Manager I Quality Engineering

Mercury Insurance; Brea (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Flexibility to work from anywhere

Paid time off

Incentive bonus programs

401(k) retirement savings plan with company match

Health and wellbeing resources

Job summary

A leading insurance company is looking for a Manager of Quality Engineering in Brea, California. You will lead a test engineering team, focus on optimizing testing strategies and automation, and collaborate with cross-functional teams. Ideal candidates have a Bachelor's in Computer Science and over 3 years of experience in managing testing teams. The role offers flexibility to work from anywhere in the United States, competitive compensation, and various benefits including medical insurance and 401(k) matching.

Qualifications

• 3+ years leading or managing testing teams, with ~50% individual contributor work.
• Experience with Java and white-box testing preferred.
• Strong conflict resolution and adaptability in dynamic environments.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage a motivated, high-performing TE team.
• Lead strategies for TE to ensure software quality.
• Collaborate with development and product management teams.

Skills

Team leadership and management skills

Project management proficiency

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical and problem-solving skills

Data-driven decision making

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Java

Job description

Position Summary

As a Manager of Quality Engineering, you will lead a team of test engineering (TE) professionals, planning, executing, and delivering testing strategies for software projects. Your duties include mentoring test engineers, providing direction on test approaches, optimizing test processes, maximizing testing efficiency through automation, and collaborating with product and development teams to ensure software quality. You will define team goals, improve testing automation, and ensure projects meet both quality and timeline requirements. The role balances hands‑on technical leadership with team management, aligning TE objectives with business and technical goals.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage a motivated, high‑performing TE team through hiring, mentoring, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Lead strategies and policies for TE, driving best practices to ensure software quality for small to medium‑sized projects.
• Guide and support quality initiatives, ensuring timelines and standards are met across team initiatives.
• Plan, estimate, execute, and report on testing, contributing to project quality standards and timelines.
• Collaborate with development, product management, and other teams to align quality goals, automation coverage, and deadlines.
• Define and review key performance indicators (KPIs) for the TE process, analyze data to drive process improvements.
• Advocate and implement test automation integration to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and coverage.
• Apply critical thinking and problem‑solving skills to remove blockers and improve quality at both task and strategic levels.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards, regulatory requirements, and internal testing best practices.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives, promoting best practices in test automation, CI/CD, and new technologies.
• Communicate progress, challenges, and results to stakeholders and teams.
• Champion a culture of quality throughout the organization, encouraging prioritization of software quality and vision.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience: 3+ years leading or managing testing teams, with ~50% individual contributor work.
• Preferred:
  • 7+ years of experience with Java
  • 5+ years of white‑box testing experience
  • 2+ years of experience as a software engineer
• Knowledge & Skills:
  • Team leadership and management skills, fostering a collaborative and productive environment.
  • Project management proficiency to lead TE activities, timelines, and resource allocation.
  • Strong cross‑functional collaboration and risk management capabilities.
  • Training and development abilities to enhance team skills.
  • Conflict resolution and adaptability in dynamic environments.
  • Analytical and problem‑solving skills to assess complex issues and remove blockers.
  • Data‑driven decision making, KPI monitoring, and continuous improvement focus.
  • Technical proficiency with relevant tools, technologies, and programming languages.
  • Experience in driving best practice and quality culture throughout the software lifecycle.
  • Time management and organizational skills for multi‑project environments.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• Flexibility to work from anywhere in the United States for most positions
• Paid time off (vacation, sick time, 9 paid holidays, volunteer hours)
• Incentive bonus programs (holiday bonus, referral bonus, performance‑based bonus)
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and pet insurance
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match
• Engaging work environment
• Promotion opportunities
• Education assistance
• Professional and personal development opportunities
• Company recognition program
• Health and wellbeing resources, including free mental wellness therapy/coaching, child and eldercare resources, and more

Mercury Insurance is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.