Principal QA Analyst

EXFO; Montreal; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading telecom company in Montreal seeks an experienced Principal Quality Analyst (QA) to ensure the quality of a client-side solution. You will lead the QA process, design and execute tests, and mentor team members. Requirements include 5+ years in quality assurance, strong skills in E2E testing, and bilingualism in French and English.

Benefits

Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits

Flexible work hours and remote work options

Opportunities for leadership and career growth

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in software/firmware quality assurance, with at least 2 in a senior role.
• Strong understanding of embedded systems and networked devices.
• Bilingual (French and English, oral and written).

Responsibilities

• Lead QA efforts for the RTU client-side solution.
• Implement a comprehensive E2E testing strategy.
• Coordinate test data management between teams.
• Provide diagnostic input on customer tickets.

Skills

E2E testing strategies

Quality assurance

Problem-solving

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in software engineering, computer science, telecommunications, or equivalent

Tools

Python

Robot Framework

Selenium

Job description

About Us

We are a leading telecom company at the forefront of innovation, delivering software solutions that power global connectivity. Our focus is on building a fiber monitoring solution deployed worldwide in major telecom accounts, ensuring the performance and reliability of critical fiber networks.

Our solution combines a cloud-based server platform with multiple client devices (RTUs) responsible for OTDR acquisition and transmitting measurement results for advanced analysis.

About The Role

We are seeking an experienced and proactive Principal Quality Analyst (QA) to take ownership of the quality assurance process for our client-side solution (RTU devices). In this role, you will ensure that RTU acquisitions, communications with the server, and data integrity meet the highest standards.

As a senior member of the QA team, you will not only design, execute, and automate test cases but also provide leadership in developing a comprehensive end-to-end (E2E) testing strategy in collaboration with QA colleagues working on the server side. You will also act as a primary point of contact for analyzing customer tickets, reproducing issues, and identifying root causes before handing them over to software developers when applicable.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead QA efforts for the RTU client-side solution, ensuring test coverage from acquisition through to server-side analysis.
• Define and implement a comprehensive E2E testing strategy in collaboration with server-side QA team members.
• Coordinate test data management and test environment setup / synchronization between RTU and server QA teams to enable reliable E2E validation.
• Act as the primary point of contact for analyzing customer tickets, reproducing reported issues, and providing detailed diagnostic input to developers.
• Design, develop, and maintain automated and manual test cases for client-side software and firmware.
• Validate OTDR acquisition results, data transmission, synchronization, and error handling across client-server communication.
• Lead test campaign planning and execution using QA Touch, ensuring structured test management.
• Act as a mentor and provide technical guidance to QA colleagues on best practices and automation.
• Contribute to the evolution of CI / CD pipelines with advanced automation strategies.
• Participate in design and code reviews to ensure testability and robust architecture.
• Monitor and report on key quality metrics, providing clear visibility to stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement in QA methodologies, tools, and processes.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in software / firmware quality assurance, with at least 2 years in a senior or lead role.
• Proven experience designing and executing E2E testing strategies in client / server or distributed systems.
• Strong understanding of embedded systems, hardware / software integrations, and networked devices.
• Hands-on experience with BDD testing using Gherkin and Cucumber.
• Familiarity with automation frameworks (e.g., Python, Robot Framework, or similar).
• Experience with network protocols, data validation, and troubleshooting.
• Proficiency in Linux-based environments.
• Strong analytical, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with experience working across multi-disciplinary teams.

Nice to Have

• Experience with OTDR, optical fiber testing, or telecom systems.
• Exposure to Docker, Kubernetes, or cloud-native environments.
• Familiarity with monitoring tools and system performance testing.
• Knowledge of version control systems (e.g., Git).
• Experience with agile methodologies (Scrum, SAFe).
• Understanding of Selenium for test automation.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits.
• Flexible work hours and remote work options.
• A collaborative and inclusive team culture.
• Opportunities for leadership, continuous learning, and career growth.

Must Have

• Bachelor’s degree in software engineering, computer science, telecommunications, or equivalent.
• Bilingual (French and English, oral and written).
• Legally authorized to work in Canada.