R&D Instrumentation Test Engineer (Lab & Field)

Gridware; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental & Vision

Paid parental leave

Alternating day off

Off the Grid break

Commuter allowance

Company-paid training

Job summary

Gridware in San Francisco is seeking a curious, hands-on R&D Test Engineer with an instrumentation focus. You will own the test infrastructure our scientists depend on, designing and building fixtures, instrumenting test systems, developing data collection methods, running experiments, and turning one-off prototype setups into repeatable systems.

The role spans lab, warehouse, outdoor microgrid, and future pilot-scale settings, requiring solutions tailored to environment and goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or related technical field; 3+ years of hands-on test experience.
• Instrumentation fundamentals: sensor selection, wiring, signal conditioning, and measurement error.
• Electronics bench work: soldering, harnessing, and basic circuit troubleshooting.
• Practical shop skills: light power tools, fabrication, wiring and harnessing.
• Experience designing and executing instrumented tests in industrial or research settings.
• Clear technical documentation: test plans, SOPs, and reports.
• Ability to work with researchers and adapt tests to new information.

Responsibilities

• Develop and improve existing prototype physical experimentation infrastructure.
• Architect, source, assemble, and operate electromechanical test setups end to end.
• Instrument test articles and fixtures: mount, wire, calibrate sensors.
• Set up data acquisition systems using LabView for data processing.
• Run experiments, prepare equipment, and deliver organized datasets.
• Write SOPs, setup and calibration procedures, and train others to run mature tests.
• Partner with research engineers to turn test intent into an executable plan.
• Own our R&D lab and its equipment; maintenance and safe operation.

Skills

Instrumentation fundamentals

Electronics bench work

Practical shop skills

Instrumented tests design

Technical documentation

Collaboration with researchers

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

Tools

LabView

NI hardware

Job description

Gridware in San Francisco is seeking a curious, hands-on R&D Test Engineer with an instrumentation focus. You will own the test infrastructure our scientists depend on, designing and building fixtures, instrumenting test systems, developing data collection methods, running experiments, and turning one-off prototype setups into repeatable systems.

The role spans lab, warehouse, outdoor microgrid, and future pilot-scale settings, requiring solutions tailored to environment and goals.