Process
I applied online.
After the phone call with the recruiter, I went through a series of interviews (45 to 60 minutes each):
- Hiring manager
- Python coding
- Director level
- Onsite, which consisted of 5 rounds of technical, behavioral, and the hiring manager again.
All interviews went well. The interviewers were friendly, and they seemed very happy with my answers. Two days after the onsite, I was rejected over a phone call. When I asked for feedback, the recruiter said she only received positive feedback from the interviewers, and that the reason for their decision was that they had just hired someone with the same skill set! It was a huge waste of time.
Questions
Interview questions are relatively easy. You get asked the same question again and again in interviews with different people.
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 3 interview experiences for the Zipline Senior Perception Engineer role.
Success Rate
0%
Pass Rate
Zipline's interview process for their Senior Perception Engineer roles is extremely selective, failing the vast majority of engineers.
Experience Rating
Positive0%
Neutral0%
Negative100%
Candidates reported having very negative feelings for Zipline's Senior Perception Engineer interview process.
Zipline Work Experiences
5.0
A Good Company that might actually be onto something big
Software Engineer • Former Employee
Half Moon Bay, CA
February 17, 2019
Pros: Zipline is a pretty special place. I have never found a team that is as dedicated and driven. There are some really bright minds at Zipline and they're achieving what even I thought had little chance of succeeding. All the people I worked with were good people. Friendly and eager to help in selfless ways. I honestly thought some were delusional with how convinced everyone was that drones could actually work.
When I signed on, I knew it would be an exciting ride but I was still skeptical that this would last more than the money they had in pocket. From friends still at Zipline, it sounds like they've sort of crossed a big hump and now the world is theirs for the taking. I'll be honest with you, if you want a good challenge with good people, Zipline won't let you down. *Software Review* From a software engineer's perspective, I was impressed with the caliber of other engineers and the ability to move at a fast pace without taking on tech debt. Process was lean and trusting and focused on shipping "early and often". Most entirely in Python and C, the team knows when to innovate and when to stick to tried-and-true.
Cons: I was fussy and sometimes even cynical and negative.
But in hindsight, I have no regrets on my time with Zipline.
2.0
Amazing technology and peers; Disappointing leadership
Software Engineer • Former Employee
San Francisco, CA
March 7, 2026
Pros: Amazing technology. Extremely talented, hard working ICs. Some leaders, like Jo Mardell and Joey Button, are great. They lead with expertise and empathy. Can't say that about others.
Cons: Extreme hero culture. Putting out fires is more valued than preventing them. Very hard to get promoted unless you fit the hero mold and are extremely active/visible to upper management. Only tricks to "fix" things are rebuilding apps from scratch or reorgs.
The mass hiring of ex-Musk employees seems to have brought the culture of those companies with them. Intense adoption of AI has led to bugs shipped to production, and isn't leading to any reevaluation of safety of AI developed and quickly reviewed code in a system that controls drones. Wild.
1.0
Very cult-y, HR didn’t exists, lack of diversity
Software Engineer • Former Employee
South San Francisco, CA
January 26, 2020
Pros: There are lots of incredible challenges to solve.
Cons: Bad management, poor leadership and high turnover. No professional development or career path plus crazy startup hours.
- 5.0A Good Company that might actually be onto something bigSoftware Engineer • Former EmployeeHalf Moon Bay, CAFebruary 17, 2019Pros: Zipline is a pretty special place. I have never found a team that is as dedicated and driven. There are some really bright minds at Zipline and they're achieving what even I thought had little chance of succeeding. All the people I worked with were good people. Friendly and eager to help in selfless ways. I honestly thought some were delusional with how convinced everyone was that drones could actually work. When I signed on, I knew it would be an exciting ride but I was still skeptical that this would last more than the money they had in pocket. From friends still at Zipline, it sounds like they've sort of crossed a big hump and now the world is theirs for the taking. I'll be honest with you, if you want a good challenge with good people, Zipline won't let you down. *Software Review* From a software engineer's perspective, I was impressed with the caliber of other engineers and the ability to move at a fast pace without taking on tech debt. Process was lean and trusting and focused on shipping "early and often". Most entirely in Python and C, the team knows when to innovate and when to stick to tried-and-true.Cons: I was fussy and sometimes even cynical and negative. But in hindsight, I have no regrets on my time with Zipline.
- 2.0Amazing technology and peers; Disappointing leadershipSoftware Engineer • Former EmployeeSan Francisco, CAMarch 7, 2026Pros: Amazing technology. Extremely talented, hard working ICs. Some leaders, like Jo Mardell and Joey Button, are great. They lead with expertise and empathy. Can't say that about others.Cons: Extreme hero culture. Putting out fires is more valued than preventing them. Very hard to get promoted unless you fit the hero mold and are extremely active/visible to upper management. Only tricks to "fix" things are rebuilding apps from scratch or reorgs. The mass hiring of ex-Musk employees seems to have brought the culture of those companies with them. Intense adoption of AI has led to bugs shipped to production, and isn't leading to any reevaluation of safety of AI developed and quickly reviewed code in a system that controls drones. Wild.
- 1.0Very cult-y, HR didn’t exists, lack of diversitySoftware Engineer • Former EmployeeSouth San Francisco, CAJanuary 26, 2020Pros: There are lots of incredible challenges to solve.Cons: Bad management, poor leadership and high turnover. No professional development or career path plus crazy startup hours.
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