Data Scientist Intern (Spring 2026)

About Zipline

Zipline is on a mission to transform the way goods move. Our aim is to solve the worlds most urgent and complex access challenges by building the first instant logistics system that serves all humans equally. Leveraging expertise in robotics and autonomy Zipline designs builds and operates a fleet of cutting edge autonomous delivery drones. We serve tens of millions of people around the world.

Joining Ziplines Emerging Talent program as an intern is an opportunity to contribute to our promise of building a system that provides equitable access to critical healthcare supplies for millions of people. We believe that internships are more than just opportunities to learn by watching or doing low level tasks. We expect our interns to take on meaningful work that actively contributes to moving Ziplines mission forward while learning real-world skills that will serve them in their careers for the long term.

Join us and build the future of logistics with the best humans around!

About the Software Integration Team

Are you excited about learning how complex software systems come together to power real-world autonomy At Zipline we operate the worlds largest autonomous delivery network and our Software Integration team plays a critical role in making sure the software that flies our aircraft works reliably and safely in the real world.

As a Software Integration Intern youll get hands-on experience at the intersection of robotics embedded software and systems engineering. Our team doesnt just write codewe bring together planning perception and controls software and make sure all of it works smoothly on the aircraft in simulation and in real operations.

Youll help test and integrate features that affect how our autonomous aircraft fly adapt routes and respond to unexpected situations. That means working with simulation tools flight telemetry and testing infrastructure to ensure new software behaves the way it should before it ever goes into the sky.

This internship is a chance to learn how large safety-critical autonomy systems are built and scaled while contributing to technology that directly impacts communities around the world.

The Role

We are seeking a Data Science Intern with an interest in applying technical and engineering skills to real-world problems. The ideal candidate is eager to learn how to use data science and programming to support hardware systems integration and engineering projects. This internship provides the opportunity to work with large datasets gain exposure to modern data tools and apply engineering principles to create actionable insights. Familiarity with Python SQL and basic software development is helpful but a strong willingness to learn is most important.

What Youll Do

• Data Analysis & Modeling: Assist in analyzing datasets from engineering systems vehicle sensors and other sources to uncover patterns and support predictive modeling efforts.
• Data Visualization: Help design clear and visually appealing charts and dashboards using tools such as Matplotlib Seaborn Plotly or Tableau to communicate findings.
• Dashboard Development: Contribute to the creation and maintenance of real-time dashboards that track key metrics and system performance.
• Data Engineering: Support data cleaning preprocessing and organization tasks to make datasets ready for analysis. Write simple SQL queries and learn how to work with databases.
• Machine Learning: Gain exposure to machine learning by assisting with model development and validation for autonomy applications
• Scientific Programming: Learn to apply scientific and engineering programming techniques to develop small data pipelines automate processes and run simulations.
  
  

What Youll Bring

• Educational Background: Currently pursuing a Bachelors or Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering Mechatronics Robotics Electrical Engineering Computer Science or a related technical field.
• Technical Skills:
  • Familiarity with Python for scientific programming (libraries such as NumPy Pandas SciPy Plotly etc.).
  • Basic understanding of SQL for querying and working with data.
  • Exposure to software development practices (version control with Git debugging documentation) is a plus.
• Mathematical & Analytical Skills:
  • Coursework or experience with statistics linear algebra or numerical methods.
  • Interest in applying engineering and data analysis to solve real-world problems.
• Problem-Solving:
  
  • Curiosity and analytical thinking to approach technical challenges.
  • Ability to learn how to frame engineering problems as data science problems.
• Communication Skills:
  
  • Willingness to communicate findings clearly with technical and non-technical teammates.
  • Strong written and verbal skills for documentation and presentations.
• Machine Learning & Data Modeling:
  
  • Familiarity with machine learning concepts or frameworks (e.g. Scikit-learn TensorFlow Keras).
  • Some experience from coursework projects or self-study in building or experimenting with models.
• Bonus Qualifications:
  • Experience in Robotics/Automation: Prior exposure to robotics systems automation or sensor data (through coursework projects or clubs) is a plus.
  • Software Development: Exposure to object-oriented programming (e.g. C or Java) is a bonus.
  • Cloud Computing/Big Data Tools: Familiarity with cloud services (AWS GCP Azure) or big data tools (Spark Hadoop) is helpful but not required

What Else You Should Know

Our internships are full-time positions in-person at our South San Francisco or Dallas office. We will host our Spring 2026 interns from January to April.

Candidates are limited to three (3) applications within a 30-day period.

The starting cash range for this internship is $44 - 48/ hour. 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 candidates experience qualifications skills and working location. The total compensation package for each role may also include: a housing stipend; overtime pay; relocation support; paid sick time; and more.

Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race color religion age sex national origin disability status genetics protected veteran status sexual orientation gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by federal state or local laws or our own sensibilities.

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!

Zipline is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your point of contact at Zipline know if you require any accommodations throughout your interview process.