Operational Technology OT Test Lead Multiple Locations

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ THE JOB DESCRIPTION BEFORE APPLYING

JOB TITLE - Operational Technology (OT) Test Lead

LOCATION - Chennai, Tamil Nadu / Noida / Pune / Mumbai / Hyderabad / Bangalore

EXPERIENCE - 8 - 10 Years

SALARY - 20 Lakh - 22 Lakh CTC

INDUSTRY - Industrial Automation / OT / Manufacturing / Energy / Utilities / Infrastructure

JOB OVERVIEW

We are looking for an experienced Operational Technology (OT) Test Lead to lead the end-to-end testing and validation of complex OT, industrial automation, control systems, telemetry, and integrated technology environments.

The role will be responsible for defining and executing comprehensive test strategies across the complete project lifecycle, including System Integration Testing (SIT), End-to-End (E2E), Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Operational Acceptance Testing (OAT), User Acceptance Testing (UAT), regression, performance, resilience, cybersecurity, recovery, commissioning, and operational readiness testing.

The OT Test Lead will work closely with engineering, automation, infrastructure, cybersecurity, commissioning, vendors, project management, and operations teams to ensure that OT systems, interfaces, data flows, alarms, communications, access controls, and recovery mechanisms meet defined functional, technical, safety, security, and operational requirements.

The role will also own test governance, requirements traceability, defect management, test evidence, reporting, risk management, and test exit criteria to support successful and controlled deployment of OT solutions.

SUCCESS IN THE ROLE

The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to lead complex OT testing programmes from test strategy through deployment and operational readiness, while coordinating multiple technical teams, vendors, systems, and sites.

The individual should combine strong OT and industrial technology knowledge with disciplined test governance, analytical problem-solving, and effective stakeholder leadership.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the end-to-end testing lifecycle for OT, industrial automation, control systems, telemetry, and integrated OT programmes.
• Develop and implement comprehensive test strategies, test plans, test scenarios, test cases, test procedures, and test scripts.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute SIT, E2E, FAT, OAT, UAT, regression, performance, resilience, failover, recovery, and commissioning testing.
• Define test scope, objectives, environments, test data, tools, acceptance criteria, dependencies, and entry and exit criteria.
• Establish and maintain requirements-to-test traceability across functional, technical, operational, safety, and cybersecurity requirements.
• Lead testing across PLC, SCADA, DCS, HMI, SIS, ESD, historian, telemetry, and enterprise system interfaces.
• Validate OT data flows, tags, signals, commands, alarms, statuses, interfaces, communications, and system responses.
• Coordinate testing activities across multiple systems, sites, vendors, engineering teams, and technical disciplines.
• Validate OT networks, communication infrastructure, remote access, MFA, PAM, RBAC, and other access control mechanisms.
• Support OT cybersecurity, resilience, failover, disaster recovery, and recovery testing.
• Identify, document, prioritize, track, and manage defects and technical issues through resolution and closure.
• Perform root cause analysis and coordinate with vendors and engineering teams to resolve integration and system failures.
• Monitor test progress, coverage, risks, dependencies, issues, readiness, and overall test quality.
• Prepare test status reports, dashboards, test metrics, traceability matrices, defect reports, and test exit reports.
• Ensure appropriate test evidence is captured, reviewed, stored, and maintained in accordance with project and QA governance requirements.
• Coordinate with commissioning and operations teams to support operational readiness and site acceptance.
• Ensure testing activities comply with applicable engineering, quality, safety, cybersecurity, and operational standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve testing processes, templates, tools, documentation, automation, and defect management practices.
• Lead and mentor testing teams while ensuring effective collaboration across multidisciplinary stakeholders.
• Act as the primary testing point of contact for project management, engineering, cybersecurity, vendors, commissioning, and operational stakeholders.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Instrumentation, Automation, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related technical discipline.
• 8 - 10 years of overall experience with approximately 9 or more years of relevant experience in OT testing, industrial automation, control systems, commissioning, systems integration, or industrial technology.
• Strong hands-on experience with PLC, SCADA, DCS, HMI, SIS, ESD, and Industrial Control Systems (ICS).
• Proven experience leading OT testing and validation activities in complex industrial environments.
• Strong understanding of industrial communication networks, OT infrastructure, telemetry systems, and system interfaces.
• Proven experience in developing and executing test strategies, test plans, test cases, test scenarios, test procedures, and test scripts.
• Practical experience with SIT, E2E, FAT, OAT, UAT, regression, performance, resilience, failover, recovery, and commissioning testing.
• Experience in defect management, troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and issue resolution.
• Good understanding of OT cybersecurity, including access controls, MFA, PAM, RBAC, remote access, and security validation.
• Experience coordinating testing across engineering, automation, infrastructure, cybersecurity, commissioning, vendor, and operations teams.
• Ability to interpret complex engineering drawings, technical specifications, functional requirements, system architecture, and operational documentation.
• Strong understanding of requirements traceability, test evidence, test metrics, quality assurance, and test governance.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong stakeholder management and reporting capabilities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a structured approach to testing, quality, and risk management.
• Experience in industrial, manufacturing, energy, utilities, infrastructure, or other OT-intensive environments will be an advantage.

KEY TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

OT AND INDUSTRIAL CONTROL

• PLC
• SCADA
• DCS
• HMI
• SIS
• ESD
• ICS
• Historian
• Telemetry

TESTING AND VALIDATION

• SIT
• E2E
• FAT
• OAT
• UAT
• Regression Testing
• Performance Testing
• Resilience Testing
• Failover Testing
• Recovery Testing
• Commissioning Testing

OT INFRASTRUCTURE

• Industrial Networks
• Communication Systems
• System Interfaces
• Remote Access
• Data Flows
• System Integration

OT CYBERSECURITY

• MFA
• PAM
• RBAC
• Access Control
• Remote Access Security
• Security Validation

TEST GOVERNANCE

• Test Strategy
• Test Planning
• Requirements Traceability
• Test Evidence
• Defect Management
• Test Metrics
• Test Reporting
• Test Exit Criteria

KEY COMPETENCIES

• OT Testing and Validation
• Industrial Automation
• Systems Integration
• Test Leadership
• Test Strategy and Planning
• Defect and Risk Management
• Root Cause Analysis
• OT Cybersecurity
• Commissioning and Operational Readiness
• Stakeholder Management
• Vendor Management
• Team Leadership and Mentoring
• Quality and Test Governance