Computational Physics Intern (Fall 2026)

A basic understanding of fundamental physics:

Dynamics (kinematics, forces, moments, acceleration/rotation)

Fluids and aerodynamics

The ability to recognize tradeoffs in the design of complex computational analysis frameworks

Expertise in Matlab, Python, Julia, Rust, or similar; for modeling, simulation, optimization, and/or data analysis

Basic understanding of batteries, electric motors, and/or aircraft dynamics; and typical approaches to modeling them

Leading the way in drone delivery requires pushing the limits of individual component technologies

carefully orchestrating which ones we put together to optimize the performance of the

How much of the benefit of a larger motor is counteracted by its aerodynamic penalty?

How much range are we willing to give up for extra payload capacity?

How do we optimally control battery charging – electrically and thermally – to strike a balance between turnaround time and battery longevity?

The outputs of these tools will directly drive critical architectural and operational decisions at the aircraft and fleet level.

The Systems Modeling Team has tremendous power to shape Zipline’s products. We develop physics-based models and use them to architect our aircraft, as well as the supporting logistics system. Using simulation, we can rapidly explore a vast array of designs to optimize future products, and we can find ways to squeeze more performance out of our existing products.

Systems Modeling brings diverse teams and fields together (e.g. electrical, thermal, mechanical, aerodynamics, battery chemistry, controls, fleet operations, economics) to gain new insights. We translate technical conversations into rigorously framed engineering problems. We value asking pertinent questions and generating coherent answers.