Joseph Mardall, Tesla’s technical director, goes to zipline

Low angle view of the facade of the Tesla Motors dealership with logo and sign in Pleasanton, California, July 23, 2018. (Photo by Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images)

Smith Collection / Gado

Joe Mardall, an influential technical director at Tesla, has left his position with the automaker to become a technical director at Zipline, according to his own LinkedIn profile.

Zipline is a drone manufacturer and air delivery service focused on the distribution of blood and other medical supplies.

Among his successes at Tesla for a decade, Mardall led the development of a Model Y heat pump system, lauded by CEO Elon Musk on Twitter, and led Tesla’s efforts to develop a ventilator for Covid patients that could be made using auto parts . (It never produced the fans.)

Before helping develop Tesla’s newest crossover SUV, the Model Y, Mardall also developed heating and HVAC technologies that became defining features in the company’s earlier X and 3 models. His name is on several Tesla patents.

According to Forge, a secondary market, Zipline is currently raising a Series E round of funding with shares valued at around $ 32.63, indicating a valuation north of $ 2 billion.

Mardall wrote in a public post on LinkedIn:

“After 10 wonderful years at Tesla, I am thrilled to begin my next chapter as Head of Engineering at Zipline and to work with a team of talented and dedicated engineers to provide instant access to vital medical care for everyone on earth. The next 5 years will change everything and I can’t wait! We’re hiring for all technical areas and I would love to hear from you – come and fly with me! “

Mardall did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC.

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