Lead QA Specialist

Seeking a Lead QA Specialist / IT Quality-Test Engineer 5 to join its Quality Assurance team supporting the CAT Digital Platform. The team works closely with cross-functional engineering teams building modern, large-scale technology platforms.

This role will lead QA strategy, test planning, automation, defect management, and quality assurance activities across multiple projects and releases. The ideal candidate brings strong technical testing expertise, leadership experience, analytical skills, and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced Agile environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead QA strategy, test planning, and test execution across multiple projects and releases.

• Lead automation and quality assurance activities for complex software applications.

• Plan and execute regression, integration, performance, system, and user acceptance testing.

• Identify testing gaps and recommend improvements to overall quality processes.

• Validate new and existing software defects and manage defects through resolution.

• Reproduce defects and collect required logs, artifacts, and supporting evidence for analysis.

• Perform root cause analysis and drive high-impact issues to resolution.

• Work closely with Product Owners, developers, end users, and internal customers to understand requirements and resolve issues.

• Support field testing of features requiring detailed planning and execution.

• Ensure applications meet requirements for accuracy, integrity, interoperability, and completeness.

• Independently manage complex testing and QA assignments with minimal supervision.

• Use data and quantitative analysis to support quality and business decisions.

• Mentor QA team members and provide technical guidance on testing standards, tools, and best practices.

• Collaborate across a program organization supporting 50+ Scrum teams.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in software testing, QA, or related software development roles.

• At least 3 years of experience in a true QA/Test Lead role.

• Strong experience with Software Testing, QA/QC, SDLC, and Agile methodologies.

• Demonstrated leadership and/or project management experience in a cross-functional environment.

• Strong analytical and data-mining capabilities.

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including communicating with different levels of an organization.

• Ability to independently lead complex QA assignments and make informed decisions.

• Local to Chicago or Peoria and available to work onsite 5 days

Required Technical Skills

• Software Testing / Quality Assurance

• Test Strategy & Test Planning

• Defect Management

• Regression & Integration Testing

• Performance & UAT Testing

• SDLC / Agile

• AWS

• SQL

• Azure DevOps (ADO)

• Power BI

• Microsoft Excel

• Data Analysis & Data Mining

Core Competencies

• Decision Making & Critical Thinking

• Effective Communication

• Software Product Testing

• Quality Assurance & Quality Control

• Software Development Life Cycle

• Technical Leadership

• Project Management

• Problem Solving & Root Cause Analysis