About the Role
As a Software Quality Engineer III, you will make an impact by ensuring exceptional quality across conversational AI experiences, intelligent assistant features, consumer hardware, and end-to-end customer workflows. You will be a valued member of the Quality Engineering team and work collaboratively with Software Engineering, Product Management, Program Management, Design, Hardware Engineering, and cross-functional stakeholders.
In This Role, You Will:
• Perform test planning, test strategy development, test design, and execution of manual and automated testing across multiple products and initiatives.
• Drive quality validation for conversational AI, voice assistant experiences, speech recognition functionality, and customer-facing workflows.
• Perform comprehensive black-box testing across software, hardware, operating systems, and integrated user experiences.
• Conduct exploratory testing to identify edge cases, usability concerns, customer-impacting defects, and quality risks beyond documented requirements.
• Analyze complex failures, troubleshoot defects, isolate root causes, and create high-quality defect reports with detailed reproduction steps.
• Partner with engineering, product, design, and program teams to drive issue resolution and improve product quality.
• Assess release readiness, prioritize testing efforts, and provide recommendations based on quality risk analysis.
• Mentor quality engineers and analysts through technical guidance, best practices, and test review activities.
• Lead quality efforts across multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Identify opportunities to improve testing processes, automation effectiveness, tools, and overall quality engineering efficiency.
Work Model
At Cognizant, we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible while supporting a healthy work-life balance through our wellbeing programs. Based on this role's business requirements, this is an onsite position requiring 5 days per week at the client office in Cupertino, California.
The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project you're engaged in, as well as business and client requirements. Rest assured, we will always be clear about role expectations.
What You Need to Have to Be Considered
• 3+ years of experience in Software Quality Assurance, Quality Engineering, or a related testing role.
• Strong experience in test planning, test strategy development, test case design, and execution of manual and automated testing.
• Extensive experience performing black-box testing across software, hardware, operating systems, and integrated customer experiences.
• Experience testing conversational user interfaces, voice assistants, speech recognition systems, or natural language interaction platforms.
• Strong debugging, troubleshooting, and defect isolation skills with the ability to identify root causes and reproduce complex issues.
• Experience validating end-to-end customer workflows across client platforms, applications, operating systems, and hardware ecosystems.
• Demonstrated expertise in exploratory testing and identifying quality issues beyond documented requirements.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Strong attention to detail, analytical thinking, and a customer-first mindset.
These Will Help You Stand Out
• Experience testing consumer devices, smart home technologies, wearables, Bluetooth accessories, or connected ecosystems.
• Experience validating conversational AI, voice assistants, natural language processing, localization, or multilingual customer experiences.
• Experience developing comprehensive test strategies and driving quality improvements across large-scale cross-functional programs.
• Experience collaborating with Software Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Human Interface Design, Localization, and Product teams.
• Ability to manage quality validation efforts across multiple concurrent projects and competing priorities.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• Passion for emerging technologies and continuous improvement of testing methodologies.
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 $53,477– $92,500 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:
Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:
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
Cognizant will only consider applicants for this position who are legally authorized to work in the United States without company sponsorship.
*Please note, this role is not able to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future*
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.
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.
