SUMMARY

• Extensive experience managing QA teams testing complex software and hardware systems on government and commercial projects. Using Continuous Process Improvements, Quality is increased and cost/risk decreased. Proven track record starting SW/HW QA test dept. and nurturing into highly effective QA teams locally and globally that improve the product while reducing test cycle times.
• Successfully starting 4 QA departments develop / train and managing effective local and global QA test teams.
• Expert implementing process / procedures / SOP / OP / CAPA at all levels of the company to maximize Quality.
• Expert with life cycle management SW systems such as; HP Quality Center 11, 10.0 & 9.1, and Mercury Interactive Test Director 8.2 to capture requirements, map test cases to requirements, track test results and defects, and provide periodic reports. Developed procedures and training.
• Expert in defect systems QC - 11/10/9.1, TD 8.2, SCARAB, GNATS, ClearQuest, Elementool) and Admin of same.
• Establishing configuration management; build procedures, release control, rev control, problem tracking systems
• Fully versed in the Software Development Life Cycle.
• Fully versed in Black Box, Gray Box, Whit Box testing methods
• Highly proficient managing test teams while products are in a high state of flux, due to changing corporate priorities or product features. Priorities are accessed and applied in real time to achieve the desired goals
• Apply QA process / methods / procedures and practices, to minimize risks and applying corrective actions to prevent future occurrences of deficiencies
• Applying a multi - disciplinarian approach to design test scenarios to effectively test products, with better efficiency, resulting in shorter test and development cycle times as required to meet budget and schedules
• Software test of Windows apps, and embedded thin client software (Firmware, STB, etc) and Servers
• Managing / training local / global off shore test teams, to capitalize on time difference to reduce test durations and lower cost
• Expert in manual testing of products as well as transitioning teams from manual to automated tests
• Specify/Implement automation SW such as IBM Rational Robot, HP Mercury Quick Test Pro 10/11, Testing Anywhere 7.5

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Confidential, South Plainfield, NJ

QA and Systems Test Manager

Responsibilities:

• Started the QA team from scratch. Defined and created QA positions, hired 4 resources and trained all in QA test methodologies
• Responsible for ongoing resource staffing / planning, reviews, establishing career tracks, promotions, awards, dismissals etc.
• Managed an equipment budget of 60k on average. Identified and purchased equipment needed, set up the QA lab, worked within my budget, phased in equipment and resources as required to meet product deliveries.
• Successfully replaced an ineffective defect tool “SCARAB” defect system with Quality Center 10.0 to capture requirements and map test plans to them, as well as capture defects and increased test efficiency >50% . Successfully implemented and provided training ahead of schedule
• Reduced test cycle times by >5x by introducing formal integration test cycles in the development and/or HW/FW groups
• Worked with SW Development Manager and integrated and tested proper implementation for TeamForge CollabNet with QC-10
• Designed and built test fixtures for the Smart Energy Module Inverter such as a Sun rise/set simulator
• Transitioned the team from manual to automated tests using LabView for HW and Testing Anywhere, .NET for SW tests
• Defined test objectives and the automation test framework for using LabView to automate tests for CSA, UL-1741, AS-4777
• Responsible for defining and creating the QA Systems Test process, and provided in house QC-10 training for the company
• Created Master QA schedules, architected test planning, developed test plans, assigned test leads, held defect review meetings, ran queries in QC-10 and present test reports and progress updates to Senior management
• Defined and implemented rapid test cycle approach to define criticality levels for releases to support business objectives
• Provided QA / process/ continuous process improvement training to the company
• Implemented a formal Corrective And Preventive Action system to catalog prioritize / track progress / and follow up audits
• Supported manufacturing issues, reviewed Pareto data, ran validation tests for manufacturing workmanship reliability audits
• Reported to the CIO and the VP of Eng.

Confidential, Thorofare, NJ

QA Validation Manager / Senior QA Engineer

Responsibilities:

• Hired as a contractor to integrate a newly formed QA team. Established process, guidelines and standardized methods to unify the team s (1 yr)
• My first assignment was to become the subject matter expert for HP QC-9 which was not being used effectively. Developed best practices and guidelines, provided QC training, in order to use the tool going forward, which I was able to do within a few months.
• Served as acting QA manager reporting to the Director - World Wide QA until re-orged documentation manager was in place.
• After new manager was in place, I was hired as a direct employee and mentored new manager in QA methodologies and managing test.
• Oversaw all QA projects within the group, and was assigned as QA lead to the highest priority projects within Checkpoint
• Provided coordination, Process Improvement, daily direction as the overall lead for the QA team. Gave QA Manager daily updates.
• Reported on test status vr’s business objectives, compiled periodic test reports, presented metrics and trending reports to Senior management.
• Challenged by the V.P. of R&D, and successfully accomplished, training and managing of inexperienced QA personnel in China.
• Developed process for daily tasking of workload between off shore teams and Checkpoint
• Provide training / best practices, implement test methods / procedures for using HP’s Test Director 8.2 and Quality Center 9.1
• Implemented custom fields in QC-9 to generate and gather metrics to identify week areas in development (% issues fixed going back to open, % high priority defects vrs’ low priority defects (total and fixed), defect per system/sub system, etc)
• Successfully implemented innovative methods to reduce the test duration on milestone projects while insuring the highest quality
• Utilize a phased test approach, to test the most critical high risk items first and less critical items as secondary tests
• Moved initial testing to occur much earlier during the “Development Integration test phase” to uncover defects sooner
• Reduced the time (and cost) of QA robot detection tests, first year by >50%. Designed method to reduce tests by another 50-75%
• Worked with eng to support manufacturing issues.

Confidential, Lawernceville, NJ

QA SW / HW PRODUCT TEST MANAGER

Responsibilities:

• Reported to the VP of engineering, attended staff meetings, to establish near and long term goals, and department strategies
• Analyze customer requirements, establish compliance metrics, total quality test objectives and test plans
• Create test reports, pass/fail fault category data and graphs, high level project reports and presented project data to management
• Present “QA and Product test” process philosophy to customers during company / project due process proceedings and audits.
• Participate in customer audits, due diligence and subcontractor reviews as required with companies such as Philips Electronics
• Established and implemented guidelines to capture our current process by “documenting what we do, and doing what we document” to define / improve and stabilize our process which contributed to new business wins.
• Hired trained and mentored personnel for a 12 member global QA team, 12 were direct reports, 1 indirect report.
• Managed a 5 member team in NJ consisting of 4 QA and product test personnel, 1-change control/ build engineer
• Established and managed an effective 7 person offshore QA team for a new D5 facility in Hyderabad, India.
• Rate personnel for quarterly reviews, salary adjustment appraisals, implemented training and guidelines for advancement.
• Specify and implement software test requirements utilizing IBM Rational Test Suite testing embedded Client FW and Server SW on Win OS
• Administered the WEB Based problem reporting tool “Elementool”, held defect review meetings, generated daily/weekly reports

Confidential

Lead Test Engineer

Responsibilities:

• Worked closely with Sarnoff’s Compliance Bit Stream department to test and recommend MPEG-2 transport test streams to clarify and fine tune the streams for general use
• Wrote VB test software to support testing such as an IR script to record and send IR commands to the STB to improve stability .
• Applied lessons learned to identify key areas for improvement to reduce build release times.
• Generated test plans, and test cases from customer and / or marketing requirements.
• Analyze customer requirements, establish compliance metrics, total quality test objectives and test plans

Confidential

Software / Hardware Test Eng.

Responsibilities:

• As a member of the Software Test Department I specified and implemented test systems and scenarios to functionally test client server software consisting of VB, GUI’s, C++, embedded software and Access / SQL Server 6.5 databases.
• Analyzed requirements for new releases, specified equipment and test setups, wrote test plans and analyzed test results for pass fail criteria and met with the project eng, design team and programmers to review findings
• Worked with Phd’s to implement Iris test strategies creating a cross sample of various Iris images / patterns for use in testing the product
• Worked with Phd’s to simulate ways someone may attempt to create false positives or otherwise circumvent Iris recognition accuracy
• Performed system data integrity / stability tests, stress loading / response time scenarios and collected metrics.
• Improved release times by providing the test plans and an identical test system to the developers in a coordinated effort that enabled them to debug their software in parallel with the test department, which reduced release cycle time by 50% with fewer bugs.
• Tested SDK’s, and conducted user usability tests to insure the system was easy to use by untrained operators
• Designed and built an electro - mechanical Iris recognition test fixture to stress test and define eye tracking and motion prediction algorithms perceived to be a problem. Testing found that the algorithms were 10x more efficient than realized, we were able to apply efforts elsewhere.
• Worked with mechanical eng developing tests for Iris recognition during extreme operation in wind, and rain environments.
• Supported local manufacturing and helped technicians as required to resolve calibration / manufacturing problems
• Held daily “live Eye Iris tests for manufacturing units” collected and analyzed data
• Worked closely with Eng to improve the Iris enrolment system, especially in the area of the GUI so the operator would be more effective in understanding the data to improve the quality of the Iris image.
• Designed and wrote the software for an automated test fixture based on the MICROCHIP PIC Series of Micro-controllers for an IR power safety circuit that reduced test times from 5 min. to 30 sec. and eliminated $25,000 worth of support equipment

Confidential

Senior Staff Engineering Tech.

Responsibilities:

• Lead for the Principal eng on a 100 / 200 amp HV NiCad Battery Pack Unit thermal test project test farm.
• Coordinated a team of 9 people to build / test 120 HW pieces, running custom test and monitoring SW, and final qualification acceptance tests to interface to flight HW.
• Proficient and was the main Eng interface to QA, in all areas of documentation to build / acceptance testing of the systems.
• Wrote engineering change notices, test procedures / plans, controlled and red lined Eng. documents used to build and test products.
• Performed HW / SW tests using PC / Main Frame Automated Test Equipment (ATE) for flight satellite component assemblies.
• Wrote and modified test scripts and used non-destructive methods to troubleshoot and isolate defective areas in flight HW
• Successfully trained a 25 member engineering team in documentation training, and successfully lead our department to become ISO-9000 compliant after the first audit, no major findings, and two minor findings.
• Responsible for training technicians in QA / QC procedures. Evaluated junior technicians for raises and recommended promotions.