Software Quality Engineering Manager

Job description

**Who We Are** Applied Materials is the global leader in materials science and engineering solutions that are at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor chip and advanced display in the world. The equipment that we create and service is essential to advancing AI and accelerating the commercialization of next-generation semiconductor chips. Join us and push the boundaries of materials science and engineering in a company at the foundation of the electronics industry. The work we do together advances the world’s technology. **What We Offer** Location: Bangalore,IND, Chennai,IND You’ll benefit from a supportive work culture that encourages you to learn, develop, and grow your career as you take on challenges and drive innovative solutions for our customers. We empower our team to push the boundaries of what is possible—while learning every day in a supportive leading global company. Visit our Careers website to learn more. At Applied Materials, we care about the health and wellbeing of our employees. We’re committed to providing programs and support that encourage personal and professional growth and care for you at work, at home, or wherever you may go. Learn more about our [benefits](https://hrportal.ehr.com/applied/). We are seeking an experienced **Software Quality Engineering (SQE) / SDET Manager** to lead and drive quality strategy, test automation, and product qualification efforts. The ideal candidate will possess strong technical expertise in test automation and quality engineering, coupled with proven leadership experience managing QA/SDET teams. This role requires close collaboration with Development, Product Management, and Program Management teams to ensure the delivery of high-quality, reliable, and scalable software solutions. **Roles & Responsibilities** - Lead and manage a team of QA Engineers, SDETs, and Qualification Engineers, providing technical guidance, mentorship, and performance coaching. - Define and execute the overall quality engineering, test automation, and qualification strategy. - Drive end-to-end testing activities, including functional, integration, system, regression, and end-to-end validation. - Develop and enhance scalable test automation frameworks and integrate automated testing into CI/CD pipelines. - Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure quality is built into the software development lifecycle. - Monitor quality metrics, drive defect prevention initiatives, and ensure release readiness. - Identify opportunities to improve productivity through automation, tooling, and **AI/GenAI-assisted** testing solutions. - Drive continuous process improvements and establish best practices for software quality and qualification. - Be willing to work in a **techno-managerial role**, with significant hands-on technical contributions (**~60% technical and ~40% people management responsibilities**). **Qualifications** - Bachelor's or Master's degree in **Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field**. - **12+ years of overall experience** in Software Quality Assurance, Software Qualification, SDET, or related quality engineering roles. - **Minimum 2-3 years of experience managing QA/SDET/Qualification teams.** - Hands-on experience with automation tools such as **Selenium, Playwright**, and unit testing frameworks such as **TestNG**. - Strong understanding of API, Integration, System, Regression, and End-to-End testing. - Experience with CI/CD tools such as **Azure DevOps, Jenkins**, or equivalent platforms. - Experience working in Agile/Scrum development environments. - Excellent communication, stakeholder management, problem-solving, and leadership skills. **Good to Have** - Familiarity with cloud/cloud native technologies around containers & orchestrations technologies such as dockers & Kubernetes. - Exposure to AI/GenAI-based testing and quality engineering solutions. **Additional Information** **Time Type:** Full time **Employee Type:** Assignee / Regular **Travel:** Yes, 10% of the Time **Relocation Eligible:** Yes Applied Materials is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law.