Principal Test Engineer

SonicWall; Pune District; Hybrid; INR 4,000,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

SonicWall is seeking a Principal Test Engineer (Test PE) / QA Lead in Pune, hybrid. You will partner with the firewall development team to lead feature testing, reproduce complex issues, architect test plans, and develop automation across networking and security components.

You will drive STLC, Agile processes, and mentor teammates while advancing automated testing using Python and industry-standard tools. Strong networking/security expertise is required.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of software quality assurance experience in networking/security
• Deep understanding of networking concepts (TCP/IP, routing, NAT, VLANs)
• Strong expertise in network security testing (DPI, SSL/TLS, IPSec)
• Proficiency in Python for test automation and REST API automation
• Experience with traffic generators and test tools (IXIA, Spirent)
• Advanced troubleshooting: packet captures, logs, core dumps
• Familiar with SDLC, STLC, Agile/Scrum processes
• Proven leadership in senior/lead/test PE roles

Responsibilities

• Lead feature testing and defect triage with firmware/software teams
• Architect end-to-end test strategies and write detailed test plans
• Drive STLC and quality governance in an Agile environment
• Develop and maintain automated test suites in Python
• Qualify components and new features, validate performance and edge cases
• Mentor junior QA members in test methodologies and tooling

Skills

SQA for networking

Test automation

Python scripting

REST API automation

Troubleshooting

Agile/Scrum

Cross-functional collaboration

Distributed teams

Root cause analysis

Networking security

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

IXIA

Spirent

Scapy

tcpreplay

Wireshark

tcpdump

Job description

For more than 30 years, SonicWall has delivered a partner-first unified cybersecurity portfolio that helps SMBs, MSPs, and IT teams consolidate network security, endpoint security, security service edge (SSE), and threat response across hybrid environments. By bringing connected technology, real-time threat intelligence, automation, and expert services together, SonicWall helps organizations simplify security operations, achieve better security outcomes, and lower total cost of ownership. Backed by a global ecosystem of more than 17,000 partners, SonicWall delivers enterprise-grade protection built for SMB and mid-market realities.

We are seeking a Principal Test Engineer (Test PE) / QA Lead to partner directly with the Sonicwall Firewall development team. In this high-impact technical role, you will lead feature testing, complex defect reproduction, test plan architecture, and automation development across critical Sonicwall Firewall networking and security components.

• Dev Partnership & Defect Triage: Work closely with firmware and software developers to reproduce intricate customer and field issues, isolate root causes, and verify bug fixes.
• Test Strategy & Planning: Architect end-to-end test strategies, author detailed test plans, and design comprehensive functional, system, and regression test suites.
• STLC & Quality Governance: Drive the complete Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC)—identifying, filing, prioritizing, and tracking defects to closure in an Agile environment.
• Test Automation Engineering: Develop, execute, and maintain automated test suites (functional, regression, and system) using Python to integrate into continuous testing pipelines.
• Component & Feature Qualification: Deep-dive into Sonicwall Firewall subsystems to validate new feature requirements, performance limits, and edge-case handling.
• Technical QA Mentorship: Guide and mentor team members on test methodologies, test tool development, and network security validation.

Core Skills & Requirements

• Domain & SQA Experience: 10+ years of software quality assurance experience in the networking and network security domain for enterprise network products, appliances, or firewalls.
• Domain & Network Security Expertise:
• Deep understanding of L2–L7 networking concepts: TCP/IP, IP routing, NAT, VLANs, and stateful packet filtering.
• Strong expertise in Network Security and Next-Generation Firewalling: Deep Packet Inspection (DPI), SSL/TLS, IPSec/SSL VPN, and access rules.
• Test Automation & Scripting:
• Strong hands-on programming/scripting proficiency in Python (OOP principles, test framework development, and REST API automation).
• Experience utilizing traffic generators and test tools (e.g., IXIA, Spirent, Scapy, tcpreplay).
• Troubleshooting & Issue Reproduction:
• Advanced problem-solving skills with proven ability to capture and analyze network packets (Wireshark, tcpdump).
• Experience analyzing system logs, core dumps, and device diagnostics to triage complex system/firmware behaviors.
• Methodologies & Processes:
• Thorough mastery of SDLC, STLC, defect lifecycles, and Agile/Scrum practices.
• Professional Experience:
• 8+ years of test engineering and automation experience in the networking/network security domain (with a track record of driving test execution at a senior/lead/PE level).
• Strong analytical mindset with high ownership of product quality and reliability.
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration and communication skills to interface effectively with development, product management, and sustaining teams.
• Proven ability to work effectively across geographically distributed teams.

SonicWall is an equal opportunity employer.

We are committed to creating a diverse environment and are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

At SonicWall, we pride ourselves on recruiting a diverse mix of talented people and providing active security solutions in 100+ countries.

This is hybrid role in Pune Maharashtra.