Lead QA Engineer

Cullerton Group has a new opportunity for an IT Quality/Test Engineer 5 – Lead QA Specialist in Chicago or Peoria, IL. The work will be 100% onsite, Monday–Friday on first shift, and candidates must already be local to the Chicago or Peoria area. This is a 12-month position that can lead to permanent employment with our client. Compensation is up to $68/hr + full benefits (vision, dental, health insurance, 401k, and holiday pay). The position may require up to 25% travel. Job Summary The IT Quality/Test Engineer 5 will serve as a Lead QA Specialist supporting a cross-functional engineering organization developing a new large-scale digital platform using modern technologies. This position will lead QA strategy, test planning, automation execution, defect management, and quality initiatives across multiple projects and releases. The engineer will work across a large Agile environment, collaborating with product, development, program management, and QA teams to identify critical issues and drive them through resolution. Key Responsibilities Lead QA strategy, test planning, and automation execution across multiple projects and software releases.Lead system, regression, integration, performance, and user acceptance testing (UAT) and identify gaps in test coverage.Own defect management and validation, reproduce complex software defects, collect supporting artifacts, and drive issues through resolution.Perform root cause analysis on high-impact issues and use data and quantitative analysis to support technical and business decisions.Collaborate with product owners, developers, end users, and internal stakeholders to resolve issues, enhancements, and upgrades.Independently manage complex testing and quality assurance assignments in a fast-paced environment.Mentor QA team members and provide technical guidance on testing standards, tools, and best practices. Required Qualifications 10+ years of relevant experience, including a minimum of 3 years in a true QA/Test Lead role.Degree is not required, but is considered a plus.Strong background in software testing and/or software development.Strong knowledge of SDLC, Agile, Quality Assurance, and Quality Control methodologies.Leadership and/or project management experience within a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.Working knowledge of AWS, SQL, Azure DevOps (ADO), Power BI, and Excel.Strong understanding of software product testing and the ability to design, plan, and execute comprehensive testing strategies.Strong analytical, data-mining, critical-thinking, communication, and presentation skills. Preferred Qualifications Experience leading QA activities across large-scale enterprise platforms and multiple concurrent releases.Strong background in test automation and defect management.Experience working within large Agile/Scrum organizations and coordinating quality efforts across multiple teams.Demonstrated ability to mentor QA engineers and establish testing standards and best practices.Experience communicating technical quality issues and test results to multiple levels of an organization. Why This Role? This position offers an opportunity to take a leadership role in quality assurance for a large-scale digital platform and work alongside cross-functional engineering and product teams using modern technologies. The environment spans more than 50 Scrum teams, providing significant exposure to complex enterprise software initiatives and opportunities to influence testing strategy, quality standards, and defect management practices.