Director Software Qa Engineer Jobs in Worcester, MA

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Who we are:
Johnson Controls is global leader in smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings. Our mission is to reimagine the performance of buildings to serve people, places, and the planet. Join a winning team that enables you to build your best future! Our teams are uniquely positioned to support a multitude of industries across the globe. You will have the opportunity to develop yourself through meaningful work projects and learning opportunities. We strive to provide our employees with an experience focused on supporting their physical, financial, and emotional wellbeing. Become a member of the Johnson Controls family and thrive in an empowering company culture where your voice and ideas will be heard - your next great opportunity is just a few clicks away!
What We Offer:

• Competitive salary
• Paid vacation/holidays/sick time
• Comprehensive benefits package including 401K, medical, dental, and vision care.
• On-the-job/cross-training opportunities
• Encouraging and collaborative team environment
• Dedication to safety through our Zero Harm policy

Position Summary
Johnson Controls is seeking a Director, Software Quality Assurance Engineering to lead the software quality strategy, execution, and transformation for the Fire Solutions Business Unit.
This leader will be responsible for driving software quality across a portfolio of mission-critical fire solutions including embedded systems, firmware, cloud platforms, mobile applications, web applications, and connected products. The role will lead global Software Quality Assurance teams, oversee software quality labs across multiple R&D locations, and ensure quality is embedded throughout the product lifecycle.
A key focus of this position is leveraging AI, automation, modern quality engineering practices, and data-driven decision making to improve efficiency, product quality, release predictability, and organizational performance.
This role requires a strong technical and people leader who can drive quality excellence across globally distributed teams while supporting products that help protect people, property, and critical infrastructure around the world.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Strategy

• Define and execute the software quality strategy for the Fire Solutions Business Unit.
• Lead and develop global Software Quality Assurance teams across multiple locations.
• Evolve quality standards, processes, tools, and governance across product development organizations.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams to achieve project milestones and business objectives.
• Drive a culture of quality, accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

AI, Automation & Quality Engineering

• Lead adoption of AI-driven quality engineering capabilities.
• Drive test automation strategies across embedded, mobile, web, desktop, cloud, and IoT solutions.
• Utilize AI and analytics to improve testing effectiveness, resource planning, defect prevention, and engineering productivity.
• Expand automated testing coverage across functional, integration, system, performance, reliability, and security testing.
• Lead adoption of Digital Twin testing capabilities to improve product validation, test coverage, and release confidence.
• Drive the use of virtual testing environments and simulation technologies to accelerate testing and reduce dependence on physical lab environments.
• Integrate Digital Twin and simulation-based testing into automation frameworks and CI/CD workflows.

Development Lifecycle & Quality Integration

• Ensure quality is integrated throughout the software development lifecycle.
• Partner with development and DevOps teams to implement quality practices within CI/CD pipelines.
• Lead release readiness reviews and quality governance activities.
• Drive quality improvements using customer feedback, operational metrics, and defect analysis.

Global Labs & Infrastructure

• Lead software quality assurance labs across global R&D locations.
• Drive lab ongoing modernization through automation, virtualization, and remote-access capabilities.
• Optimize utilization of test environments, lab resources, and validation infrastructure.
• Ability and willingness to travel occasionally to global R&D sites to support team development, quality initiatives, and business objectives.

Required Qualifications
Education

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• Master's degree preferred.

Experience

• 15+ years of Software Quality Assurance or Quality Engineering experience.
• 5+ years leading managers and globally distributed quality engineering teams.
• Experience developing and executing quality strategies for complex product organizations.
• Proven success driving test automation, process improvement, and quality transformation initiatives.
• Experience in Agile, DevOps, SDLC, and CI/CD environments.

Preferred Experience
Complex Systems & Integrated Solutions

• Experience with complex hardware and software systems, including connected and distributed product ecosystems.
• Experience validating integrated solutions involving hardware, firmware, software, cloud services, networking, and mobile technologies.
• Experience supporting highly available, mission-critical products.
• Experience with Digital Twin technologies, virtual test environments, or simulation-based testing.
• Experience using digital models to validate complex hardware and software systems.
• Experience integrating Digital Twin capabilities into automated testing and quality engineering processes.

Multi-Platform Technologies
Experience supporting quality engineering across multiple technology layers, including:

• Embedded Software
• Firmware
• Desktop Applications
• Mobile Applications
• Web Applications
• Cloud and SaaS Platforms
• IoT and Edge Devices
• Connected Product Ecosystems

Global & Regulated Environments

• Experience supporting globally deployed products and globally distributed engineering teams.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and communication skills.
• Experience in highly regulated or mission-critical industries such as Fire & Life Safety, Building Automation, Industrial Controls, Medical Devices, Aerospace, Defense, Transportation, Energy, or Telecommunications.

Metrics & Continuous Improvement

• Proven ability to define, measure, and continuously improve software quality KPIs.
• Experience building quality dashboards and reporting focused on product quality, automation effectiveness, defect trends, customer satisfaction, and engineering productivity.
• Strong data-driven approach to continuous improvement and organizational performance.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic Leadership
• Global Team Development
• Organizational Change Management
• Executive Communication
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Talent Development
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Continuous Improvement Mindset

Technical Competencies

• Software Quality Assurance Leadership
• AI-Driven Quality Engineering
• Test Automation Strategy & Execution
• CI/CD and Continuous Testing
• Digital Twin Testing & Virtual Validation
• Quality Metrics, KPIs & Analytics
• Software Quality Governance & Release Readiness
• System Integration & End-to-End Solution Testing
• Reliability, Availability & Performance Validation
• Cybersecurity Testing & Risk-Based Quality Practices
• Engineering Tool Chain Development & Optimization
• Test Lab Operations & Infrastructure Management
• Defect Prevention & Root Cause Analysis
• Agile, DevOps & Continuous Improvement Practices
• Data-Driven Decision Making

Success Measures
The successful candidate will:

• Establish a unified quality strategy across the Fire Solutions Business Unit.
• Increase automation coverage and testing efficiency.
• Successfully implement AI-enabled quality engineering capabilities.
• Improve release quality, reliability, and customer satisfaction.
• Reduce escaped defects and field quality issues.
• Maintain and improve high caliber global quality labs and testing infrastructure.
• Strengthen quality ownership throughout the product lifecycle.
• Develop meaningful KPIs that drive measurable quality and productivity improvements.

About the Role
The Fire Solutions Business Unit develops products that customers trust to protect lives, property, and critical infrastructure. This role is responsible for ensuring software quality across a global portfolio of fire and life safety solutions while enabling faster innovation through AI, automation, and world-class quality engineering practices.
SALARY RANGE: $141,000 - $200,000 (Salary to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data.) This role offers a competitive Bonus plan that will take into account individual, group, and corporate performance. This position includes a competitive benefits package. The posted salary range reflects the target compensation for this role. However, we recognize that exceptional candidates may bring unique skills and experiences that exceed the typical profile. If you believe your background warrants consideration beyond the stated range, we encourage you to apply. To support an efficient and fair hiring process, we may use technology assisted tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), to help identify and evaluate candidates. All hiring decisions are ultimately made by human reviewers. For details, please visit the About Us tab on the Johnson Controls Careers site at https://jobs.johnsoncontrols.com/about-us
Johnson Controls International plc. is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a qualified individual with a disability or any other characteristic protected by law. To view more information about your equal opportunity and non-discrimination rights as a candidate, visit EEO is the Law. If you are an individual with a disability and you require an accommodation during the application process, please visit here.