Program Manager - Quality Engineering & Automation

Cognizant is always looking for top talent. We are searching for candidates to fill future needs within the business. This job posting represents potential future employment opportunities with Cognizant. Although the position is not currently available, we want to provide you with the opportunity to express your interest in future employment opportunities with Cognizant. If a job opportunity that you may be qualified for becomes available in the future, we will notify you. At that time you can determine whether you would like to apply for the specific open position. Thank you for your interest in Cognizant career opportunities.

About the role

As a Program Manager - Quality Engineering & Automation, you will lead enterprise-scale Quality Engineering and testing programs across complex technology environments. You will be a valued member of the Quality Engineering & Assurance team and work collaboratively with business stakeholders, technology leaders, engineering teams, testing teams, and delivery partners to drive high-quality outcomes.

You will provide strong program leadership while helping define testing strategy, drive automation initiatives, manage multiple workstreams, and establish effective quality governance across enterprise programs.

In this role, you will:

• Lead end-to-end Quality Engineering and testing programs across multiple applications, platforms, and workstreams.
• Define and drive enterprise testing strategies covering functional, integration, system, regression, end-to-end, and other relevant testing areas.
• Lead and oversee test automation programs, including automation strategy, roadmap, implementation, and continuous improvement.
• Drive program governance including planning, milestones, dependencies, risks, issues, resources, metrics, and executive reporting.
• Partner with business, engineering, product, and QA stakeholders to align testing priorities with program and business objectives.
• Drive adoption of modern Quality Engineering practices, including shift-left testing, continuous testing, and automation within CI/CD environments.
• Support effective test planning, test execution, defect management, release readiness, and quality reporting.
• Apply a working understanding of data testing, including data validation, reconciliation, source-to-target validation, and basic database/SQL concepts.
• Support the adoption of GenAI/AI-enabled capabilities within the testing lifecycle, such as test design, test-case generation, test-data generation, defect analysis, and other productivity use cases.
• Establish KPIs and quality metrics to provide visibility into testing progress, automation, risks, defects, and overall release quality.
• Influence cross-functional stakeholders and drive resolution of complex program dependencies and delivery risks.

Work model

At Cognizant, we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible, and we are here to support a healthy work-life balance though our various wellbeing programs. Based on this role's business requirements, this is an onsite position in a client or Cognizant office in Boston, Massachusetts.

The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting and may change based on project and client requirements. We will always be clear about role expectations.

What you need to have to be considered

• 20 + years of extensive experience in Program Management, Quality Engineering, Software Testing, or related technology delivery disciplines, with significant experience leading complex enterprise programs.
• Strong Program Management capabilities, including planning, governance, stakeholder management, resource planning, risk and dependency management, and executive reporting.
• Experience with automation tools or frameworks such as Selenium, Playwright, Tosca, UFT, or similar technologies.
• Strong understanding of software testing concepts, methodologies, and the software testing lifecycle.
• Demonstrated experience defining and implementing enterprise Automation testing strategies across complex applications and technology landscapes.
• Proven experience driving test automation initiatives or transformation programs, including automation planning, adoption, governance, and measurement.
• Experience managing multiple testing workstreams, applications, releases, and geographically distributed teams.
• Experience with ALM/Test Management and defect-management tools.
• Working knowledge of data testing concepts, such as data validation, reconciliation, transformation/mapping, database validation, and SQL.
• Basic understanding of GenAI and its applications within Quality Engineering and software testing.
• Understanding of Agile, DevOps, CI/CD, and modern software delivery practices.
• Excellent communication, leadership, stakeholder-management, and executive presentation skills.
• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related discipline.

These will help you stand out

• Life Sciences or Pharmaceutical industry experience is a plus but not required.
• Experience leading enterprise Quality Engineering transformation programs.
• Experience integrating automated testing into CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience with API, integration, performance, or data testing.
• Exposure to AI-assisted testing, including test design, test generation, test-data generation, intelligent regression, or defect analysis.
• Experience establishing Testing or Quality Engineering Centers of Excellence.
• PMP, ISTQB, Agile/Scrum, or related professional certifications.

We're excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don't hesitate to apply, even if you only meet the minimum requirements listed. Think about your transferable experiences and unique skills that make you stand out as someone who can bring new and exciting things to this role.

Salary and Other Compensation

The annual salary for this position is between $116,100 to $183,500 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

This position is also eligible for Cognizant's discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant's applicable plans.

Benefits

• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
• Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
• 401(k) plan and contributions
• Long-term/Short-term Disability
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Additional employment information

Compensation information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.

Applicants may be required to attend interviews in person or by video conference. In addition, candidates may be required to present their current state or government issued ID during each interview.

Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. Your application and candidacy will not be considered based on race, color, sex, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Applicants for US based positions must be currently authorized to work for any employer in the United States. The company is unable to provide employment-based immigration sponsorship for US based positions.

If you have a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to search for a job opening or submit an application, please email CareersNA2@cognizant.com for roles based in the Americas or CareersIndia2@cognizant.com for roles based in India.

About Cognizant:

Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) is an AI Builder and technology services provider, bridging the gap between AI investment and enterprise value by building full-stack AI solutions for our clients. Our deep industry, process and engineering expertise enables us to build an organization's unique context into technology systems that amplify human potential, drive tangible outcomes and keep global enterprises ahead in a fast-changing world. See how at cognizant.ai or @cognizant.