AI QA Architect & Strategist

Perficient is a global AI-first consultancy. Our team of strategists, designers, technologists, and engineers partners with the world’s most innovative enterprises and admired brands to deliver real business results through the transformative power of AI. As part of our AI-First strategy, we empower every employee to build AI fluency and actively engage with AI tools to drive innovation and efficiency. We break boundaries, obsess over outcomes, and shape the future for our clients. Join a company where bold ideas and brilliant minds converge to redefine what’s possible - while building a career filled with growth, balance, and purpose.           

The QA AI Technical Professional is a senior, hands-on leader focused on defining, building, and scaling ‑AI-enabled‑ QA capabilities across Perficient and key client accounts. This role combines deep QA and AI/ML knowledge with a strong consulting mindset to shape our AI QA strategy, design technical solutions, support sales and delivery, and drive market differentiation. The QA AI Technical Professional partners closely with QA Practice Leaders, QA SMEs (Functional, Automation, Performance, Mobile, Data/ETL, Accessibility, Security, etc.), and account teams to research emerging AI technologies, build reusable assets and accelerators, and ensure successful adoption of AI in QA practices. This role is actively engaging with clients’ programs.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field; advanced degree or relevant certifications in AI/ML, cloud, or QA (ISTQB, etc.) are a plus.
• 15+ years of experience in QA/Testing, including significant experience in test automation and modern QA practices (Agile, DevOps, CI/CD).
• Hands‑on experience with AI/ML and/or GenAI applied to software quality (e.g., test generation, code analysis, defect clustering, NLP‑based testing, LLM‑based assistants).
• Strong understanding of QA tools and ecosystems, plus familiarity with AI platforms and services (cloud AI services, LLMs, ML frameworks).
• Expert at diagnosing business needs, engineering AI strategies, and selling vision to executive leadership.
• Demonstrated consulting mindset: able to structure problems, perform market/technical analysis, synthesize insights, and present clear recommendations.
• Proven ability to design technical solutions and reference architectures that integrate AI into QA pipelines and toolchains.
• Experience supporting pre‑sales and delivery: proposals, estimations, PoCs, demos, and executive presentations.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, especially with new prospects and senior/executive stakeholders.
• Strong collaboration skills; comfortable working with Practice Leaders, architects, SMEs, sales, marketing, and partners.
• Analytical, data driven‑ approach with attention to detail and a focus on measurable outcomes and ROI.
• High level of English written and verbal communication skills.

Perficient, Inc. proudly provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a protected veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Perficient, Inc. complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Perficient, Inc. expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or covered veterans. Improper interference with the ability of Perficient, Inc. employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled or the posting removed.

The salary range for this position takes into consideration a variety of factors, including but not limited to skill sets, level of experience, applicable office location, training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The new hire salary range displays the minimum and maximum salary targets for this position across all US locations, and the range has not been adjusted for any specific state differentials. It is not typical for a candidate to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the unique facts and circumstances regarding each candidate. A reasonable estimate of the current salary range for this position is $92,118 to $202,730. Please note that the salary range posted reflects the base salary only and does not include benefits or any potential equity or variable bonus programs. Information regarding the benefits available for this position are in our benefits overview.

Disability Accommodations

Perficient is committed to providing a barrier-free employment process with reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, please contact us.

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Disclaimer:  The above statements are not intended to be a complete statement of job content, rather to act as a guide to the essential functions performed by the employee assigned to this classification.  Management retains the discretion to add or change the duties of the position at any time. 

         Research, Market Analysis & Benchmarking

• Continuously scan the market for emerging AI/ML technologies, tools, and platforms relevant to QA (e.g., test generation, defect prediction, intelligent automation, code analysis, GenAI for QA).
• Conduct structured competitive analyses, proofs of concept (PoCs), and benchmark evaluations of AI powered‑ QA tools and frameworks.
• Produce clear comparison reports and recommendations (technical, functional, cost, risk) to guide tool selection and strategy.

• Track industry trends, standards, and best practices to keep Perficient at the forefront of AI in QA. 

  AI QA Technical Solution Design

• Design end to‑ end AI‑ enabled‑ QA solutions and reference architectures that integrate with clients’ existing tools, pipelines, and platforms.
• Collaborate with QA SMEs to embed AI across different testing types: test case generation, test data, regression optimization, nonfunctional testing, risk‑ based‑ testing, etc.

• Define technical patterns, APIs, data pipelines, and integration models for using AI services and models (including GenAI, LLMs, and traditional ML) within QA workflows.

  Sales, Pre‑Sales & Delivery Support

• Establish standards and guardrails for responsible, secure, and compliant use of AI in QA.
• Support sales and account teams in qualifying and shaping AI QA opportunities with both existing clients and new prospects.
• Lead and/or contribute to solutioning, estimations, and RFP/RFI responses for AI enabled‑ QA engagements.
• Create and deliver compelling, business-oriented‑ presentations and demos that clearly articulate value, ROI, and differentiation of our AI QA capabilities.
• Provide expert guidance during delivery, supporting technical architects, QA leads, and development teams in implementing AI QA solutions and resolving complex technical issues.

• Understand business challenges, design strategic AI solutions, and pitch it effectively to C-suite clients.

  Use Cases, Assets & Marketing Materials

• Identify high impact AI QA use cases across industries and technologies; prioritize those with strong business value‑ and feasibility.
• Design and build reusable use cases, accelerators, and demo environments that can be leveraged across accounts and pursuits.

• Create technical and business friendly collateral (presentations, playbooks, one‑ pager‑, whitepapers, blogs, videos) to support marketing and sales campaigns.

  Partnerships & Ecosystem Management

• Partner with Marketing and QA Practice Leaders to position Perficient as a thought leader in AI driven QA Approach‑.
• Manage and grow relationships with strategic AI and QA tool vendors, cloud providers, and platform partners.
• Evaluate and recommend partnership opportunities to enhance Perficient’s AI QA offerings and go to‑ market‑.
• Coordinate joint initiatives with partners (co-selling, co‑-‑marketing, webinars, pilots, training) and ensure alignment with QA practice strategy.

• Stay current with partner roadmaps and advocate for capabilities that support our clients’ needs.

  Talent Strategy & Community Development

• Help define the skills, roles, and competency model required for AI enabled‑ QA (e.g., AI QA Engineer, AI Test Architect).
• Work with QA Practice Leaders to shape hiring profiles, training curricula, and certification paths related to AI in QA.
• Mentor QA engineers, leads, and architects on AI concepts, tools, and solution patterns; help upskill teams through workshops and internal enablement sessions.

• Foster an active internal community around AI QA, promoting knowledge sharing, experimentation, and reuse.

  Consulting, Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

• Act as a trusted advisor to QA Practice Leaders, engagement leaders, and client stakeholders on the strategic adoption of AI in QA.
• Collaborate closely with QA SMEs across all testing domains to ensure solutions are practical, scalable, and aligned to real delivery needs.
• Lead structured, rational conversations with stakeholders—clarifying goals, constraints, risks, and expected outcomes of AI initiatives.