Brent Payton

 

EXPERIENCED HARDWARE TEST ENGINEER

Detail-oriented, responsible test and validation leader. Guiding teams through complex test efforts. Prioritizing quality control and consistency. Analyzing development documents to generate test requirements and translate needs into test cases. Partnering with vendors, execution engineers, and managers. Exhibiting cross-functional influence while emphasizing shared goals.

 

 

COMPETENCIES and SKILLS

 

• Bug discovery, tracking, and closure
• Benchmarking

• Complex problem solving
• Automation with Python

• Vendor engagement
• RedHat Linux

 

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

ServiceNow, Kirkland, WA
Senior Hardware Test Engineer

 

Worked with minimal supervision to configure server hardware and run automated benchmarks; responsible for several projects at the same time. Devices tested include SATA and NVMe storage; server platforms; NICs; and Intel Xeon, and AMD EPYC CPUs.

• Evaluated new server platforms and components such as NVMe drives.
• Interpreted and communicated, the results of benchmarks. Wrote reports that influenced multi-million-dollar purchasing decisions.
• Automated processes with Python.
• Vendor relations.
• Worked in a datacenter environment.
• Used the ServiceNow platform

 

Microsoft, Redmond, WA
Senior Hardware Test Engineer

 

Oversaw validation by managing all aspects of test cases executed and bugs reported. Triaged and tracked bugs to closure. Informed all stakeholders by communicating test effort progress, used automated reports and analysis.

• Ensured high product quality through in-house and original device manufacturer (ODM) validation of Windows Cloud Server hardware, leading to on-time product releases.
• Strengthened communication as hardware validation point of contact for ODMs based in Taiwan, plus industry partners, such as Intel and Mellanox.
• Enhanced ODM test execution through review, feedback and sharing best practices, ensuring more thorough testing.
• Improved validation rigor and efficiency by leading team to expand and maintain test case library in Team Foundation Services (TFS). Oversaw creation of hundreds of new test cases.
• Facilitated launch of new multi-million-dollar validation lab, delivering project in time for large numbers of prototype servers to be deployed.

 

Dell, Round Rock, TX
Lead Test Engineer

 

Tested hardware products and associated firmware and software. Supervised local test teams of up to 10 members. Negotiated test phase transitions, communicated progress, escalated issues, and worked closely with internal and external (partner / vendor) development engineers.

• Collaborated across local and remote organizations as well as ODMs to meet business goals.
• Enabled more comprehensive testing and identified root causes of issues before product release by designing and implementing requirement management process in TFS.
• Improved quality by leading test efforts for enterprise-class servers and storage products.
• Contributed to strategic hiring of qualified candidates by participating in new-hire processes, including interviewing, hiring, and onboarding.
• Fielded questions from incoming staff members as subject matter expert.

 

Dell, Round Rock, TX

Test Execution Engineer
Technical Support Representative