Software Testing Lead

Software Testing Lead Location: Limerick, Ireland Job Type: Full-Time Experience: 6+ Years Eligibility: EU Nationals Preferred Role Overview We are seeking an experienced Software Testing Lead to own and drive quality assurance across our Manufacturing Execution System (MES) programme. The successful candidate will lead a team of testers responsible for validating complex, regulated manufacturing software environments, with a strong preference for candidates who have hands-on experience with off-the-shelf MES platforms — particularly Syncade — and an understanding of DevOps practices to support continuous testing in modern delivery pipelines.

Key Responsibilities

• Define, own, and continuously improve the overall testing strategy for MES implementations, upgrades, and integrations.
• Lead and mentor a team of test engineers, fostering a culture of quality and continuous improvement.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive test plans, test cases, and test scripts for functional, regression, integration, performance, and UAT activities.
• Collaborate closely with DevOps and development teams to integrate automated testing into CI/CD pipelines, reducing manual effort and accelerating release cycles.
• Act as the quality gate for MES releases, ensuring all changes meet regulatory, functional, and performance requirements before deployment.
• Partner with business stakeholders, process owners, and validation teams to ensure test scenarios reflect real-world manufacturing processes.
• Oversee defect management — triage, prioritisation, root cause analysis, and resolution tracking — using appropriate tooling (e.g. Azure DevOps, Jira).
• Support computer system validation (CSV) activities in compliance with GxP regulations where applicable.
• Produce clear, concise testing metrics and progress reports for project stakeholders and senior leadership.
• Evaluate and implement test automation frameworks and tooling appropriate to MES environments.
• Ensure testing environments are adequately configured and maintained to mirror production conditions. Essential Requirements
• Proven experience as a Testing Lead or Senior QA Engineer on complex enterprise software implementations.
• Strong knowledge of software testing methodologies, tools, and best practices (ISTQB or equivalent preferred).
• Experience working in or closely with Agile/DevOps delivery environments.
• Demonstrable experience writing and executing test plans, test cases, and test scripts for large-scale enterprise systems.
• Hands-on experience with defect and test management tools (e.g. Azure DevOps, Jira, Zephyr, q. Test).
• Ability to communicate complex quality and risk topics to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience in regulated industries (e.g. pharmaceutical, life sciences, food & beverage, or similar) with an understanding of quality and compliance requirements. Desirable Requirements
• Direct experience testing off-the-shelf MES platforms, ideally Syncade (Emerson) — including electronic batch records, workflow configuration, and system integrations.
• Hands-on DevOps experience: CI/CD pipelines (Azure DevOps, Jenkins, GitHub Actions), automated testing integration, and deployment pipeline quality gates.
• Familiarity with GxP computer system validation (CSV), GAMP 5 methodology, and regulated software lifecycle practices.
• Experience with test automation frameworks (Selenium, Playwright, Cypress, or similar).
• Understanding of MES integrations with ERP systems (e.g. SAP) and laboratory systems (LIMS).
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes within pharmaceutical or life sciences sectors. Personal Attributes
• Detail-oriented with a strong quality mindset and commitment to delivering right-first-time outcomes.
• Proactive, organized, and able to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously.
• Strong leadership and coaching skills — able to develop and motivate a testing team.
• Collaborative, with the ability to build effective relationships across technology, operations, and quality functions.
• Pragmatic risk-based thinker who can balance thoroughness with delivery pace.