At F5, we strive to bring a better digital world to life. Our teams empower organizations across the globe to create, secure, and run applications that enhance how we experience our evolving digital world. We are passionate about cybersecurity, from protecting consumers from fraud to enabling companies to focus on innovation.
Everything we do centers around people. That means we obsess over how to make the lives of our customers, and their customers, better. And it means we prioritize a diverse F5 community where each individual can thrive.
Position Summary
This position is responsible for applying extensive domain expertise and advanced software and hardware quality assurance engineering methodologies to lead cross-functional teams in planning, executing, and reporting on complex testing activities across F5 products. The Senior QA Engineer exercises considerable latitude to determine testing objectives, design advanced automated frameworks, and drive continuous improvements in QA processes and tooling with limited to no manager instruction.
Working closely with Software Development, Hardware Engineering, Product Management, and Manufacturing (MFG), the Senior QA Engineer establishes quality standards, metrics, and quality controls embedded within the product development lifecycle. The role also collaborates with QA leadership to define the strategic roadmap for quality engineering, mentors junior and mid-level engineers, and communicates complex technical concepts and data insights to influence senior decision-makers.
Primary Responsibilities
- Cross-Functional Test Leadership: Lead cross-functional teams in planning, executing, and reporting on software and hardware testing activities for major product lines and complex system architectures.
- Quality Standards & Metrics: Partner with Product, Software Engineering, and cross-functional teams to establish quality standards, metrics, controls, and processes as an integral part of the software and hardware development lifecycle.
- Process & Tooling Optimization: Exercise broad judgment to select and adapt complex techniques, driving continuous improvement in QA processes, test methodologies, and automated frameworks to enhance overall product quality and time-to-market.
- Strategic Vision & Roadmap: Collaborate with QA engineering leadership to define and communicate the strategic vision and technical roadmap for the quality assurance function, ensuring alignment with product development goals and overarching business objectives.
- Advanced Automation & Code Analysis: Utilize advanced programming skills to analyze product source code, design and enhance enterprise-grade automated test frameworks, and adopt emerging tools and technical concepts.
- Complex Troubleshooting & Debugging: Perform deep system-level analysis and troubleshooting of complex software and hardware defects. Evaluate system trade-offs and drive root-cause resolution across product engineering teams.
- Technical Influence & Communication: Present complex technical data, quality metrics, and risk assessments to senior management and executive stakeholders to direct action and guide strategic decisions.
- Mentorship & Technical Guidance: Guide, review, and mentor QA Engineer I, II, and III team members on testing best practices, automation standards, and advanced engineering techniques.
- Ethics & Compliance: Responsible for upholding F5’s Business Code of Ethics and promptly reporting violations of the Code or other company policies.
- Performs other related duties and activities as assigned.
The Job Description is intended to be a general representation of the responsibilities and requirements of the job. However, the description may not be all-inclusive, and responsibilities and requirements are subject to change.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Advanced Technical Expertise: Deep expertise in software and hardware quality assurance engineering methodologies, enterprise network architectures, and hardware/software testing paradigms.
- Source Code & Automation Proficiency: Advanced ability to analyze product source code and construct scalable, reusable test automation frameworks using programming languages supporting the F5 product line (e.g., Python, C/C++, Bash, or equivalent).
- Independent Problem Solving: Demonstrates considerable latitude and autonomy in defining technical approaches for complex, ambiguous assignments with minimal supervision.
- Critical Reasoning & Trade-off Analysis: Proven track record of evaluating complex technical constraints, balancing immediate release priorities against long-term architectural quality and technical debt.
- Initiative & Process Leadership: Proactively identifies systemic quality bottlenecks, introduces innovative testing tools/methods, and determines appropriate procedures for new engineering assignments.
- High-Impact Communication: Superior written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to present complex data insights, influence technical strategy, and direct cross-functional teams.
- Leadership & Coaching: Demonstrated success in mentoring engineers, performing code/test plan reviews, and driving team-wide adherence to engineering best practices.
Qualifications:
- Experience: Typically 5–8+ years of progressive experience in software/hardware quality assurance engineering, test framework development, system validation, or PCA/System MFG testing.
- Education: Bachelor of Science (BS) or Master of Science (MS) in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline; or equivalent work experience.
Physical Demands and Work Environment
- The majority of duties are performed in a standard office environment while sitting at a desk or computer terminal. At times, duties will be performed in an MFG area or testing lab environment.
- Duties require the ability to utilize a computer, communicate over telephone/video channels, and read printed and electronic material.
- Duties may require being on call periodically or working outside normal working hours (evenings and weekends) to support critical releases and key launch milestones.
- Travel requirements: Ability to travel via automobile or airplane up to 10–15% of the time.
- Physical requirements: Ability to lift and position test equipment or server units up to 50 lbs.
F5 Networks, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and strongly supports diversity in the workplace.
The Job Description is intended to be a general representation of the responsibilities and requirements of the job. However, the description may not be all-inclusive, and responsibilities and requirements are subject to change.
The annual base pay for this position is: $120,000.00 - $180,000.00
F5 maintains broad salary ranges for its roles in order to account for variations in knowledge, skills, experience, geographic locations, and market conditions, as well as to reflect F5’s differing products, industries, and lines of business. The pay range referenced is as of the time of the job posting and is subject to change.
You may also be offered incentive compensation, bonus, restricted stock units, and benefits. More details about F5’s benefits can be found at the following link: https://www.f5.com/company/careers/benefits. F5 reserves the right to change or terminate any benefit plan without notice.
Please note that F5 only contacts candidates through F5 email address (ending with @f5.com) or auto email notification from Workday (ending with f5.com or @myworkday.com).
Equal Employment Opportunity
It is the policy of F5 to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and employment applicants without regard to unlawful considerations of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, sensory, physical, or mental disability, marital status, veteran or military status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, job assignment, compensation, promotion, benefits, training, discipline, and termination. F5 offers a variety of reasonable accommodations for candidates. Requesting an accommodation is completely voluntary. F5 will assess the need for accommodations in the application process separately from those that may be needed to perform the job. Request by contacting accommodations@f5.com.
