California
Process
I applied through another source.
The CEO reached out to invite me for an interview. He proposed a time, but didn't communicate it to HR. So I made a new appointment with HR.
First, I talked to the Head of the department for 30 to 45 minutes with more general questions, such as naming challenging projects, and questions for him, which was good.
The second step was a technical interview with a team member. The questions were sent over 15 minutes before the interview and were university-level mechanics questions.
Questions
Truss and materials: describe loads, and which members can be taken out. If you change the material, how does it affect the strain gauge measurement?
Beam bending and torsion: which bolt in the wall fixture fails first?
Spring energy: potential, kinetic, and spring energy. What velocity does the car have that rolls down the hill?
Thermal soak: metal is bonded to carbon fiber. What is the driving thermal load case, and how do you make the design better?
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 2 interview experiences for the Zipline Mechanical Engineer role in South San Francisco, California.
Success Rate
Zipline's interview process for their Mechanical Engineer roles in South San Francisco, California is extremely selective, failing the vast majority of engineers.
Experience Rating
Candidates reported having mixed feelings for Zipline's Mechanical Engineer interview process in South San Francisco, California.
Zipline Work Experiences
- 5.0This company is a rocket ship.Mechanical Engineer • Current EmployeeSouth San Francisco, CASeptember 18, 2025Pros: Every day, the milestones that the company achieves blow my own mind. I find myself shocked at the company's progress every day.Cons: There is minimal room for personal growth.
- 5.0Great CompanyMechanical Engineer • Former EmployeeSan Francisco, CASeptember 15, 2025Pros: -Tons of ownership opportunities -Great coworkersCons: -Misaligned leadership -Intense pressure from leadership to do things other execs don't think is the right thing to do
- 1.0Dream job quickly turned nightmare. "Cult" like atmosphereMechanical Engineer • Former EmployeeApril 12, 2023Pros: Catered Lunch Passionate people Interesting tech "Altruistic" missionCons: Where to begin... Let's start with expectations. All employees are held under a intense scrutiny to perform. There is a timeline here at play, as Zipline is looking to turn a profit and that involves getting as many "Nests" up and running as they possibly can. This has led to completely unrealistic expectations on what can, and cannot be done. Upper management guns for anyone who sticks their head out, and problems aren't dealt with, rather they are squashed by getting rid of the one who speaks up. Verbal abuse is common, and it seems like the people who actually care, get defecated on even more. Morale is poor. It's turned into a labor camp of sorts where everyone is so burned out all the time. Another reviewer described it as "Engineering Puppy Mill", which is an apt description. Encouragement from defeated peers are repeated constantly such as "At least we're delivering life saving medicines in Africa". Which is true, and certainly worthy of appreciation but this has become problematic as it turns out the altruistic mission has just been a way for zipline to bootstrap itself into the commercial market, of delivering lattes, and lunches. This reflects on the leadership of the company as a whole, as being Machiavellian and conniving. These people are shrewd, cutthroat and intelligent. They have one goal and one goal only- Expansion. Backstabbing is common, and politics are rampant. It's an environment of survival of the fittest, and the competition is fierce. I'm not really sure what to make of it any more. All you can do is keep your head down; because if you rock the boat, you WILL be taken out.
