Public Affairs 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 theRegulatory & Government Affairs Team

The Regulatory and Government Affairs team is responsible for Ziplines policy regulatory and government engagement activities globally. The team develops and executes strategies to secure regulatory approvals maintain ongoing compliance and shape the policy environment to enable Ziplines growth. Working closely with regulators elected officials and their staff across multiple disciplines as well as multilateral and industry partners the team ensures Zipline is able to safely and efficiently scale its operations and transform global logistics through innovative drone technology.

The Role

As a Public Affairs Intern at Zipline you will play a hands-on role in helping to shape the policy environment that enables cutting-edge drone logistics to thrive. Youll track and analyze regulatory developments support communications and policy engagement and help prepare materials for and attend meetings with government officials. Your research and contributions will directly inform Ziplines strategy to expand safe innovative and scalable drone delivery networks. Along the way youll collaborate with experienced policy and government affairs experts attorneys communications and cross-functional teams gaining exposure to real-world regulatory problem-solving at the intersection of aviation health and technology. This internship offers a unique opportunity to learn grow and contribute meaningfully to Ziplines mission of transforming global logistics and increasing access to essential goods.

What Youll Do

Dive into regulatory research by:

• Tracking federal and state rules on aviation drone operations and autonomous logistics
• Analyzing proposed legislation during the 2026 state legislative sessions to determine potential impact to Zipline
• Mapping out land use and zoning processes in key deployment regions

Help shape Ziplines voice with policymakers by:

• Contributing to Ziplines policy toolkit for local governments and planning bodies
• Drafting external communications
• Creating clear visual materials to support Ziplines policy engagement

Keep our team connected and on track by:

• Maintaining trackers for approvals hearings and outreach timelines
• Coordinating with legal communications and deployment teams to align on messaging and milestones
• Providing regular updates on public affairs activities

What Youll Bring

• Current student pursuing a degree in law public policy political science communications or a related field
• Research rigor and synthesis: able to find interpret and distill complex information into clear concise takeaways and recommendations.
• Strong writing detail orientation: excellent spoken and written English attention to detail ability to produce clean well-structured written content.
• Project management discipline: organized systematic and dependable in juggling deadlines.
• High-trust communicator: asks smart clarifying questions listens actively and collaborates effectively across teams.
• Solution-oriented mindset and professionalism: responsive proactive and mission-driven.
• Logistics: Ideally in-person at Ziplines San Francisco CA headquarters or Dallas-Fort Worth TX location. Remote options may be considered for graduate students; available for in-person meetings at a Zipline site as needed with occasional U.S. travel if 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 tothree (3) applications within a 30-day period.

The starting cash range for this role is $1700 / week. 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.

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.