Lead / Manager Embedded Software Quality Assurance

Position Overview The Lead / Manager Embedded Software Quality Assurance is a hybrid technical-leadership role responsible for building and developing a high-performing QA team while owning test strategy, automation architecture, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validation for DDI's software-based control systems. This role transitions the Senior SQA function into people management: setting team direction, growing engineering talent, driving process maturity, and representing Quality across product and engineering leadership. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in embedded system validation and test automation, paired with demonstrated experience leading or mentoring engineers. They are equally comfortable writing Python in a test framework and presenting quality metrics to stakeholders and they understand that neither happens well without the other. Key Responsibilities Team Leadership & People Management Hire, onboard, coach, and develop QA Engineers and Senior QA Engineers; conduct regular 1:1s and performance reviews. Define team structure, roles, and career growth paths aligned with engineering and product roadmaps. Foster a culture of ownership and continuous improvement within the QA team. Coordinate workload allocation and capacity planning across concurrent programs and product lines. Serve as the primary escalation point for quality blockers affecting release readiness. Test Strategy, Architecture & Execution Define and own the overall QA strategy spanning unit, integration, system, and HIL test layers across the full product lifecycle. Architect and evolve the automated test framework for hardware-in-the-loop validation using Python. Review and approve test plans authored by team members; contribute hands-on to complex or critical test design. Support development of unit and integration tests in collaboration with embedded software teams. Process, Tools & Infrastructure Own the test infrastructure roadmap: CI/CD integration, test bench environments, and toolchain selection. Administer and optimize test management practices in TestRail or equivalent; ensure coverage traceability to requirements. Establish defect management workflows and triage cadences using Jira; drive sprint-level quality reviews. Maintain and improve Linux-based test environments; troubleshoot software, hardware, and configuration-related test failures. Oversee assembly, documentation, and maintenance of test bench setups, wiring harnesses, and instrumentation. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement Digital Dynamics, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected classification under federal, state, or local law. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business need. Qualifications Education & Experience Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical field (or equivalent experience). 7+ years of QA engineering experience in embedded or hardware-integrated products, with at least 2 years in a formal lead, staff, or manager role. Proven track record defining test strategy and owning quality outcomes for hardware-based product lines. Demonstrated success hiring, mentoring, and growing QA engineers. Technical Expertise Python for test automation, scripting, and framework development. Experience with Linux systems administration and command-line tooling in test environments. Hands-on experience with embedded and real-time control systems. Proficiency with TestRail or equivalent test management platforms; strong understanding of coverage traceability. Hands-on experience with GitHub, Jira, and CI/CD pipeline integration for automated test execution. Skilled use of digital multimeters, oscilloscopes, and other bench instrumentation; experience assembling and troubleshooting wiring harnesses and test fixtures. Leadership & Soft Skills Clear, confident communicator capable of translating technical quality data for engineering, product, and executive audiences. Strong organizational and prioritization skills; able to manage competing demands across multiple programs.

Data-driven mindset:

uses metrics and trend analysis to drive quality decisions and influence roadmap priorities. Collaborative and empathetic leader who builds trust across engineering disciplines. Proactive problem-solver with a strong bias toward systemic, root-cause resolution over reactive fixes.