Senior Director of Test

About Forterra

Forterra is a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world. Amongst some of the earliest innovators in the field of driverless technology, Forterra is focused on building systems that protect front-line soldiers and enable civilian workers in our industrial base. Forterra is the go-to provider of ground autonomy solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense, which harnesses the technology for asymmetric warfare in critical conditions.

About the role

Forterra's Operations and Engineering leadership team is seeking a seasoned and strategic Senior Director of Test to lead our full-spectrum test and test quality functions across operations and engineering. This leader will oversee a team of managers responsible for Test Site Operations, Test Engineering, Test Support Operations, and Test Quality to ensure safe, efficient, and rigorous validation of our autonomous vehicle systems. The Senior Director of Test will be responsible for building and scaling test infrastructure, driving operational effectiveness, and ensuring quality standards are met during all stages of testing. His / her responsibilities include existing testing facilities in Maryland and Idaho as well as future test sites that he / she will plan and build to support our growth.

Forterra is a fast-growing company that has quickly established itself as a leader in ground autonomy across the Department of Defense and within the commercial sector. Our ability to develop and test is crucial to maintaining the tempo we need to continue to evolve our technology and support our customers. The Senior Director of Test will ensure this critical component of development is efficient, scalable, and expands to multiple sites as we grow.

What you'll do

• Lead and develop leadership teams across Test Support, Test Engineering, and Test Quality.
• Define and drive the long-term roadmap for test and quality functions, aligning closely with product,
• engineering, and business development goals.
• Serve as a strategic partner to engineering, product, and leadership teams across the organization to
• drive continuous improvement on risk assessment, test coverage, vehicle readiness, deployment
• readiness.
• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, and data-driven performance metrics across all testing
• domains.
• Ensure optimal utilization of autonomous vehicle test sites and personnel across all locations.
• Drive safety-focus across all teams and sites and integrate operations with occupational safety and
• safety management systems.
• Oversee the development, modification, and maintenance of test environmentsincluding diverse
• terrains and obstacle features (e.g., potholes, berms, cliffs, water hazards).
• Ensure test site infrastructure aligns with current and future program needs.
• Track test site performance metrics and operational efficiency.
• Ensure thorough system-level testing across Software-in-the-Loop (SIL), Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL), and Vehicle-in-the-Loop platforms.
• Oversee the design, implementation, and automation of test plans for autonomous systems, ensuring high-quality data collection and defect identification.
• Partner with systems / software teams to align testing with design / performance requirements.
• Establish and enforce quality processes and release criteria to support reliable deployment in field environments.
• Maintain strong documentation, traceability, and compliance standards.

What we're looking for

What you need

What we love to see

US Salary Range

$175,000-$250,000

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra's overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including :

Your recruiter will be able to share more information about our salary and benefits offering during the hiring process.

Forterra is an equal-opportunity employer, providing and promoting equal employment opportunity in accordance with local, state, and federal laws. Forterrans are unique, talented individuals who are united through a shared passion to deliver autonomous systems that enable national resilience and a robust supply chain. All qualified applications will receive equal consideration for employment.

The pay range for this role is :

175,000 - 250,000 USD per year(ARC)

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