Software Testing Lead 1699

Simotechnology; Limerick; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

SimoTech is seeking a Software Engineering Test Lead to guide a team of Validation and Test Engineers for MES applications on a greenfield biotech campus in Limerick. You will own the end-to-end testing strategy, drive automation within CI/CD, and act as the quality gate for releases, ensuring regulatory and performance compliance.

You will collaborate with CI/CD MES DevOps, Development teams and validation stakeholders to ensure thorough validation and robust test coverage, with a strong

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading software testing or QA activities within Agile/DevOps environments.
• Experience implementing test automation frameworks and integrating automated testing into CI/CD pipelines.
• Hands-on experience with test and defect management tools such as Azure DevOps, Jira, Tosca, Zephyr, qTest, or similar platforms.
• Strong MES testing experience, ideally with Emerson Syncade, including workflows, electronic batch records, system integrations, and regulated environments.
• Experience working in regulated pharmaceutical or life sciences environments with knowledge of GxP, CSV, GAMP 5, and MES integrations with SAP and LIMS.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work in a hybrid model, with three days on-site in Limerick and two days remote.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of test and validation engineers and foster a quality culture.
• Define and own end-to-end testing strategy for MES implementations, upgrades, and integrations.
• Create and maintain test documentation: plans, cases, and scripts for functional, regression, integration, performance, automation, and UAT.
• Partner with DevOps to embed automated testing within CI/CD pipelines and improve release quality.
• Act as gatekeeper for MES releases ensuring regulatory and performance requirements are met.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders and validation teams to reflect real-world manufacturing operations.
• Lead defect management activities, triage, root-cause analysis and end-to-end resolution.
• Support CSV activities and ensure testing complies with GxP, CSV, GAMP 5, and MES-SAP/LIMS integrations.
• Evaluate and improve test automation frameworks and standards for MES environments.
• Ensure test environments mirror production conditions and provide testing metrics and risk assessments.

Skills

QA leadership

Testing strategy

UAT testing

CI/CD automation

Agile DevOps

Communication

Tools

Azure DevOps

Jira

Tosca

Zephyr

qTest

Job description

SimoTech provides manufacturing automation and IT systemsengineering, project management and validation services. We partner with lifesciences companies to design, build, operate and optimise critical processautomation systems that deliver fast track project delivery, operationalefficiency, improve manufacturing agility and achieve regulatory compliance.

Why SimoTech

What is it like to work at SimoTech? With a strongcollaborative teamwork culture based on respect, trust and excellence, we playa critical partnering role to our clients' life-changing supply of products topatients. In return, there is excellent salary, benefits, career progression,educational support and much more.

Software Engineering Test Lead 1699

SimoTech has an opportunity for a Software Engineering TestLead to lead and mentor a team of Validation and Test Engineers, supporting theMES application and focused on driving continuous improvement, and takingownership in of overall testing strategy for MES implementations, systemintegration, and upgrades.

Based on site a greenfield state-of-the-art biotechmanufacturing campus the successful Software Engineering Test Lead will act asa key player in driving the quality assurance across the MES program. You willwork closely with CI/CD MES DevOps and Development teams, acting as the gatekeeper ensuring systems are thoroughly validated and meet functional,regulatory, and performance expectations before deployment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of test and validation engineers, fostering a strong quality culture and continuous improvement mindset.
• Define, own, and continuously enhance the end-to-end testing strategy for MES implementations, system upgrades, and integration projects.
• Design, develop, and maintain comprehensive test documentation, including test plans, test cases, and test scripts covering functional, regression, integration, performance, automation, and User Acceptance Testing (UAT).
• Partner with development and DevOps teams to embed automated testing within CI/CD pipelines, improving release quality, repeatability, and delivery speed.
• Act as the quality gate for MES releases, ensuring all changes meet regulatory, functional, and performance requirements prior to deployment.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders, manufacturing process owners, and validation teams to ensure test scenarios accurately reflect real-world manufacturing operations.
• Lead defect management activities, including triage, prioritisation, root cause analysis, and end-to-end resolution tracking using tools such as Azure DevOps, Jira, or similar platforms.
• Support Computer System Validation (CSV) activities and ensure testing complies with GxP, GAMP 5, and regulated software lifecycle requirements.
• Evaluate, implement, and continuously improve test automation frameworks, standards, and best practices suitable for regulated MES environments.
• Ensure test environments are appropriately configured, maintained, and aligned with production-like conditions.
• Produce clear testing metrics, quality reports, and risk assessments to provide stakeholders and senior leadership with meaningful project insight.

Requirements

Key Requirements

• Proven experience leading software testing or quality assurance activities for complex enterprise software programmes within Agile and DevOps environments.
• Strong leadership experience managing QA teams and defining end-to-end testing strategies across functional, regression, integration, performance, automation, and UAT testing.
• Experience implementing test automation frameworks and integrating automated testing into CI/CD pipelines.
• Hands-on experience with test and defect management tools such as Azure DevOps, Jira, Tosca, Zephyr, qTest, or similar platforms.
• Strong MES testing experience, ideally with Emerson Syncade, including workflows, electronic batch records, system integrations, and regulated environments.
• Experience working within regulated pharmaceutical or life sciences environments, with knowledge of GxP, Computer System Validation (CSV), GAMP 5, and MES integrations with SAP and LIMS.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work in a hybrid model, with three days per week based on-site in Limerick and two days working remotely.

What SimoTech CanOffer

• Roleprovides a high degree of autonomy to allow the successful candidate to reachtheir full potential.
• Developnew skills and enhance technical ability by working with innovativetechnologies in a multi-disciplined environment.
• Opportunityto work with large corporate clients on exciting capital projects.