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Senior Test Engineer Jobs in Santa Rosa, CA (NOW HIRING)

Mechanical Engineer, Sr.

Petaluma, CA ยท On-site

$122K - $187K/yr

Worker Type Regular Summary The Sr. Mechanical Engineer applies engineering techniques to design ... Develops test plans and test procedures to verify designs * Works on complex issues where analysis ...

Sr. R&D Engineer

Santa Rosa, CA

$114K - $156K/yr

Conceptualize, develop, validate, and continuously refine test methods to support product design ... senior management, engineers, technicians, and cross-functional stakeholders to drive project ...

Sr. R&D Engineer

Santa Rosa, CA ยท On-site

$114K - $156K/yr

Conceptualize, develop, validate, and continuously refine test methods to support product design ... senior management, engineers, technicians, and cross-functional stakeholders to drive project ...

Sr. R&D Engineer

Santa Rosa, CA

$114K - $156K/yr

Conceptualize, develop, validate, and continuously refine test methods to support product design ... senior management, engineers, technicians, and cross-functional stakeholders to drive project ...

Mechanical Engineer, Sr.

Petaluma, CA ยท On-site

$122K - $187K/yr

Worker Type Regular Summary The Sr. Mechanical Engineer applies engineering techniques to design ... Develops test plans and test procedures to verify designs * Works on complex issues where analysis ...

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Senior Test Engineer information

See Santa Rosa, CA salary details

$74.9K

$129.6K

$184.2K

How much do senior test engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 31, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior test engineer in Santa Rosa, CA is $129,577.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $106,600.00 and $149,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Senior Test Engineer vs QA Analyst?

AspectSenior Test EngineerQA Analyst
CredentialsBachelor's in Computer Science or related field; experience in testing; certifications like ISTQBBachelor's in IT, Computer Science, or related; testing experience; ISTQB certification often preferred
Work EnvironmentSoftware development teams; involved in test planning, automation, and executionQuality assurance teams; focuses on manual testing, documentation, and process improvement
Industry UsageUsed across software, tech, and IT industries for testing rolesCommon in software development, IT, and tech sectors for quality assurance

While both roles focus on software quality, Senior Test Engineers typically handle more complex testing tasks, automation, and test strategy, whereas QA Analysts often focus on manual testing, documentation, and process adherence. The Senior Test Engineer role usually requires more technical expertise and experience in automation tools.

How does a Senior Test Engineer typically collaborate with development and product teams during the software release cycle?

As a Senior Test Engineer, you will work closely with software developers and product managers throughout the software release cycle. You'll participate in design and requirement reviews to identify potential quality issues early, help define testing strategies, and provide feedback on testability. Regular communication and collaboration are essential, as you'll often coordinate test plans, report on defects, and ensure that issues are resolved before release. This cross-functional teamwork not only helps deliver high-quality software but also broadens your understanding of the product and enhances your problem-solving skills.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Senior Test Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Test Engineer, you need advanced knowledge of software testing methodologies, test automation, and quality assurance principles, typically supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Expertise with automation tools such as Selenium, JUnit, or TestNG, and familiarity with CI/CD systems like Jenkins are often required, as well as certifications like ISTQB. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills distinguish top performers in this role. These skills are crucial for ensuring software reliability, optimizing testing processes, and collaborating effectively with development teams.

What are Senior Test Engineers?

Senior Test Engineers are experienced professionals responsible for designing, implementing, and overseeing testing processes to ensure the quality and reliability of software products or systems. They develop test plans, create automated and manual test cases, and collaborate with developers and other stakeholders to identify and resolve issues. Their role often includes mentoring junior team members, improving testing strategies, and ensuring that products meet industry standards and customer requirements.
What are the most commonly searched types of Test Engineer jobs in Santa Rosa, CA? The most popular types of Test Engineer jobs in Santa Rosa, CA are:
What are popular job titles related to Senior Test Engineer jobs in Santa Rosa, CA? For Senior Test Engineer jobs in Santa Rosa, CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Senior Test Engineer jobs in Santa Rosa, CA look for? The top searched job categories for Senior Test Engineer jobs in Santa Rosa, CA are:
What cities near Santa Rosa, CA are hiring for Senior Test Engineer jobs? Cities near Santa Rosa, CA with the most Senior Test Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Senior Test Engineer job openings in Santa Rosa, CA as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $129,577 per year, or $62.3 per hour.

Senior Test Automation Engineer, onsite in Petaluma, California

Ciena Corporation

Petaluma, CA โ€ข On-site

$192/hr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 22 days ago


Job description

As the global leader in high-speed connectivity, Ciena is committed to a people-first approach. Our teams enjoy a culture focused on prioritizing a flexible work environment that empowers individual growth, well-being, and belonging. We're a technology company that leads with our humanity-driving our business priorities alongside meaningful social, community, and societal impact.
Reporting to the Senior Manager, SVT/PV Engineering, as a Software Quality Assurance (SQA) Test Engineer, you will play an important role in ensuring the quality, reliability, and performance of Ciena's industry-leading networking products. You will collaborate with software developers, systems engineers, and product teams to validate new features and solutions through comprehensive automated testing.
You will contribute to the development of next-generation networking solutions by designing, developing, and maintaining automated test suites that improve product quality and accelerate software delivery. Working across multiple Ciena product lines, you will help ensure that products meet customer requirements and are ready for deployment in carrier-grade and enterprise environments.
  • Design, develop, execute, and maintain automated test cases and test suites for software features, system functionality, and customer use cases.
  • Develop and enhance automation frameworks to improve test coverage, scalability, efficiency, and maintainability.
  • Create and execute functional, integration, system, regression, and solution-level test plans to validate product capabilities and software releases.
  • Analyze test results, identify defects, perform root-cause analysis, and work closely with development teams to resolve issues.
  • Participate in design reviews, requirements reviews, and test planning activities to ensure quality is incorporated throughout the development lifecycle.
  • Support continuous integration and continuous testing initiatives by integrating automated test suites into Jenkins pipelines.
  • Build and maintain test environments, configure test topologies, and validate networking solutions under realistic deployment scenarios.
  • Collaborate effectively with software development, systems engineering, product management, and other quality engineering teams to support successful feature delivery.
  • Contribute to continuous improvement of automation practices, testing methodologies, and overall product quality.
  • Act as a customer advocate when designing and executing test cases. Act on behalf of customer to suggest improvements.

The Must Haves:
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
  • 5+ years of experience in software quality assurance, test automation, software development, or related engineering roles.
  • Experience developing automated test solutions using Python or other object-oriented programming languages.
  • Experience creating, executing, and maintaining automated test cases and regression test suites.
  • Experience working in Linux-based development and test environments.
  • Understanding of software development lifecycles, quality assurance methodologies, and defect management processes.
  • Experience using version control and development tools such as Git, Bitbucket, and JIRA.
  • Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and isolate software defects.
  • Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within cross-functional engineering teams.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Nice to Haves:
  • Experience with Passive Optical Network (PON) technologies, including GPON, XGS-PON.
  • Familiarity with Optical Line Terminal (OLT) and Optical Network Unit (ONU/ONT) architectures, operation, and deployment scenarios.
  • Knowledge of PON-related standards and protocols, including ITU-T specifications and OMCI.
  • Knowledge of networking fundamentals including Ethernet, TCP/IP, IPv4, IPv6, routing, and switching protocols.
  • Experience with traffic generation and network test tools such as Ixia, Spirent, Xena, or equivalent platforms.
  • Experience troubleshooting and analyzing packet captures, protocol traces, and system logs to identify root causes of networking and service issues.
  • Experience working with test management and collaboration tools such as TestRail and Confluence.
  • Experience troubleshooting broadband access networks and analyzing protocol traces, packet captures, and system logs.
  • Familiarity with broadband service delivery technologies, including VLANs, QoS, DHCP, PPPoE, and multicast services.
  • Knowledge of software quality assurance practices for carrier-grade networking products with a focus on reliability, scalability, and customer deployment scenarios.
  • Exposure to AI-assisted development tools and automation technologies

Pay Range: The salary range for this role in Petaluma, California is $120, 500 - $192, 500
Pay ranges at Ciena are designed to accommodate variations in knowledge, skills, experience, market conditions, and locations, reflecting our diverse products, industries, and lines of business. Please note that the pay range information provided in this posting pertains specifically to the primary location, which is the top location listed in case multiple locations are available.
Non-Sales employees may be eligible for a discretionary incentive bonus, while Sales employees may be eligible for a sales commission. In addition to competitive compensation, Ciena offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, participation in 401(K) (USA) & DCPP (Canada) with company matching, Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), company-paid holidays, paid sick leave, and vacation time. We also comply with all applicable laws regarding Paid Family Leave and other leaves of absence.
At Ciena, we are committed to building and fostering an environment in which our employees feel respected, valued, and heard. Ciena values the diversity of its workforce and respects its employees as individuals. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination.
Ciena is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.
If contacted in relation to a job opportunity, please advise Ciena of any accommodation measures you may require.