QA Lead

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Please go through the job description:

Title: QA Lead/Architect

Location: Cincinnati, OH(Hybrid Local)

Duration: 6+ months

Job Description:

The ideal candidate is a senior QA leader with deep experience in retail POS systems, strong technical acumen, and a proven ability to overcome challenges associated with hardware-dependent testing environments. They will serve as both a strategic leader and a hands-on contributor evaluating test automation, reviewing test case quality, mentoring teams, and guiding quality practices across all phases of the SDLC.********* NEED TO HAVE TRUE POS Experience!
Key Responsibilities: Strategic Leadership & QA Direction

• Define and own the QA strategy and roadmap for the NGPOS program.
• Lead the formation of a QA Community of Practice to promote consistency, innovation, and continuous improvement across teams.
• Serve as the quality voice across program leadership, development, product, and operations.

Hands-on Quality Enablement

• Conduct in-depth reviews of test automation repositories, test case quality, and test management tools and practices.
• Work closely with development teams to shift quality left, improving coverage earlier in the development lifecycle.
• Proactively identify and implement emulators, simulators, and virtualization strategies to reduce hardware dependency and enable scalable test automation.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead and mentor a team of Senior Quality Engineers responsible for large-scale, customer-facing retail systems.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (product, engineering, DevOps, architecture) to ensure high standards of quality and performance.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and collaboration.

Automation & Modern Test Practices

• Elevate existing automation efforts by implementing CI/CD-integrated test frameworks and scalable, maintainable test automation strategies.
• Provide technical guidance in tools such as Karate, Selenium, BDD frameworks, and performance tools like JMeter.
• Implement service virtualization and cloud-based testing environments to increase test efficiency and coverage.

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in Quality Engineering, with at least 3+ years leading QA at a program or enterprise level.
• Proven success in retail or POS environments, with hands-on experience solving challenges tied to physical hardware dependencies.
• Strong knowledge of POS components (e.g., cash drawers, credit card readers, pin pads, printers) and strategies to simulate or virtualize hardware testing.
• Deep technical expertise in test automation, test data management, API testing, CI/CD integration, performance testing, and shift-left quality practices.
• Experience in Agile/DevOps environments, with strong collaboration and leadership skills.
• Strong analytical and communication skills with the ability to clearly articulate quality insights to both technical and business stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in large-scale retail modernization or digital transformation initiatives.
• Familiarity with edge computing and distributed retail systems.
• Experience leading or participating in QA Centers of Excellence or Communities of Practice.