Principal Software Quality Specialist (Exp w/ SAFe Agile Process)

Aspen Technology, Inc.; Bedford (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 137,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus or variable incentive pay

Comprehensive benefits package

Paid time off

Retirement benefits

Job summary

AspenTech, a global software leader, seeks a Technical Quality Engineering Leader to drive quality across the product lifecycle in a fast-paced Agile/SAFe environment. You will lead, coach, and implement test strategies, automate critical quality gates, and partner with engineering to ensure robust end-to-end coverage.

The role emphasizes improving flow, risk-based testing, and fostering a quality-first culture. A competitive salary, bonus potential, and comprehensive benefits are provided.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in a relevant technical field.
• 8-10+ years in Software Quality, Quality Engineering, or SDET leadership roles.
• Experience working in Agile/SAFe environments (ART-level preferred).
• Strong hands-on experience in: Test automation frameworks and strategies, CI/CD pipelines and quality gates.
• Proven ability to drive engineering-led quality improvements at scale.
• Deep understanding of SDLC, modern QA practices, and risk-based testing.
• Experience with Azure DevOps, or equivalent toolsets.
• Strong analytical, communication, and influencing skills.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive modern quality engineering practices across the SDLC, including shift-left testing, test automation, and continuous validation.
• Partner with engineering teams to improve unit, integration, API, and end-to-end test coverage.
• Establish scalable strategies for test automation frameworks, CI/CD quality gates, and release validation.
• Ensure strong alignment between architecture, test strategy, and quality outcomes.
• Promote best practices in code quality, testability, observability, and resiliency.
• Drive adoption of quality engineering standards across distributed teams.
• Quality embedded in Agile / SAFe Delivery: Align quality priorities with business value and delivery commitments.

Skills

Test automation

CI/CD pipelines

Azure DevOps

Analytical thinking

Communication

Education

Bachelors degree in a relevant technical field

Tools

Azure DevOps

QA tooling

Job description

The driving force behind our success has always been the people of AspenTech. What drives us, is our aspiration, our desire and ambition to keep pushing the envelope, overcoming any hurdle, challenging the status quo to continually find a better way. You will experience these qualities of passion, pride and aspiration in many ways - from a rich set of career development programs to support of community service projects to social events that foster fun and relationship building across our global community.

The Role

This role drives technical software quality and engineering excellence across the product lifecycle. You will ensure quality is built into development through modern engineering practices, defect prevention, and data-driven insights - all within an Agile/SAFe delivery model.

Your Impact

Technical Quality Engineering Leadership Define and drive modern quality engineering practices across the SDLC, including shift-left testing, test automation, and continuous validation. Partner with engineering teams to improve unit, integration, API, and end-to-end test coverage. Establish scalable strategies for test automation frameworks, CI/CD quality gates, and release validation. Ensure strong alignment between architecture, test strategy, and quality outcomes. Promote best practices in code quality, testability, observability, and resiliency. Drive adoption of quality engineering standards across distributed teams. Quality Embedded in Agile / SAFe Delivery Ensure quality practices are fully integrated into Agile and SAFe workflows, including backlog refinement, sprint execution, and PI planning. Embed quality criteria into user stories, acceptance criteria, and Definition of Done. Align quality priorities with business value, customer impact, and delivery commitments. Enable teams to apply risk-based testing and validation within fast-paced Agile cycles. Support consistent application of quality standards across ARTs without slowing delivery velocity. Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement Identify bottlenecks in development and testing workflows and implement lean, high impact improvements. Drive continuous improvement cycles using retrospectives and Inspect & Adapt forums. Improve flow efficiency, cycle time, and release predictability without compromising quality rigor. Change Leadership & Quality Culture Champion a quality-first engineering mindset across teams Lead adoption of modern quality practices through coaching, training, and influence. Collaborate across Product, Engineering, and Leadership to align quality with business outcomes. Build a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement.

What You’ll Need

• Bachelors degree required in a relevant technical field.
• 8-10+ years in Software Quality, Quality Engineering, or SDET leadership roles.
• Experience working in Agile/SAFe environments (ART-level preferred).
• Strong hands-on experience in: Test automation frameworks and strategies, CI/CD pipelines and quality gates.
• Proven ability to drive engineering-led quality improvements at scale.
• Deep understanding of SDLC, modern QA practices, and risk-based testing.
• Experience with Azure DevOps, or equivalent toolsets.
• Strong analytical, communication, and influencing skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• SAFe experience or certification.
• Familiarity with observability or monitoring tools.
• Exposure to AI-driven quality engineering.
• Working knowledge of ISO/QMS.

The salary range for this role is $109,600.00 - $137,000.00. This range represents what we in good faith believe is the range possible for base compensation for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range based on several factors. This range may be modified in the future. This role is also eligible for bonus or variable incentive pay. Additionally, we offer a comprehensive benefits package including paid time off, charitable giveback day, medical/dental/vision insurance, and retirement benefits to eligible employees.

AspenTech is a global software leader helping industries meet the increasing demand for resources from a rapidly growing population in a profitable and sustainable manner. Our Digital Grid Management software suite, including AspenTech OSI products, helps power and utilities companies achieve superior real-time control, optimization and management for exceptional performance of complex energy networks. If you're looking to make a difference every day and push the limits of performance, AspenTech is doing things no one else thought was possible. As a leading industrial software partner, we help companies all over the world run safer, greener, longer and faster. With over 3700 employees and more than 60 global locations, AspenTech is meeting today's sustainability and business challenges head-on with unmatched expertise, cutting-edge AI-powered technology and a passion to innovate.

AspenTech is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. AspenTech does not discriminate against employees or applicants on the basis of age, race, color, religion, creed, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy or related conditions, marital status, familial status, national origin, disability, medical condition, genetic information, citizenship, military service or protected Veteran Status or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Reasonable Accommodation: We will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals who have a disability or sincere religious reasons to request accommodation, when necessary to enable the individual to participate in the job application or interview process. If you wish to request an accommodation, please contact us at [e-mail].

GDPR Privacy Notice: AspenTech collects a range of personal information during the recruitment process. This may include the following personal or special categories of personal data: recruitment information such as your application form and resume, references, qualifications and membership of any professional bodies and details of any pre-employment assessments; your contact details and date of birth; your gender; your marital status and family details; your identification documents including passport and driver's license and information in relation to your immigration status and right to work with us; information about your contract of employment (or services) including start and end dates of employment, role and location, working hours, details of promotion, salary (including details of previous remuneration), pension, benefits, and holiday entitlement; your racial or ethnic origin; any criminal convictions and offences. AspenTech Security and Privacy Policy Plan Participants Enrolled in the AspenTech US Medical Plans: The Transparency in Coverage Final Rules require certain group health plans to disclose on a public website information regarding in-network provider rates and historical out-of-network allowed amounts and billed charges for covered items and services in two separate machine-readable files (MRFs). The MRFs for the benefit package options under AspenTech's US Employee Benefit Plan are linked below: Transparency in Coverage Rule - Machine Readable Files Transparency In Coverage Rule And Consolidated Appropriations Act Overview and FAQS