Strategic Operations Analyst

About the Role

The Strategic Operations team serves as the internal operating system for Zipline's global operations organization. We partner across Maintenance, Fulfillment, Flight Test, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Commercial Operations to solve complex operational problems, build scalable systems, and enable data-driven decision making.

As a Strategic Operations Analyst, you'll work on some of the highest-priority operational challenges at Zipline. One week you may be building executive metrics that shape fleet strategy; the next you could be standing in a maintenance hub conducting time studies, designing a new operational process, or building an internal software tool that saves hundreds of hours across the organization.

This is not a traditional analytics role. Success requires curiosity, technical depth, and the ability to move seamlessly between data analysis, software development, process design, and operational execution.

You'll own ambiguous problems from end to end—understanding how work happens today, identifying opportunities for improvement, building solutions, and measuring their impact.

What You’ll Do

• Partner directly with leaders across Strategic Operations, Maintenance, Fulfillment, Flight Test, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Commercial Operations to solve high-impact operational challenges.
• Build analytical models and metrics that provide visibility into fleet health, operational performance, cost, quality, and reliability.
• Design scalable operating mechanisms including processes, workflows, documentation, and decision frameworks.
• Develop internal software tools, dashboards, and automations that eliminate manual work and improve operational efficiency.
• Design new methods for collecting operational data where none exists, including field observations, time studies, surveys, and instrumentation.
• Investigate complex operational problems by combining quantitative analysis with direct observation in production and commercial environments.
• Lead cross-functional projects from problem definition through implementation and measurement.
• Communicate findings and recommendations to executive leadership through clear visualizations, written narratives, and presentations.
• Travel up to 20% to commercial sites, manufacturing facilities, and flight test locations to understand operations firsthand and validate solutions.

What You’ll Bring

Required

• Strong analytical skills with experience using SQL to analyze large datasets.
• Experience using Python, R, or similar languages to automate analyses, build tools, or solve operational problems.
• Experience designing metrics, dashboards, and reporting systems that influence business decisions.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to structure ambiguous problems and independently drive them to completion.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical findings into clear business recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across technical and operational teams.
• High ownership, strong organizational skills, and a bias toward action.
• Willingness to travel approximately 20%.

Preferred

• Experience building internal software applications, workflow automation tools, or operational systems.
• Experience with business intelligence platforms such as Mode, ThoughtSpot, Looker, or Power BI.
• Experience in logistics, manufacturing, aviation, robotics, supply chain, or another operationally intensive environment.
• Experience with experimentation, statistical analysis, forecasting, or optimization.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Operations Research, Economics, or a related quantitative field.

What Else You Need to Know

The starting cash range for this role is $130,000-$170,000. 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 candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, working location, and projected impact. The total compensation package for this role may also include: equity compensation; overtime pay; discretionary annual or performance bonuses; sales incentives; benefits such as medical, dental and vision insurance; paid time off; and more.

Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other characteristics protected by state, federal or local law or our other policies.

Please Note

We have received reports stating that certain individuals are reaching out to people under false pretenses, claiming to be Zipline employees, affiliates, agents, or representatives. They may seek to gain access to your personal information or to acquire money from you by offering fictitious employment opportunities or by claiming that they are contacting you on Zipline’s behalf.

Genuine Zipline employees or representatives will never ask you for money or payment in exchange for employment opportunities or other related services. Any such offer of employment or any other service in exchange for fees that claims to be from us is deceitful and part of a fraud.