Principal, quality engineering Chicago - USA Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future. Northern Trust will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work visa status for this opportunity (no sponsorship is available for H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, F-1, J-1, OPT, CPT or any other employment-based visa) Northern Trust is looking for a Principal, Quality Engineering to join its Corporate Applications testing team. This leader will be responsible for establishing and executing the overall quality strategy across multiple agile teams, driving automation-first testing, strengthening release governance, and building continuous quality signals that provide confidence for frequent deployments and releases. The ideal candidate combines strong leadership, banking domain expertise, technical depth in modern Quality Engineering practices, and a track record of leading large-scale enterprise transformation programs. This role requires close partnership with Product, Engineering, Architecture, Risk, Operations, and Business stakeholders to ensure quality is embedded across the software delivery lifecycle. Location : Chicago, IL, USA Experience : 14 -18 Years ( Minimum 8 years in Quality Engineering and 5 years in leadership role) Business Domain: Banking, Risk, Compliance Tools: Azure Devops, Selenium with Java, Playwright, DevOps concepts Good to have : Service Now ATF , Exposure to AI based QE solutioning Job Description AND Principal Responsibilities Thought leadership, consultation, mentoring & guidance for test automation Advance product quality via testing innovations and process improvement Collaborate with BAs, Architects & Developers in designing testable applications Technical roadmaps & plans for implementing enterprise/program test strategies Design & manage technical proof-of-concept and feasibility studies Resolve technical issues, anticipate risks and ensure timely management escalation Utilize analytical skills in determining the root cause of defects & issues Influence and communicate effectively with both technical & non-technical audiences Analysis, optimization, improvement & maintenance of current test automation suites Master enterprise/program high-level business workflows Mentor junior SDETs to improve technical ability and effectiveness Promote and support implementation of automated CI/CT/CD pipeline Develop & extend test automation frameworks for UI, Micro services & API Guarantee compliance to automation framework, standards & best practices Facilitate automated, on-demand test automation metrics Ensure automated tests are run early & often providing quick feedback to the team Seek stakeholder feedback via test automation demos Accelerate test development process by leveraging existing assets, standards & best practices; Add new functions/methods to the libraries for continuous improvement Develop release confidence frameworks to support go/no-go decision making. Evaluate and implement AI-enabled Quality Engineering solutions to improve productivity, coverage, and defect prevention. Establish enterprise dashboards and quality scorecards using Azure DevOps and reporting platforms. Experience/ Skills Experience BS in Computer Science, Engineering, or Information Technology or equivalent 14-18 years of overall experience with at least 8 years in quality engineering 5-8 years of experience implementing test automation 5-8 years of Experience in leading team of employee/contractors Experience in multi-tiered, complex system design & architecture Proven experience managing large globally distributed teams across multiple vendors and partners. Experience in Banking, Financial Services, Risk Management, Regulatory Compliance, or Corporate Applications undefined Required Skills: Excellent knowledge of SDLC and Agile development practices Lead level exposure to Java, Selenium/LeanFT, BDD (Cucumber/JBehave), TestNG, Eclipse/IntelliJ, ServiceNow ATF , Playwright Experience with Devops/CICD toolset - Bamboo/Jenkins/Concourse, Maven, Git, BitBucket Expert in QA process, techniques & methodologies Solid analytical and problem-solving skills Both attention to detail & ability to rise above details to see broader implications & recommend strategic solutions Self-starter; Positive & adaptable; Multi-task in a continually changing environment Ability to work independently and with a team Proven interpersonal and communication skills with technical & business partners Preferred/ Recommended Skills: Experience leading enterprise quality transformation initiatives. Experience building automation operating models and continuous testing capabilities. Exposure to AI-enabled software testing and next-generation Quality Engineering solutions. Experience presenting executive leadership and influencing strategic technology decisions. Proven ability to lead and collaborate in global, cross functional teams Familiarity with Banking/Financial domain Experience in leading large program Experience supporting one or more of the following: ServiceNow IRM / GRC Platforms Risk & Control Management Solutions Regulatory Compliance Platforms Corporate Risk Technologies Payment and Financial Processing Systems Salary Range: $114,700 - 194,900 USD Salary range is a good faith estimate of base pay. Northern Trust provides a comprehensive benefits package including retirement benefits (401k and pension), health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, vision, spending accounts and disability), paid time off, parental and caregiver leave, life & accident insurance, and other voluntary and well-being benefits. Northern Trust also provides a discretionary bonus program that may include an equity component.