Nidhin Raj Panthal Padikkal

Toronto, ON | +14168947561 | nidhinsaikripa@gmail.com | LinkedIn: nidhinrajpp


SUMMARY

Dynamic and results-driven Test Lead with 8 years of extensive experience in test strategy, planning, automation, and execution across diverse domains including retail, e-commerce, logistics, customizable photo products, and banking. Proven ability to lead and mentor QA teams, optimize testing processes, and deliver high-quality software solutions. Adept at managing Agile projects, bridging communication gaps, and ensuring seamless integration throughout the SDLC.

SKILLS

  • Test Leadership & Management: QA Lead, Team Management, Test Strategy, Test Planning, Test Estimation, Test Coordination, Release Management, Acceptance Testing, Defect Management, Quality Metrics, Bug Triaging, Incident Management.

  • Methodologies: SDLC, Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, Quality Assurance Methodologies, Behaviour-Driven Development (BDD).

  • Test Automation: Automation Framework Design, Web Automation, Mobile Automation, API Automation, Java, Selenium, Appium, TestNG, JUnit, RestAssured, Cucumber, SQL.

  • Tools & Technologies: Git, GitHub, Jenkins, Atlassian JIRA, Atlassian Confluence, TestRail, HP ALM.

  • Testing Types: Functional Testing, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Regression Testing, System Testing, API Testing, Manual Testing.

  • Core Competencies: Requirement Analysis, Test Case Writing, Test Data Management, Debugging, Code Reviews, Communication, Decision Making, Analytical Skills, Problem Solving, Interpersonal Skills.

EXPERIENCE

Analyst - Automation Testing | Tata Consultancy Services, Toronto

Client: CIBC Bank

Sep 2024 – Present

  • Automated Web UI tests for the Global Mass Payouts project, reducing manual testing efforts by over 30% and saving approximately 1 FTE per week, achieving 85% test case coverage.

  • Developed API automation for the FX MarketPlace project, resulting in over 50% reduction in manual effort and saving nearly 3 FTEs per week, successfully automating 50% of the total API test suite.

  • Designed, created, and managed test cases, test cycles, and test lab entities using HP ALM, ensuring end-to-end traceability across requirements, test cases, and defects.

  • Conducted automation feasibility analysis, identified automation candidates, and provided effort estimates and strategic recommendations to optimize test coverage and execution efficiency.

  • Executed and validated functional and API regression test suites across multiple release cycles, ensuring stability and reliability of core functionalities.

  • Logged and tracked software defects, collaborating closely with development teams to drive timely resolutions and maintain high product quality standards.

  • Participated actively in Scrum meetings, providing crucial testing insights and quality engineering perspectives.

Senior Software Engineer | ValueLabs LLP, Hyderabad

Client: Shutterfly

Oct 2021 – Jun 2024

  • Led all testing activities for 3 key projects (Books Creation Path, Make My Book, Prints, Children Board Book), including test planning, strategy, execution, and reporting, ensuring adherence to quality standards and project timelines.

  • Achieved a 20% reduction in manual effort, saving approximately one FTE per week, by implementing efficient automation frameworks and test scripts, automating over 100 test cases and increasing test coverage by 30%.

  • Conducted manual and automated tests on pull requests, detecting 95% of defects before merging, and improving productivity by 20% through optimized regression testing.

  • Analyzed impact of changes by reviewing pull requests and collaborating with developers/product owners, decreasing test cycle time by 30% through strategic test case selection.

  • Managed JIRA tickets for regression and release candidate testing, setting priorities, estimating QA efforts, and establishing entry/exit criteria and due dates. Maintained traceability matrices.

  • Coordinated A/B testing on lower environments, re-verified/triaged regression issues, and provided QA sign-off for releases, reducing defect leakage to production by 95%.

  • Coordinated 200+ releases with Lead Developers, performing quick sanity testing on production post-release.

  • Created and maintained test suites, test cases, milestones, test plans, and test runs for 3 products and 4 backend services using TestRail.

  • Monitored and maintained automation test jobs on Jenkins, promptly identifying and resolving issues due to script failures or functionality changes.

  • Executed and verified results for functional and performance test jobs for backend services prior to release.

  • Initiated and managed incident management processes, monitoring test results, logging issues, defining severity, and tracking resolutions to minimize project impact.

  • Defined and implemented test cycles for various test levels (smoke, regression, release candidate sanity) to ensure systematic coverage and efficient resource use.

Quality Assurance Technician | Amazon, Chennai

Apr 2019 – Oct 2021

  • Served as QA Owner for the Pick module, overseeing all testing activities and releases, and leading a team of 5 testers, developing and implementing effective test strategies.

  • Served as QA Owner for the release of a major one-stop visibility portal, coordinating testing efforts and providing QA sign-off for country-specific releases across different countries.

  • Led an automation team of 3 members, delegating tasks and mentoring new members, enhancing efficiency and coverage of the automation framework.

  • Planned, designed, and developed automation frameworks for mobile and web applications using Amazon's internal frameworks.

  • Automated 1000+ test cases for Native Android App, Progressive Web App, and Desktop Web applications, achieving a 30% reduction in manual efforts.

  • Improved team efficiency by 10% bi-weekly through the development of tools for test data creation, bug reporting, and test result auditing.

  • Triaged 500+ bugs across all programs, facilitating prompt issue resolution with developers and ensuring high-quality software releases.

  • Represented QA in meetings with development teams and management, contributing insights and ensuring alignment on quality objectives.

  • Maintained documentation and wikis to track test automation efforts and findings.

  • Proactively identified and addressed critical issues before production impact, enhancing software reliability and user satisfaction.

  • Improved large test suites by 25% in regression cycle efficiency through identifying redundancies, duplicates, and organizing test cases.

ML Data Associate | Amazon, Chennai

Jul 2017 – Apr 2019

  • Delivered high-quality labeled data according to established guidelines, ensuring accuracy and reliability for machine learning models.

  • Worked extensively with speech and language data, specializing in transcription, verification, and annotation to support AI-driven initiatives.

  • Documented and maintained records of data, processes, and outcomes, facilitating transparency and knowledge sharing among stakeholders.

  • Collaborated closely with cross-functional teams to understand project requirements, refine data collection strategies, and improve data quality.

  • Contributed to the development and refinement of regional language transcription guidelines and processes, enhancing consistency and efficiency.

  • Assisted in the training and onboarding of new team members, providing guidance on data transcription best practices.

  • Participated in regular team meetings and brainstorming sessions to discuss insights, challenges, and opportunities for process optimization.

EDUCATION

Master of Technology (M.Tech.) in Computer Science and Engineering

APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University | Sep 2015 – Jun 2017 | CGPA: 7.26

Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in Computer Science and Engineering

Cochin University of Science and Technology | Sep 2011 – Apr 2017 | Percentage: 65%

HONOURS & AWARDS

  • Special appreciation award at Kerala Technological Congress (KETCON 2017)

  • NCC Certificate A 2008

WORK AUTHORIZATION

Canadian Permanent Resident.