About VDURA VDURA is revolutionizing data storage and management to fuel discovery in the AI era by building the Data Platform that industry and research pioneers need to get the most out of their data. The VDURA Data Platform elevates data infrastructure with unprecedented levels of performance, durability, and simplicity to accelerate cutting-edge AI and high-performance computing (HPC) applications.  We are seeking a Director of QA and Release to lead on-time, high-quality data platform releases in 2025 and beyond.   Job Summary: We are seeking a seasoned and visionary Director of QA and Releases to lead quality assurance, DevOps, and release management for our scale-out storage solutions. Reporting directly to the VP of Engineering, this role is pivotal in ensuring that our products exceed the rigorous standards of the AI Storage markets. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in Enterprise and Cloud Systems QA leadership, DevOps strategies, and scaling teams to meet the demands of these cutting-edge industries. They will also have experience employing AI-driven tools to accelerate test efficiency and test automation.  This role includes ownership of the company’s lab infrastructure, encompassing on-premises labs, co-located labs, and public cloud resources for development and testing.  Preferred locations for this job are in Northern Colorado / Denver CO or Pittsburgh PA.   Key Responsibilities: Quality Assurance and Testing Leadership: Define and implement QA strategies tailored to the requirements of scale-out storage solutions, ensuring performance, reliability, and enterprise-grade quality. Lead and grow the QA organization, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and execution predictability. Build and maintain robust test automation frameworks to enhance coverage and efficiency across unit, integration, and system testing levels. Leverage AI-driven tools and methodologies to enhance test penetration, coverage, and efficiency. Establish metrics and KPIs to monitor product quality and team performance, driving continuous improvement initiatives.   DevOps and Release Management: Oversee the development and execution of DevOps strategies, including CI/CD pipelines for automated testing and deployment. Manage the end-to-end release lifecycle, ensuring timely and predictable delivery of high-quality releases. Collaborate with engineering and operations teams to ensure smooth deployment of updates to production environments, minimizing downtime and risks. Drive the adoption of best practices in DevOps for distributed systems in enterprise and cloud environments.      Lab Infrastructure Management: Manage and optimize lab infrastructure, including on-premise labs, co-located labs, and public cloud environments, to support development and testing needs. Ensure the availability, scalability, and cost-efficiency of lab resources to meet project demands. Oversee lab operations, including hardware procurement, installation, and maintenance, as well as software and tooling for resource allocation and monitoring. Collaborate with engineering and QA teams to design lab configurations that simulate real-world environments and workloads for comprehensive testing. Drive security and compliance standards across lab environments, ensuring data integrity and protection.   Strategic Collaboration and Leadership: Work closely with product management, engineering, and operations to align QA and release strategies with organizational objectives. Provide regular updates to the VP of Engineering and executive leadership on progress, risks, and key metrics. Act as a thought leader, driving the organization’s vision for quality and delivery excellence in the storage industry.   Innovation and Industry Expertise: Stay abreast of emerging trends and technologies in enterprise, cloud and AI/HPC storage, ensuring the team adopts modern, industry-leading practices. Evaluate and integrate advanced tools and methodologies, including AI-powered solutions, for testing scale-out storage architectures and data-intensive applications. Champion initiatives to improve performance testing, scalability validation, and fault tolerance for distributed storage solutions.   Qualifications: Education and Experience: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. Minimum of 10 years of experience in QA leadership, with a focus on Enterprise Storage, Cloud Systems, or AI/HPC Storage markets. Proven track record of managing QA and DevOps organizations for large-scale, distributed storage systems. Technical Expertise: Extensive experience with testing and validating scale-out storage architectures, distributed file systems, and object storage solutions. Strong knowledge of enterprise storage technologies, including Block, File, and Object systems.  Expertise in DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and automation tools (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD). Familiarity with AI and machine learning tools applied to testing and QA, including predictive analytics and automated defect detection. Proficiency in scripting and programming languages commonly used in testing frameworks (e.g., Python, Shell, Java). Familiarity with storage performance testing tools (e.g., Iometer, FIO) and scalability testing in distributed environments. Leadership and Soft Skills: Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and scale QA and DevOps organizations to meet growing business demands. Exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills, with a data-driven approach to decision-making. Strong collaboration and communication skills, enabling effective interaction with cross-functional teams and executive stakeholders.   Preferred Qualifications: Experience managing QA and Release Teams for scale-out file systems like Lustre, GPFS, or similar. Certifications in Agile, DevOps, or testing methodologies (e.g., ISTQB, AWS Certified DevOps Engineer). Knowledge of high-performance storage systems used in HPC environments.   VDURA Culture & Values:   At VDURA, we’re committed to transforming data into the catalyst for groundbreaking human advancements. We’re looking for collaborative and innovative minds to join our team and help us drive this mission forward. If you’re passionate about mastering complex challenges, driving innovation, and making a tangible impact on the world, VDURA is the place for you. Join us and be part of a vibrant, “can do” culture where every individual has the potential to make a real impact on our business success. Salary Range & Benefits: The anticipated salary range for this position is $160,000 - $240,000 annually. Final compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, location and internal equity within the company. VDURA is committed to providing competitive and transparent compensation that complies with applicable state and local laws. In addition to base salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes: Health, dental, and vision insurance 401(k) retirement plan Paid time off (PTO) and holidays Other relevant perks or bonuses   At VDURA, we value diversity and are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.