Operations Engineer

Better Ventures; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Critical Loop is seeking an Operations Engineer to lead deployment, operation, and maintenance of our mobile BESS fleet. You will ensure safe, reliable field operations and act as the primary liaison with controls and software teams to validate advanced control logic across diverse power applications.

This hands-on, customer-facing role requires strong field experience, clear communication, and willingness to travel up to 50% to support active sites. Safety comes first in daily operations.

Qualifications

• Experience operating battery energy storage systems in the field.
• Hands-on power electronics, electrical troubleshooting, and field maintenance.
• Experience with 480V or higher systems and safe de-energization checks.
• Strong communication and customer-facing skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Familiarity with electrical safety practices and regulatory standards.

Responsibilities

• Manage fleet scheduling, dispatch, deployment, and retrieval.
• Oversee site readiness, electrical connections, grounding, and startup during deployments.
• Commission battery energy storage and power systems in the field with de-energized verification.
• Develop and execute preventive and corrective maintenance plans to maximize fleet uptime.
• Lead hands-on troubleshooting of electrical, mechanical, battery, and power electronics issues.
• Serve as primary escalation point for on-site and remote troubleshooting and customer support.
• Travel up to 50%.

Skills

Battery energy storage

Power electronics

Electrical troubleshooting

Field maintenance

Customer communication

Electrical safety standards

Independent work

Travel readiness

Tools

Modbus

Telemetry platforms

Controls software

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.

Operations Engineer | Full-Time | Multiple Openings

The Role

We are hiring an Operations Engineer to lead the deployment, operation, maintenance, and performance of our mobile BESS fleet. You will ensure safe and reliable field operations, drive rapid customer response, and maintain high system uptime across active sites.

You will also work closely with our controls and software teams to test and validate advanced control logic across diverse power applications. This is a hands‑on, customer‑facing role with direct impact on daily operations and product evolution. If you need close oversight to function or treat safety as secondary to speed, this is not the right fit.

What You’ll Do

• Manage fleet scheduling, dispatch, deployment, and retrieval to ensure reliable service delivery across active customer sites
• Oversee site readiness, electrical connections, grounding, and system startup during deployments
• Execute commissioning of battery energy storage and power systems in the field, safely verifying de‑energized conditions before every touch
• Develop and execute preventive and corrective maintenance plans to maximize fleet uptime
• Lead hands‑on troubleshooting of electrical, mechanical, battery, and power electronics issues independently using a structured diagnostic process
• Serve as the primary escalation point for on‑site and remote troubleshooting and customer support
• Coordinate logistics, transportation, staging, and heavy equipment movement for deploymentsOperate and test system control logic, state machines, and transitions between operating modes
• Maintain accurate documentation on fleet status, maintenance activities, telemetry, and system performance
• Communicate clearly with engineering teams on field findings and open issues, and with customers on status and resolution timelines
• Provide on‑call support in on‑call rotation
• Travel up to 50%

Must‑Haves

• Experience operating or supporting battery energy storage systems or similar power assets in the field
• Hands‑on experience with power electronics, electrical troubleshooting, and field maintenance
• Has worked on 480V or higher systems and can safely verify de‑energized conditions before every touch
• Quality wiring, terminations, and ferrule work to a professional standard
• Experience using backend or controls software to monitor and operate energy systems
• Customer‑facing experience and strong communication skills, including difficult conversations when systems are down or timelines slip
• Comfortable managing work on a job site independently with minimal supervision
• Familiarity with electrical safety practices and regulatory standards

Nice‑to‑Haves

• Experience with BESS, UPS, inverters, DC infrastructure, portable switchgear, or microgrid systems
• Experience with mobile or portable power systems and fleet management
• Basic coding experience or familiarity with Python, Julia, R, or MATLAB
• Experience writing or modifying site configurations and defining state transitions for deployed systems
• Familiarity with fleet management systems or telemetry platforms
• Familiarity with Modbus or similar industrial control protocols
• Prior background in a startup or fast‑scaling operations environment
• Certifications in battery systems, heavy equipment operation, or electrical safety

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: $130K - $180K