Principal QC Engineer

ABOUT THE ROLEThe Principal QC is responsible for developing and owning the strategy behind organisational QC processes, and driving quality, output, effectiveness, and consistency as a result.Working closely with Development Managers, and Team Leaders, the Principal QC is a leadership role designed to both support and oversee QC activities across all squads.  A key objective of this role is to drive the adoption of AI-powered tools and test automation to reduce manual work and improve testing efficiency across the QC team.SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITYTo champion a quality-first engineering culture.Define and implement the strategy for QC operations across six development squads, each with their own QC members.Lead initiatives to improve QC capability, automation adoption, output, and product quality.Ensure consistent testing standards, quality practices, and defect management across teams.Provide visibility of product quality and QC performance to engineering leadership and squad leaders.Oversee test coverage strategy beyond functional testing. Ie. Security and Performance.KEY RESPONSIBILITIESLeadershipDefine and maintain QC standards, testing processes, and best practices across squads.Oversee testing activities to ensure adequate coverage across functional, integration, and system testing.Identify systemic quality risks and drive improvement initiatives.Ensure QC’s are supported with adequate tools, educational resources, devices, and test platforms.Cross-Team CollaborationWork closely with Development Managers, and Team Leaders to ensure quality is embedded throughout the development lifecycle.Support squads in resolving complex testing challenges and clarifying requirements.Act as the central point of contact for quality-related matters across squads.Quality Review & ReportingOrganize regular quality review meetings with QC members across squads.Consolidate testing results, defect trends, and testing coverage across teams.Provide quality insights and reports to leadership to support release readiness and risk management.AI & Test AutomationDrive the adoption of AI-powered tools and automation to support and improve upon all areas of the QC process.Identify opportunities for AI-assisted test case generation, regression testing, and defect analysis.Work with QC members and developers to increase test automation coverage across critical areas.Establish best practices for integrating AI and automation into QC workflows.Team DevelopmentMentor QC members across squads and support their professional development.Encourage knowledge sharing and improve testing practices across teams.Organize training sessions to strengthen QC capabilities.Key Success MetricsSuccess in this role will be measured by improvements in product quality and testing efficiency, including:Increased automation coverage for critical product areas.Reduction in manual testing effort through AI and automation tools.Improved defect detection before release and reduced defect leakage into production.Stronger QC capability and consistent testing practices across squads.Improved visibility of performance, and quality throughout the QC process.