Lead Quality Engineer (Build Operations)

Critical Loop; United States; On-site; USD 160,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options equity

Comprehensive health coverage

Retirement savings plan

Unlimited paid time off

Job summary

Critical Loop is seeking a Lead Quality Engineer to transform engineering designs into reliable, high‑quality products. You will own quality processes aligned with ISO 9001 and work hands-on with manufacturing, testing, and production teams to drive improvements across the full product lifecycle.

The role requires a strong background in quality systems and manufacturing support, with emphasis on problem solving, risk reduction, and supplier quality.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in engineering or STEM required.
• 7+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment as a Manufacturing Engineer, Test Engineer, Reliability Engineer, or Quality Engineer.
• Must be able to work without visa sponsorship and authorized to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain Critical Loop’s Quality Management System (QMS) and provide training to relevant personnel on ISO 9001 compliance requirements and industry standards.
• Perform as and train QA for Electrical and Mechanical systems, including drawings, production and test operations inspection signoffs and verification of compliance to procedures.
• Use strong engineering domain knowledge and practical experience to advise and solve problems with the design, manufacturing, supply chain, and leadership teams on product quality and safety.
• Partner with Product and Project engineering to create inspection plans for all deployable systems and support real time during operations on the implementation of the plans.
• Take a methodical approach to identifying the largest quality related issues and risks impacting manufacturing and operations across the Critical Loop product lines and partner with relevant stakeholders to minimize risk and implement process improvements.
• Assess core business processes, systems, and products through internal audits to assure compliance to customer requirements, Critical Loop procedures and policies, and ISO9001 standards.
• Utilize corrective and preventive action processes to address non-conformances and drive improvement of quality management across the various Critical Loop product lines.
• Drive quality assurance within the supply chain, ensuring effective supplier qualification and ongoing performance monitoring.
• Define team growth plan and roadmap to increasing quality support across all relevant production, test and deployment operations.

Skills

Quality mindset

Analytical thinking

Technical writing

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's or higher in Engineering or STEM

Tools

ASQ-CQA-RAB

GD&T

MIL-STD

IPC

ISO standards familiarity

DOE

SPC

Root cause analysis

APQP

PFMEA

Design of experiments

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.

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.

The Role

We are seeking a passionate Lead Quality Engineer committed to turning engineering designs into reliable, high-quality products. This role focuses on developing and implementing rigorous quality processes that meet or exceed industry standards.

This is a predominantly hands-on role, requiring the successful candidate to work directly with internal/external manufacturing, testing and production teams to identify issues, implement solutions and drive continuous quality improvement.

The ideal candidate will leverage their design and manufacturing experience and analytical skills to ensure reliability throughout production, supply chain, testing and deployment phases of the entire suite of Critical Loop product lines.

What You Will Do

• Define and maintain Critical Loop’s Quality Management System (“QMS”) and provide training to relevant personnel on ISO 9001 compliance requirements and industry standards
• Perform as and train QA for Electrical and Mechanical systems, including drawings, production and test operations inspection signoffs and verification of compliance to procedures
• Use strong engineering domain knowledge and practical experience to advise and solve problems with the design, manufacturing, supply chain, and leadership teams on product quality and safety
• Partner with Product and Project engineering to create inspection plans for all deployable systems and support real time during operations on the implementation of the plans
• Take a methodical approach to identifying the largest quality related issues and risks impacting manufacturing and operations across the Critical Loop product lines and partner with relevant stakeholders to minimize risk and implement process improvements
• Assess core business processes, systems, and products through internal audits to assure compliance to customer requirements, Critical Loop procedures and policies, and ISO9001 standards
• Utilize corrective and preventive action processes to address non-conformances and drive improvement of quality management across the various Critical Loop product lines
• Drive quality assurance within the supply chain, ensuring effective supplier qualification and ongoing performance monitoring
• Define team growth plan and roadmap to increasing quality support across all relevant production, test and deployment operations

Must-Haves

• Bachelor degree in an engineering or STEM discipline
• 7+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment as a Manufacturing Engineer, Test Engineer, Reliability Engineer, or Quality Engineer

Nice-to-Haves

• Demonstrated experience in GD&T, MIL-STD, IPC and ISO family of standards
• ASQ-CQA-RAB certified lead auditor or training with direct hands‑on experience
• Proficiency with quality tools such as design of experiments, statistical process control, root cause analysis and corrective action, advanced product quality planning (APQP), and process failure mode and effects analysis (PFMEA)
• Strong technical writing skills, ability to communicate effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, and strong problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently and take initiative; is creative, detail oriented and has a positive attitude when faced with challenging problems
• Demonstrated experience leading and building small teams that are biased to action and collaborate across stakeholder teams

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.

Compensation Range: $160K - $200K