Software Test Engineer

Carl Zeiss IQS is a global leader in high precision machines and software for industrial quality control. Currently we are a building new team responsible for organizing and conducting testing process of our software ecosystem.

We are looking for a highly skilled Software Test Engineer to take the lead in shaping and building a cutting-edge test infrastructure. As the first member of a new team, you will initially take on a broader range of responsibilities that include not only designing and implementing automated testing solutions but also overseeing aspects of test management and test execution. This is a unique opportunity to create and own the testing infrastructure, define testing strategies, and help build a strong, high-performing testing team from the ground up.

In the long term, as the team grows, you will focus on Test Engineering while helping to shape the team by selecting, mentoring, and integrating new colleagues into the testing process.

Key Responsibilities

• Design & Develop Testing Infrastructure:
• building and developing a modern test infrastructure and workflows for manual and automated testing, 
• automating our current manual testing processes,
• creating and implementing comprehensive automated testing strategies for both software and hardware.
• Test Strategy & Execution (Initial Phase):
• defining the overall testing strategy and test plans, 
• collaboration with stakeholders and the software development team,
• executing test cases, reporting defects, and tracking the progress of testing activities,
• playing a key role in creating and managing test plans, coordinating activities, and ensuring all testing is aligned and executed according to the strategy,
• reviewing and refining test cases and scripts.
• Leadership & Team Building (Long-term):
• assisting in interviewing candidates for the team; training and mentoring newly hired colleagues,
• active role in defining team processes, best practices, and a strong testing culture within the team.
• collaborating with other teams to refine test automation strategies and workflows as the team scales, 
• engaging with global teams to promote knowledge sharing and establish a consistent approach to testing across regions and projects.

Skills & Qualifications

• Professional Experience:
• 3-5 years of experience in Test Engineering, with a strong background in test automation and infrastructure design.
• experience in manual testing and test case execution, 
• comfortable moving between different responsibilities (Test Engineering, Test Management, and Testing) when needed.
• ability to take ownership of testing processes and build effective testing frameworks.
• Technical Expertise:
• hands-on experience in designing and implementing automated testing solutions (unit testing, integration testing, and end-to-end testing).
• Familiarity with test management tools, CI/CD pipelines, and the integration of automated tests into development workflows is highly desirable.
• (Optional) experience with programming (C#/.NET or similar) for unit testing is a plus, and will help you integrate tests more effectively within the development cycle.
• Soft Skills:
• excellent communication skills,
• good to very good knowledge of English language in speech and writing
• leadership potential, with the ability to mentor and guide others as the team expands,
• ability to work with software developers and other stakeholders,
• Mentality:
• problem-solving mindset,
• detail-oriented and organized, 
• an exploratory mindset, seeking to improve testing methods, adopt new technologies, and streamline processes.
• driven by the opportunity to shape a new team and help establish a culture of quality and continuous improvement in testing practices.