Senior Software Test Engineer(QA Lead)

Career Area:

Technology, Digital and Data

Job Description:

Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.

When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.

About Caterpillar

Caterpillar Inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives.

For nearly 100 years, we’ve been helping customers build a better, more sustainable world and are committed and contributing to a reduced-carbon future. Our innovative products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value that helps customers succeed.

Your Impact Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc

When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.

What does it mean to live the Caterpillar Experience?

It means you play a part in building a better world. You contribute to a winning culture—a spirit of accountability—that has driven change on every continent for more than 90 years. To work with us is a commitment to improve sustainability, invent for the digital age and innovate in order to bring solutions to millions of people. Sure, you work for Caterpillar. But more importantly, you work for the good of your career, your family, your community, and your world.

Job Summary

We are seeking a skilled S enior Software Test Engineer(QA Lead )to join Informatics &Connected Worksite - CAT IT Division

The preference for this role is to be based out of Chennai - Brigade World Trade Center & Bangalore – Caterpillar PSN office.

What you will do

The QA lead should have with 10-15 years of experience in software testing and quality assurance, including leading QA teams in fast-paced product environments. The candidate is a hands-on quality leader with expertise in manual and automation testing, release management, quality strategy, and team development. The QA lead will drive end-to-end quality across the SDLC while championing automation, AI-enabled testing, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities

• •Own and continuously evolve the organization's QA strategy across manual, automation, regression, exploratory, API, performance, and release testing.
• •Lead QA activities throughout the SDLC including test planning, execution, defect management, risk assessment, release validation, and production sign-off.
• •Drive AI-enabled testing initiatives and continuously improve testing efficiency, quality, and coverage.
• •Define, track, and report quality metrics such as defect leakage, automation coverage, release readiness, defect trends, and test effectiveness.
• •Perform root cause analysis for production issues and implement preventive quality improvements.
• •Lead automation initiatives, improving framework reliability, execution efficiency, and maintainability.
• •Collaborate with business and product teams to improve API/UI automation and overall software quality.
• •Mentor and develop QA engineers across manual and automation disciplines.
• •Support customer issue investigations, production incidents, and QA escalations.
• •Drive release planning, workload allocation, capacity planning, hiring, onboarding, performance management, and succession planning.
• •Build a collaborative, accountable, high-performing QA culture.

What you will have

• •Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field (Master's preferred).
• •10-15 years of QA experience in product-based companies.
• •4+ years of experience leading and managing QA teams.

Must-Have Skills

• •Strong people leadership, planning, stakeholder management, and cross-functional collaboration.
• •Hands-on experience testing web applications, apis
• •Playwright with Python and BDD frameworks.
• •API testing using Postman, Bruno or equivalent tools.
• •Test strategy, regression testing, defect management, release validation.
• •Experience driving production release sign-offs.
• •Quality metrics, RCA, defect prevention.
• •Agile/Scrum experience.
• •CI/CD pipelines, Git/GitHub.

Good to Have

• •Performance testing exposure.
• •Exposure to security and penetration testing.
• •This position requires candidate to work a 5-day -a -week schedule in the office.

Skills desired:

• Business Analysis: Knowledge of business analysis and the set of tasks, techniques and tools required to identify business needs; ability to recommend solutions that deliver value to stakeholders.
• Level Working Knowledge:
• •Analyzes the value of a business and its functions through the value estimation of assets.
• •Applies the prerequisites to a project before starting the business analysis process.
• •Collaborates with stakeholders, development teams, testing teams, etc., to deliver business solutions.
• •Documents the business case to justify the requirements of time and resources of a project.
• •Utilizes diverse analysis tools and methodologies to group different business activities based on shared characteristics or similarities.

• Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.
• Level Extensive Experience:
• •Differentiates assumptions, perspectives, and historical frameworks.
• •Evaluates past decisions for insights to improve decision-making process.
• •Assesses and validates decision options and points and predicts their potential impact.
• •Advises others in analyzing and synthesizing relevant data and assessing alternatives.
• •Uses effective decision-making approaches such as consultative, command, or consensus.
• •Ensures that assumptions and received wisdom are objectively analyzed in decisions.

• Effective Communications : Understanding of effective communication concepts, tools and techniques; ability to effectively transmit, receive, and accurately interpret ideas, information, and needs through the application of appropriate communication behaviors.
• Level Extensive Experience:
• •Reviews others' writing or presentations and provides feedback and coaching.
• •Adapts documents and presentations for the intended audience.
• •Demonstrates both empathy and assertiveness when communicating a need or defending a position.
• •Communicates well downward, upward, and outward.
• •Employs appropriate methods of persuasion when soliciting agreement.
• •Maintains focus on the topic at hand.

• Software Change Request Management: Knowledge of software change request management; ability to manage software product change requests from customers, prospective customers, vendors, and internal staff.
• Level Extensive Experience:
• •Describes methods for estimating costs for request fulfillment.
• •Defines responses for non-standard or unsupported change requests.
• •Contributes to the design and development of request process flow and templates.
• •Clarifies description, components affected, need, cost estimate, risk, resources, status.
• •Manages all aspects of the change request process.
• •Researches new tools and techniques for monitoring product efficacy.

• Software Engineering: Knowledge of software engineering; ability to deliver new or enhanced fee-based software products.
• Level Working Knowled