Headline

Test Engineering Manager | Technology Delivery & Quality Leadership | AI-Augmented Engineering & Agentic AI | ex-ZS

About

I build quality engineering functions that ship fast without breaking trust and lately I've been applying that discipline to the messiest new frontier: AI-generated software. 13+ years across Quality Transformation, Test Automation, and Technology & Software Delivery. Most recently at ZS Associates, where I grew from Lead to Manager – Test Engineering, owning the QA function for 3 enterprise products and a team of ~15 QA engineers and leads and for select initiatives, driving end-to-end delivery coordination across Development, QA, and Release tracks: delivery planning, dependency tracking, and execution with Java development teams. What that looked like in numbers: • Defect density down ~50%, production defect leakage down ~10%; predictable, on-time releases at scale • Regression cycle down 70% via in-release automation; 90%+ automation coverage • AWS infrastructure spend down 40%; I treat cost as an engineering constraint • Quality and release governance enabling the low code platform's scale to 15 client implementations Since March 2026, I've been running AI-first product builds end-to-end as architect, orchestrator, and quality owner. Full project lifecycle from spec and architecture through multi-agent build (Claude, Codex) to release decisions, with quality frameworks for non-deterministic systems. My operating beliefs: Efficiency over Quantity. People over Processes. Mindset over Tool Specialization. Open to senior roles across Quality Engineering and Technology Delivery — QA Manager / Test Engineering Manager / Senior Manager QE / Technical Delivery Manager — in Pune, hybrid, or remote. Immediate joiner. 📩 shantanu.chandalia@gmail.com

Location

Pune City

AI stack

aistudio

anthropic apis

claude code

claude

codex

gemini

github copilot

Work experience

Independent AI Product Development & Quality Engineering at Independent, Apr 2026 - Present · 4 mos, Pune City, A focused period using AI-assisted development to operate as architect, orchestrator, and quality owner across multiple AI-first product builds. • Owned end-to-end technical architecture for AI-first products — translating detailed specs into system designs with explicit tradeoff analysis and architectural guardrails to keep AI-generated implementation safe and maintainable. • Defined a multi-agent engineering strategy — orchestrating Claude and Codex as a coordinated build team with clear division of responsibility, handoffs, and structured context to keep output aligned to spec. • Designed a quality framework for AI-assisted development — test automation, review gates, and validation practices to ascertain quality of non-deterministic AI-generated code. • Practiced disciplined cost optimization across AI and infrastructure — right-sizing model selection rather than defaulting to the most powerful option, and architecting AWS/serverless for controlled cost with a clear path to scale, treating token and infrastructure economics as engineering constraints.

Test Engineering Manager at ZS, Jan 2024 - Mar 2026 · 2 yrs 3 mos, Pune District, • Managed multiple teams with end-to-end ownership of the QA function for 3 Products and ~15 QAE/Leads while working closely with Java development teams on delivery plan, dependency tracking & execution. • Managed Products: ZAIDYN Low-code framework, Customized Identity Management tool powered by Okta and Gen AI based Chat framework, Integration Connector Library. • For select initiatives, drove end-to-end delivery coordination across Development, QA, and Release tracks, while retaining primary ownership of quality. • Partnered with client stakeholders, product owners, and cross-functional engineering teams on release decisions, quality signoff, and escalation management. • Transformed the quality of low-code platform, enabling scale to 15 client implementations. • Established QA Strategies including Scenario Mind-mapping, Risk-Based Testing, In-Release Automation & Robust Review process reducing defect density by ~50%, Production defect leakage by ~10% and enabling predictable, on-time releases at scale. • Created a shift-left mindset and operating model with CI Integration of Functional Tests on Dev and shifted Performance and Security Testing left in partnership with specialist teams, ensuring early detection of defects. • Implemented In-Release Automation across products, reducing Regression cycle by 70%, enabling faster Time to Market (TTM). • Designed and implemented a hybrid SDK automation framework to validate integration SDKs across Java, Python, and .NET with centralized Java-based assertions. • Achieved 90%+ regression test automation coverage across multiple applications, improving release confidence and reducing manual effort. • Owned the test-infrastructure cost line — led AWS Cost optimization for multiple products, reducing infrastructure spend by 40%. • Transformed QA recruitment by implementing custom Online Tests and faster hiring strategies. • Built and mentored high-performing teams, driving technical growth, ownership & engineering discipline.

Lead - Test Engineering at ZS, Nov 2020 - Dec 2023 · 3 yrs 2 mos, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Senior Software Test Engineer at ifm, Nov 2016 - Aug 2019 · 2 yrs 10 mos, Pune Area, India, Responsibilities and Accomplishments: • Developed, communicated and implemented Software Quality Assurance Plans and processes for Mobile Apps • Took complete Ownership of two Mobile Apps with respect to Project Planning and App Testing [ifm QuickLook & O2I Teach]. • Designed Automation Framework in Selenium with TestNG Assertions. • Finalized Testing Scope / Strategies for all projects. • Restructured formal Delivery process by introducing new flavor of Software Delivery Reports and Test Reports integrated with the ALM which are now adapted across teams and subsidiaries. • Demonstrated good analytical and problem-solving skills in complex projects involving Industry 4.0 products. • Achieved Continuous Integration for Test Suite Execution using Jenkins Pipeline.

Senior Software Test Engineer at Amdocs, Mar 2014 - Oct 2016 · 2 yrs 8 mos, Pune Area, India, Responsibilities and Accomplishments: • Creation of Test Scripts for Web Interfaces of Customer Relationship Management [CRM] Server-Side modules using Java & Selenium. • Involved in Functional Testing for Amdocs CRM and Billing Manager. • Involved in Server - side components testing and Database Components Testing. • Involved in Setting up Software Infrastructures / Environments for CRM. • Testing of Change Requests & Patch Bundles of CRM. • Worked under challenging circumstances without sacrificing quality or attention to detail. • Got Certificate of Appreciation for “Out-of-the-box Thinking and Innovative Approach”. • Performed UAT Testing at Client Site for Singtel (Singapore).

Project Engineer at WIPRO TECHNOLOGIES, Oct 2011 - Feb 2014 · 2 yrs 5 mos, Pune Area, India, Responsibilities and Accomplishments: • Development of the Test Scripts in QTP & Manual Test Cases and Defect Reporting. • Accomplished one successful Project Transition.

Education

Bachelor of Engineering - BE, Information Technology, Manipal institute of technology

Public links

github: https://github.com/shantanuchandalia