---
title: 'Test Engineer at Critical Loop'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/test-engineer-critical-loop-long-beach-eky9kfs81x5a'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-11'
---

# Test Engineer at Critical Loop

- **Company:** Critical Loop
- **Location:** Long Beach, CA
- **Compensation:** $90k–$130k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-07-02
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/criticalloop/351efc27-49af-4876-9cc7-6364d79081ca

## Job description

## About Critical Loop

Critical Loop is shaping the next generation of energy systems by building the integrated edge grid of the future. Specializing in advanced energy management and battery control systems, Critical Loop empowers businesses and communities to seamlessly unite distributed energy resources for faster, more reliable, and affordable grid access. With deep expertise in grid modernization and a passion for creating resilient, responsive energy solutions, Critical Loop drives innovation at the intersection of technology and energy.

Test Engineer - Multiple Openings - On-site in Long Beach, CA

## The Role

We are hiring Test Engineers to build our hardware test capability from the ground up. You will be the owner of our hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) infrastructure, production unit test process, and canary fleet procedures, building and maintaining each as the hardware test pipeline our reliability story is built on. You will design and build the HITL testbeds, stand up the production unit test process, and own the canary fleet procedures that our hardware reliability story is built on. The test outcomes you produce will feed directly back into the hardware we ship to customers. This is a hands-on, on-site role working alongside the Operations and Product Development teams.

## What You'll Do

- Design, build, and maintain hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testbeds for Critical Loop's product line, starting with the CLB5100 and expanding to the CLB5020 and beyond
- Develop and operate production unit test processes and procedures, ensuring issues are caught before units reach customer sites
- Stand up and own canary fleet usage processes, tooling, and operational standards
- Author and maintain test procedures, documentation, and standards as the source of truth for how Critical Loop validates hardware
- Analyze test data and translate findings into actionable feedback that improves the hardware we ship
- Lead root cause analysis on hardware failures and edge cases surfaced through testing, and stay with the problem until it is solved
- Partner with engineering and field ops to align test infrastructure with deployment realities
- Build the test engineering function from nothing and do not wait for process or tooling to exist before creating it

Must-Haves

- Hands-on experience designing, building, and operating hardware test setups — not only running existing ones
- Demonstrated experience authoring test procedures and the operational standards around them with substantive contributions to the build and methodology
- Strong root cause analysis skills, with the ability to drive complex hardware issues to ground in systems you own end to end
- Willingness to engage with the software side of testing, including reading code, writing scripts, and committing to git repositories
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
- Comfortable operating as the test engineering function for a product line, setting your own priorities and managing your own work without an existing test organization to lean on

Nice-to-Haves

- Direct experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testbeds and the trade-offs around fidelity, cost, and maintainability
- Experience with data acquisition systems, sensors, DAQs, and logging or telemetry forwarding software
- Familiarity with Python, git, and Linux
- Background in power electronics or high-voltage systems
- Background spanning both R&D and production environments

Work Authorization We are not able to offer visa sponsorship for this role. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship now or in the future.

At Critical Loop, we're committed to rewarding and supporting our team. Our benefits package includes equity ownership through stock options, giving you a stake in our success, along with comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, and vision) through an HRA with a generous allowance. We also provide a retirement savings plan and unlimited paid time off so you can recharge and maintain work-life balance. Critical Loop is an equal opportunity employer. We're committed to building a diverse team and creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

## About Critical Loop

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Energy infrastructure, distributed energy resources (DER), battery energy storage systems (BESS), microgrids.
- **Target customers**: B2B / enterprise – industrial manufacturing, data centers, utilities, critical infrastructure, and EV fleet operators.
- **Mission**: “We’re building a world where energy is abundant and accessible on demand.” The company also states it aims to “accelerate access to reliable power, even where it’s otherwise impossible.” [criticalloop.com](https://www.criticalloop.com/about)

## Products & Services
- **Modular Battery Storage Systems**: Relocatable, megawatt-scale batteries that can be deployed in weeks to provide fast, flexible capacity.
- **Microgrid Cabinet**: A smart, scalable cabinet that integrates different power sources (grid, battery, renewables) into a single controlled system.
- **Control Software**: Proprietary platform for orchestrating power sources, real-time monitoring, diagnostics, and optimization.
- **Full‑Spectrum Energy Solutions**: End‑to‑end project development including financing, design, permitting, deployment, and ongoing operations & maintenance.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not disclosed.
- **Key Metric**: 50 MWh deployed, scaling to 100+ MWh in 2026, with a stated path to 5–10 GWh within five years. The company operates 55+ active control nodes under actual utility contracts. [criticalloop.com](https://www.criticalloop.com/)
- **Notable Investors / Partners**: Not publicly disclosed. The team includes former leaders from SpaceX, Palantir, Tesla, and Rivian, and the company works with “blue‑chip customers” and utilities.
- **Growth Signals**: Rapid scaling of deployed capacity; 67 employees (as of mid‑2026); active hiring across hardware, software, and business development roles; operating in California with utility contracts.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Speed to power**: “Get megawatts in weeks, not years” – a key differentiator in a market where grid interconnection often takes 5+ years.
- **Configurable platform**: Combines grid power with a proprietary battery fleet, allowing the same hardware/software stack to serve multiple industries (manufacturing, data centers, utilities, etc.).
- **Aerospace‑level engineering**: Founding team from SpaceX, Palantir, and Tesla brings rigor in safety, reliability, and system integration.
- **Proven in the field**: Systems already deployed in extreme conditions with real utility contracts, not just prototypes.

## Strategic Focus
- **Current priorities**: Scale deployed capacity to 100+ MWh in 2026, expand industrial customer base, and deepen partnerships with utilities to close grid gaps. The company is solving the “time‑to‑power” problem that limits business growth in the U.S.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: “No endless meetings. No busywork. Just real problems, real ownership, and shipping things that matter.” Early‑stage, fast‑paced environment with a bias toward action. [criticalloop.com/careers](https://www.criticalloop.com/careers)
- **Location & work model**: Engineering roles (Senior Mechanical Engineer, Senior Electrical Engineer, Hardware Technical Program Manager) are listed as “Long Beach (On‑site).” Other roles may vary.
- **Notable perks**:
  - Equity ownership (stock options) for all team members.
  - 401(k) retirement savings plan.
  - Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) – a monthly allowance to choose health, dental, and vision plans.
  - Generous paid time off (unlimited for some roles, 15 days for others) and unlimited sick leave.

## Sources
1. [criticalloop.com](https://www.criticalloop.com/) – Main company site with product, deployment, and mission details.
2. [criticalloop.com/careers](https://www.criticalloop.com/careers) – Careers page with culture, perks, and open roles.
3. [criticalloop.com/about](https://www.criticalloop.com/about) – About page with mission, speed‑to‑power narrative, and customer segments.
4. [criticalloop.com/team](https://criticalloop.com/team) – Team page listing co‑founders and leadership backgrounds.
5. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/criticalloop](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/criticalloop) – Active job listings with salary ranges and location details.

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