Staff Failure Analysis Engineer

Location: Palo Alto, California

Department: Manufacturing and Supply Chain

About the Role:

Wing is looking for a Staff Failure Analysis Engineer to join our HW Reliability & Failure Analysis team. This role will be based in Palo Alto, CA. The position seeks highly motivated individuals who enjoy working in a highly dynamic team environment.  As a Staff Failure Analysis Engineer, you will be a key player in ensuring the reliability, safety, and performance of our aircraft throughout the lifecycle—from prototype development to real-world fleet operations. You will lead investigations into electrical and electronic failures across critical subsystems such as BMS, motors, ESCs, sensors, and control electronics, helping our teams identify root causes, implement corrective actions, and improve design for maximum reliability. Your work will play a critical role in ensuring our aircraft deliver small packages safely, reliably, and on time, helping us provide a seamless experience for our customers every day.

What You’ll Do: 

• Perform failure analysis investigations on mechanical, electrical, and material, across components, subsystems, and complete aircraft.
• Perform in-depth failure analysis on both electrical (e.g., power distribution, connectors, wiring harnesses, motors) and electronics (e.g., PCBAs, ICs, sensors, communication circuits) to identify root causes of failures across component, module, and system levels.
• Troubleshoot failures using schematics, circuit tracing, fault isolation techniques, and Design of Experiments.
• Apply advanced analytical techniques (e.g., SEM/EDS, X-ray, CT scan, FTIR, FIB, cross-sectioning) to uncover complex failure modes.
• Translate physical failure evidence into actionable root-cause conclusions that drive design, process, and supplier improvements.
• Provide technical guidance on failure risks in ESCs, BMS, avionics systems, and sensors critical to aircraft performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (design, reliability, manufacturing, and suppliers) to drive corrective actions and prevent recurrence.
• Support NPI (New Product Introduction), Design Validation, and Production Qualification with proactive electrical FA insights.
• Provide comprehensive technical reports to internal stakeholders on findings from subsystem & component failure investigations.
• Lead cross-functional investigations and prepare 8D reports.
• Mentor FA engineers and provide technical leadership on complex and high-impact failure investigations..

• Ensure timely failure analysis turnaround to support internal stakeholders and operational/MFG teams.
• Establish, standardize, and continuously improve failure analysis processes to ensure consistency, efficiency, and high-quality root cause investigations across all hardware platforms.
• Maintain a failure database with detailed findings, images, and conclusions.
• Bring-up new internal and external test infrastructure to validate failure signatures observed in field and operation.

What You’ll Need: 

• 12+ years in failure analysis, staff-level experience preferred.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or a directly related field or equivalent practical experience
• Proficient in 8D problem-solving methodology.
• Excellent analytical and troubleshooting skills.
• Hands-on experience with electrical FA tools, non destructive, and destructive FA methods (oscilloscopes, curve tracers, TDR, SEM/EDX, FTIR, CT Scan, etc.).
• Preferred hands-on failure analysis experience with key aircraft HW subsystems/components including, BMS, ESC, Avionics, Servo, and sensors.

• Experience reviewing PCB layouts and schematics.
• Experience with PCB/PCBA assembly and SMT processes, including identifying failures related to assembly or soldering defects.
• Experienced in working with external vendors or labs.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.