Principal Test Architect – Industrial Automation & SCADA

AVEVA; Lake Forest (CA); Hybrid; USD 131,000 - 218,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flex work hours

PTO 20 days rising to 25

Three paid volunteering days

Parental leave (primary and secondary)

Well-being support

Medical

Dental

Vision

401K

Job summary

AVEVA is seeking a Principal Test Architect for Industrial Automation & SCADA in Lake Forest, CA. The role leads test strategy for the Enterprise SCADA stack, including visualization, alarm subsystems, historization, and device integration, with hands-on testing of real-time industrial software.

The ideal candidate will design scalable, performance, and reliability tests, validate features, and reproduce customer issues in collaboration with development teams.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of hands-on product test experience with real-time industrial automation products.
• Deep expertise in testing SCADA software stacks — Visualization, Alarm Subsystem, Historization, and Device Integration.
• Proven track record designing and executing scalability, performance, and reliability tests for real-time systems.
• Working knowledge of PLCs and IoT-based devices and technologies, including bring-up, configuration, and validation against them.
• Hands-on familiarity with industrial automation protocols: MQTT (Sparkplug/JSON), OPC UA, ABCIP, S7-SiDirect, OMRON, and CODESYS.
• Strong troubleshooting and root-cause analysis skills on Windows-based applications, with the ability to partner with developers on complex defects.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a proactive approach to reproducing and isolating hard-to-catch issues.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work in a team-oriented environment.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end test strategy and execution for the SCADA product stack, including Visualization, Alarm Subsystem, Historization, and Device Integration.
• Design, plan, and execute scalability, performance, load, and endurance tests for real-time industrial automation products.
• Validate new features across the driver framework and platform components; reproduce, isolate, and triage customer-reported issues from deployed versions.
• Design and execute end-to-end validation against industrial communication protocols.
• Set up and validate against real hardware — PLCs, IoT devices, and gateways — as well as simulators and emulators.
• Build and evolve automated test frameworks; contribute Python-based scripting for test automation, test data generation, and log analysis.
• Apply AI tools and technologies to test authoring, execution triage, failure analysis, and coverage optimization.
• Utilize debugging and diagnostic tools such as Wireshark, Debug Diag, and Perfmon to isolate performance and reliability issues.
• Collaborate with geographically distributed teams and work across multiple stakeholders including Technical Support, End Customers, and Internal Engineering Teams.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior test engineers and drive quality culture and test discipline across the program.

Skills

SCADA testing

Test strategy & planning

Python scripting

Troubleshooting

Windows testing

Communication

Tools

Wireshark

Perfmon

Debug Diag

OPC UA

Job description

AVEVA is creating software trusted by over 90% of leading industrial companies.

Salary Range:

$130,500.00 - $217,700.00

T** his pay range represents the minimum and maximum compensation that the position offers, and final compensation can vary within the range depending on work location, job experience, skills, and relevant educational attainment and/or training.**

Job Title: Principal Test Architect – Industrial Automation & SCADA

Location: Lake Forest, CA

Employment Type: Full-time, Hybrid

The job

We are seeking a highly skilled Principal Product Test Engineer to join our Monitoring and Control Business within the Operations BU of AVEVA.

The ideal candidate will be responsible for owning the test strategy, planning, and execution for our Enterprise SCADA product stack — spanning visualization, alarm subsystem, historization, and device integration. This role involves designing and executing scalability, performance, and reliability tests for real-time industrial automation products, validating new features, and reproducing and diagnosing customer-reported issues in close collaboration with development teams. The position requires deep expertise in hands-on testing of real-time industrial automation software, with strong grounding in SCADA architectures, industrial communication protocols, and field-level devices such as PLCs and IoT gateways.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end test strategy and execution for the SCADA product stack, including Visualization, Alarm Subsystem, Historization, and Device Integration.
• Design, plan, and execute scalability, performance, load, and endurance tests for real-time industrial automation products.
• Validate new features across the driver framework and platform components; reproduce, isolate, and triage customer-reported issues from deployed versions.
• Design and execute end-to-end validation against industrial communication protocols, including:
• Set up and validate against real hardware — PLCs, IoT devices, and gateways — as well as simulators and emulators representative of customer deployments.
• Build and evolve automated test frameworks; contribute Python-based scripting for test automation, test data generation, and log analysis.
• Apply AI tools and technologies to test authoring, execution triage, failure analysis, and coverage optimization.
• Utilize debugging and diagnostic tools such as Wireshark, Debug Diag, and Perfmon to isolate performance and reliability issues.
• Collaborate with geographically distributed teams and work across multiple stakeholders including Technical Support, End Customers, and Internal Engineering Teams.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior test engineers and drive quality culture and test discipline across the program.

Essential Requirement

• 12+ years of hands-on product test experience with real-time industrial automation products.
• Deep expertise in testing SCADA software stacks — Visualization, Alarm Subsystem, Historization, and Device Integration.
• Proven track record designing and executing scalability, performance, and reliability tests for real-time systems.
• Working knowledge of PLCs and IoT-based devices and technologies, including bring-up, configuration, and validation against them.
• Hands-on familiarity with industrial automation protocols: MQTT (Sparkplug/JSON), OPC UA, ABCIP, S7-SiDirect, OMRON, and CODESYS.
• Strong troubleshooting and root-cause analysis skills on Windows-based applications, with the ability to partner with developers on complex defects.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a proactive approach to reproducing and isolating hard-to-catch issues.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work in a team-oriented environment.

Desired Skill

• Hands-on experience with Python for scripting and test automation.
• Experience applying AI tools and technologies to testing and test automation — test generation, log/triage analysis, and coverage insights.
• Prior experience working on AVEVA System Platform products (or equivalent enterprise SCADA/HMI platforms).
• Exposure to Linux environments and containerized deployments.
• Familiarity with performance profiling, memory analysis, and network trace analysis techniques.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and collaborative environment with cross-functional teams.

Behavioral Skills

• Strong team player with the ability to work across geographically distributed and diverse teams.
• Able to multi-task and prioritize effectively across multiple products and programs.
• Familiarity and comfort with Agile methodologies and iterative delivery.
• Excellent communication skills for working with Technical Support, End Customers, and other stakeholders.

If you are a seasoned test engineering leader with a passion for industrial automation and SCADA systems, we invite you to join our team and help shape the quality, scalability, and reliability of our Enterprise SCADA solutions for AVEVA.

R&D at AVEVA

Our global team of 2000+ developers work on an incredibly diverse portfolio of over 75 industrial automation and engineering products, which cover everything from data management to 3D design. AI and cloud are at the centre of our strategy, and we have over 150 patents to our name.

Our track record of innovation is no fluke – it’s the result of a structured and deliberate focus on learning, collaboration and inclusivity. If you want to build applications that solve big problems, join us.

Find out more: aveva.com/en/about/careers/r-and-d-careers/

USA Benefits include:

Flex work hours, 20 days PTO rising to 25 with service, three paid volunteering days, primary and secondary parental leave, well-being support, medical, dental, vision, and 401K.

It’s possible we’re hiring for this position in multiple countries, in which case the above benefits apply to the primary location. Specific benefits vary by country, but our packages are similarly comprehensive.

Find out more: aveva.com/en/about/careers/benefits/

Hybrid working

We work in a hybrid way at AVEVA. Most roles are based at a local AVEVA office, with an expectation of being on-site 50% of your working hours to support collaboration and connection. Some positions are fully office-based depending on the nature of the work, and certain roles that support specific customers or markets may be remote. The working arrangement for this position will be confirmed during the hiring process.

Hiring process

Find out more: aveva.com/en/about/careers/hiring-process

About AVEVA

AVEVA is a global leader in industrial software with more than 6,500 employees in over 40 countries. Our cutting-edge solutions are used by thousands of enterprises to deliver the essentials of life – such as energy, infrastructure, chemicals, and minerals – safely, efficiently, and more sustainably.

We are committed to embedding sustainability and inclusion into our operations, our culture, and our core business strategy. Learn more about how we are progressing against our ambitious 2030 targets: sustainability-report.aveva.com/

Find out more: aveva.com/en/about/careers/

AVEVA requires all successful applicants to undergo and pass a drug screening and comprehensive background check before they start employment. Background checks will be conducted in accordance with local laws and may, subject to those laws, include proof of educational attainment, employment history verification, proof of work authorization, criminal records, identity verification, credit check. Certain positions dealing with sensitive and/or third-party personal data may involve additional background check criteria.

AVEVA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to being an exemplary employer with an inclusive culture, developing a workplace environment where all our employees are treated with dignity and respect. We value diversity and the expertise that people from different backgrounds bring to our business. AVEVA provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify your recruiter. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.