Senior Director of Test

About Forterra

Forterra is a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world. Amongst some of the earliest innovators in the field of driverless technology, Forterra is focused on building systems that protect front-line soldiers and enable civilian workers in our industrial base. Forterra is the go-to provider of ground autonomy solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense, which harnesses the technology for asymmetric warfare in critical conditions.

About the role

Forterra’s Operations and Engineering leadership team is seeking a seasoned and strategic Senior Director of Test to lead our full-spectrum test and test quality functions across operations and engineering. This leader will oversee a team of managers responsible for Test Site Operations, Test Engineering, Test Support Operations, and Test Quality to ensure safe, efficient, and rigorous validation of our autonomous vehicle systems. The Senior Director of Test will be responsible for building and scaling test infrastructure, driving operational effectiveness, and ensuring quality standards are met during all stages of testing. His/her responsibilities include existing testing facilities in Maryland and Idaho as well as future test sites that he/she will plan and build to support our growth.

Forterra is a fast-growing company that has quickly established itself as a leader in ground autonomy across the Department of Defense and within the commercial sector. Our ability to develop and test is crucial to maintaining the tempo we need to continue to evolve our technology and support our customers. The Senior Director of Test will ensure this critical component of development is efficient, scalable, and expands to multiple sites as we grow.

What you'll do

• Lead and develop leadership teams across Test Support, Test Engineering, and Test Quality
• Define and drive the long-term roadmap for test and quality functions, aligning closely with product engineering, and business development goals
• Serve as a strategic partner to engineering, product, and leadership teams across the organization to drive continuous improvement on risk assessment, test coverage, vehicle readiness, deployment readiness
• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, and data-driven performance metrics across all testing domains
• Ensure optimal utilization of autonomous vehicle test sites and personnel across all locations
• Drive safety-focus across all teams and sites and integrate operations with occupational safety and safety management systems
• Oversee the development, modification, and maintenance of test environments—including diverse terrains and obstacle features (e.g., potholes, berms, cliffs, water hazards)
• Ensure test site infrastructure aligns with current and future program needs
• Track test site performance metrics and operational efficiency
• Ensure thorough system-level testing across Software-in-the-Loop (SIL), Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL), and Vehicle-in-the-Loop platforms
• Oversee the design, implementation, and automation of test plans for autonomous systems, ensuring high-quality data collection and defect identification
• Partner with systems/software teams to align testing with design/performance requirements
• Establish and enforce quality processes and release criteria to support reliable deployment in field environments
• Maintain strong documentation, traceability, and compliance standards

Minimum Qualifications

• Willingness to travel 25-50%
• 10+ years of experience in vehicle systems testing, quality, or systems engineering roles
• 5+ years of experience leading managers in a multidisciplinary technical environment
• Strong understanding of SIL, HIL, and vehicle-level testing methodologies and tools
• Proven track record in building and operating test facilities or proving grounds
• Demonstrated experience in quality systems and final acceptance processes for complex electromechanical products
• Excellent organizational, leadership, and cross-functional communication skills.
• Willingness to lead and make strategic decisions aligned with company values and priorities in timecompetitive environments
• Experience leading organizations comprised of teams that are rarely in same location, distributed geographically, and travel continuously
• Understanding and proficiency across wide expanse of business functions including manufacturing, production, supply chain, capital projects, inventory management, shipping/receiving, and financial analysis, accounting, and reporting
• Experience managing people and establishing measurable goals for employees
• Strong communications skills and unparalleled ability to collaborate with others

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the autonomous vehicle, defense, or robotics sectors
• Lean Manufacturing and/or formal Project Management experience
• Familiarity with regulatory and quality standards (e.g., ISO 26262, MIL-STD, ASPICE)
• Background in both software and hardware validation across development life cycles

US Salary Range
 $175,000-$250,000
 

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra’s overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including:

• Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA-eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.  
• Basic Life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
• Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20 days accrued per year.
• A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption. 
• A $9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
• Fully stocked beverage refrigerators with all the Celsius your little heart desires. 
• 401(k) retirement savings plan, including traditional, Roth 401(k), and after-tax deferral with company match up to 4%.

Your recruiter will be able to share more information about our salary and benefits offering during the hiring process.  

CLEARANCE ELIGIBILITY - This position may require eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance. For more information about U.S. Security Clearances: click here.   

Forterra is an equal-opportunity employer, providing and promoting equal employment opportunity in all personnel practices. Forterrans are unique, talented individuals who are united through a shared passion to deliver autonomous systems that enable national resilience and a robust supply chain.  

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any factor, including veteran and disability status, and criminal history, in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Forterra is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.

To see Forterra’s candidate data privacy policy, please visit Forterra Legal | Job Applicant Privacy Notice. 

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