About

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Chris Otto

Senior SDET
Flow

Experience

Flow

Senior SDET

Aug 2022 - Present
  • UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Northwestern Mutual

Manager Software Engineering

Aug 2021 - Aug 2022
  • Manage technical backlog and planning for over forty test and test support repositories.
  • Lead team of nine Test Engineers across a large project coordinating testing efforts, managing project expectations and meeting project milestones.
  • Plan and execute end-to-end functional testing and create UI tests around new functionality.
  • Adopt and advocate technological advancement amongst teams across organization as the Digital Ambassador
  • Provide guidance and solutions to improve team efficiency and effectiveness.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams across the organization for companywide deliverables.
  • Mentor reports and mentees to achieve company, project, and personal goals.
  • Create automated testing solutions using Node.js, Jest, Postman, Cucumber and WDIO.
  • Advise on testing, automation, and performance strategies for delivery teams.

Sr Test Engineer

Jan 2019 - Aug 2021
  • Created automated tests with Specflow, Cucumber, WDIO, Node.js and Postman.
  • Prescribed process improvements, tracked progress, and achieved completion objectives.
  • Developed Postman API testing solution at the scrum team level with Node.js, Docker and Gitlab CI/CD, forty microservices with one-thousand tests using solution.
  • Elevated Postman API testing solution to the enterprise level working with the frameworks team to get it added to NM internal tooling.
  • Worked on backend API and middleware GraphQL services using C# and Javascript.
  • Audited services test coverage, filling gaps and maintaining a proportional automation pyramid.
  • Collaborated with product organization to develop strong quality processes across project teams.
  • Mentored five Test Engineers, set goals, strategy, and direction to improve their technical and soft skills.
  • Provided technical leadership, training, guidance, feedback, and coaching to Test Engineers.

Blue Yonder

Senior Quality Engineer

Nov 2017 - Jan 2019
  • Assessed the testing requirements of each product area and its components, detailed appropriate strategies and tools throughout product development.
  • Utilized FitNesse and Selenium to create highly effective automated tests running on Jenkins.
  • Collected test metrics, analyzed trends, and suggested appropriate corrective actions.
  • Detected the root cause of unstable tests, corrected the underlying issues that resulted in an 80% decrease in unstable tests year over year.
  • Evaluated test automation tools, technology, and framework based on product requirements.
  • Assisted in developing performance criteria and validated performance metrics were achieved.
  • Resolved impediments related to quality by collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders.
  • Conducted cross-training and education to test, development and services personnel as required.

Intermediate Quality Engineer

Nov 2014 - Nov 2017
  • Executed exploratory testing, wrote scripted manual tests, end-to-end, and performance testing.
  • Advised on performance criteria and validated products met performance requirements.
  • Recognized and implemented Agile strategies to leverage the STLC and test tools.
  • Participated as an embedded QA Engineer on projects and built test cases and test scripts.
  • Provided project team knowledge on test strategy articulation, planning and execution.
  • Assisted in configuring, maintaining, and monitoring of Jenkins continuous integration servers.

Competitive Edge Software

QA Team Lead

May 2012 - Nov 2014
  • Lead QA for Agile development teams for numerous projects.
  • Established and enforced testing standards for QA department and team members.
  • Managed team members, allocated resources to fit needs of sales and support departments.
  • Performed test validation in application layer, debug, and backend with SQL queries.
  • Coordinated pre/postproduction software release with Team Foundation Server.
  • Collaborated with development and support manager on timelines for new version releases.

US Army - Wisconsin National Guard

SGT Senior Support System Specialist

Mar 2011 - April 2018
  • Troubleshot, maintained, operated, installed and fixed communication equipment.
  • Enforced communication security policy and procedures.
  • Conducted preventive maintenance procedures to ensure operational stability of equipment and led troops to accomplish missions based on battalion command chain.

Education

Bachelors of Science - Computer Science

3.9375 - Summa Cum Lade, Dean's list

Associates of Science - Mobile Application Development

3.729 - Dean's List, Provost's List

Volunteering

Milwaukee Area Technical College

Technology Advisory Board Member

2015 - Present

Advise with the Associate Dean, Instructors and other professionals from the greater Milwaukee Area to vote, discuss and shape the current and future curriculum of the the information technology development department of MATC. Provide the college ideas on what professionally we encounter in the work space as far as new technologies, what would be beneficial for new graduates to know and bettering the development workforce for tomorrow.

Microsoft Teals

Volunteer Teacher

2020 - 2020

Lead the lessons for the class while the classroom teacher learns the content alongside the students. Participate in two to three classes per week and meet regularly with their team to track progress and plan upcoming lessons.