Lead Software Engineer, Quality Assurance

Lead Software Engineer, Quality Assurance

Divergent is a technology company that has architected, invented, built, and commercialized an end-to-end factory system called the Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS) that comprehensively uses machine learning to optimally engineer, additively manufacture, and flexibly assemble complex integrated vehicle structures and subsystems. Products created using DAPS are superior in performance, lower in cost, rapidly customizable to meet mission and customer-specific requirements, faster to market, and scalable on demand to high volume production. Divergent is a qualified Tier 1 supplier to global automotive OEMs, and Divergent is now expanding to support mission critical needs in the Aerospace and Defense sector. Join us to be a part of this transformative journey, where your impact will shape the future of technology and production.

Purpose

We are looking for our first QA engineer to establish and own software quality across our growing web application portfolio. This role will work closely with software engineers, product managers, and operations teams to ensure our applications meet high standards of reliability, performance, and usability—critical in a cutting-edge manufacturing environment. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys building QA from the ground up, writing real automation code, and shaping how quality is perceived across an engineering organization.

The Role

Define and implement QA strategy, standards, and best practices across the software development lifecycle.

Establish test planning, test case design, defect tracking, and release sign-off processes.

Embed QA into CI/CD pipelines and development workflows.

Advocate for quality-first engineering culture, including shift-left testing and testability.

Design, write, and maintain automated test suites (unit, integration, end-to-end).

Select and standardize testing frameworks and tools appropriate for our stack (e.g. Playwright, Cypress, Jest, Vitest, etc.).

Build robust test coverage for:

• Web UIs (Angular / React)
• APIs and backend services (GraphQL / REST)
• Database interactions (Postgres / Prisma)

Ensure tests are reliable, maintainable, and fast enough for CI use.

Perform and guide exploratory testing for new features and complex workflows.

Define regression testing strategies and release validation processes.

Collaborate with product and engineering to clarify acceptance criteria.

Work closely with developers to improve testability and prevent defects early.

Partner with product managers to ensure requirements are testable and well-defined.

Communicate quality metrics, risks, and readiness clearly to stakeholders.

Scale QA practices to support increased product scope and development velocity.

Hire, onboard, and mentor QA engineers during a future growth phase.

Basic Qualifications

• Ability to lawfully access information and technology that is subject to US export controls
• 5+ years of experience in software quality assurance, with significant hands-on automation experience
• Strong experience testing modern web applications
• Proficiency in TypeScript / JavaScript for test automation
• Experience with one or more modern test frameworks (e.g. Playwright, Cypress, Jest)
• Solid understanding of:
• REST APIs
• Relational databases (Postgres preferred)
• CI/CD pipelines
• Experience designing QA processes, not just executing them
• Ability to work independently and make pragmatic decisions in an evolving environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience being the first or lead QA hire in a growing team
• Familiarity with Angular and/or React applications
• Experience testing systems used in manufacturing, industrial, or operational environments
• Knowledge of performance, load, or reliability testing
• Experience integrating QA into DevOps practices
• Prior people management or mentorship experience

Work Environment

• This is an on-site role located at our Torrance, CA headquarters.

Compensation

At Divergent, our pay range is based on the level of the job. For this role, we will consider candidates at levels E05 - E06 as evaluated through our interview process.

• Sr. Engineer / E05: $134,640 - $185,130
• Lead Engineer / E06: $155,540 - $213,840

What We Offer:

• Holistic Compensation Package: Enjoy a world-class compensation package that includes a competitive salary, equity plan, and discretionary results-based incentive bonus opportunities, ensuring you're truly valued for your contributions.
• Wellness and Time Off: Embrace a healthy lifestyle with paid vacation, sick time, and company holidays, including a year-end shutdown to recharge. We support growing families with paid parental leave, recognizing the importance of bonding time.
• Comprehensive Health and Wellness: Prioritize your well-being with our comprehensive health and wellness benefits, offering both HMO and Premium PPO options. Additionally, benefit from company-sponsored life insurance and short and long-term disability coverage for peace of mind.
• Investment in Growth: We're committed to your professional development. Take advantage of reimbursement opportunities for learning and development initiatives, empowering you to continuously expand your skill set and reach peak performance.
• Collaborative and High-Performing Environment: Join our collaborative, dynamic, and high-performing team within a fast-paced, mission-driven company. Together, we're disrupting the traditional manufacturing industry, fostering innovation, and integrating people and technology to reduce our footprint.

Equal Employment Opportunity Divergent is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected characteristic. Divergent provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with Disabilities and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act.