Srirama Sandeep Sastry Kota
Senior QA Lead
Summary
Accomplished IT professional with over 19 years of expertise in Quality Assurance and Performance Engineering across diverse sectors, including Healthcare, Life Sciences, and Finance. Currently leading QA and Performance Engineering initiatives for Co-Pilot (Gen AI) integration with Power BI applications. Proven track record in managing onshore-offshore teams, defining Non-Functional Requirements, and implementing performance testing strategies using tools such as LoadRunner. Recognized for exceptional analytical and leadership abilities, fostering continuous improvement and mentoring teams to uphold the highest standards in quality metrics and performance engineering practices.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
10
10
Certifications
Work History
Senior Lead QA Engineer / Performance QA Lead
Johnson and Johnson, NJ
09.2025 - Current
- Requirement gathering and defining the scope of project
- Defined and owned the enterprise performance architecture strategy covering web, API, and microservices-based applications
- Established performance engineering frameworks, standards, and best practices across projects
- Designed end-to-end performance testing solutions including workload models, test scenarios, and capacity planning
- Architected and implemented scalable performance test frameworks using LoadRunner, JMeter, and K6
- Led non-functional requirements (NFR) definition, including SLAs, SLOs, and performance benchmarks
- Analyzed application performance across distributed systems and identified systemic bottlenecks and optimization opportunities
- Leveraged Dynatrace and Splunk for deep performance monitoring, distributed tracing, and root cause analysis
- Collaborated with solution architects and engineering teams to optimize application design, APIs, and infrastructure performance
- Defined and implemented performance testing strategy for microservices and API-driven architectures
- Led performance tuning initiatives across application, middleware, and database layers
- Developed custom automation and performance utilities using Python and Shell scripting
- Integrated performance testing into CI/CD pipelines, enabling continuous performance validation
- Conducted capacity planning and scalability analysis for high-volume enterprise applications
- Established baseline metrics, trend analysis, and performance forecasting models
- Provided architectural recommendations to improve system throughput, latency, and resilience
- Led performance validation for data-intensive applications including Power BI and analytics platforms
- Designed observability frameworks leveraging APM and log analytics tools
- Acted as a technical leader and mentor, guiding teams on performance engineering practices
- Partnered with stakeholders to align performance strategy with business goals and user expectations
- Produced executive-level performance reports and insights for leadership decision-making
- Technologies: Co-Pilot, Power BI, Load runner, SQL Server, DBeaver Community Edition, JIRA, SharePoint, Postman, API Testing, Swagger, Playwright, Test NG
Performance Test Lead
Elevance Health, Indianapolis, IN
11.2021 - 04.2025
- Defined and led performance architecture and engineering strategy for enterprise healthcare applications across web and API platforms
- Established non-functional requirements (NFRs), SLAs, and performance benchmarks in collaboration with business and technical stakeholders
- Designed and implemented end-to-end performance testing frameworks using LoadRunner
- Architected scalable workload models and test scenarios simulating real-world peak conditions (claims processing, enrollment cycles)
- Led performance testing lifecycle from requirement analysis, scripting, execution to reporting and optimization
- Developed and maintained robust LoadRunner scripts for web, API, and microservices-based applications
- Conducted API performance testing using Postman, validating response times and throughput against SLAs
- Leveraged Dynatrace, Wily Introscope, Datadog, and Splunk for end-to-end monitoring, distributed tracing, and root cause analysis
- Developed automation scripts in Page Object Model Framework
- Be a part of sprint ceremonies and work intake assessments
- Work towards sprint goals viz. Automation of new Test cases, enhancing test scripts, fixing failed test scripts
- Analyzed the failed test scripts in the Pipeline and fixed the scripts to raise the Pull Request requests to the release branch
- Participate in daily standup meetings and communicate with team on progress of assigned Sprint tasks
- Developed all the regression test suite cases in selenium Webdriver and into CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins, enabling continuous performance validation
- Analyzed Oracle AWR reports and SQL queries to identify database performance bottlenecks and optimize query performance
- Identified performance risks early in Agile lifecycle and ensured NFR acceptance criteria were met before release
- Led performance validation for high-volume enterprise systems, ensuring stability under concurrent user loads
- Established best practices, standards, and reusable frameworks for performance engineering across teams
- Mentored team members on performance testing tools, scripting, and analysis techniques
- Participated in Go/No-Go decisions, providing performance insights and release readiness recommendations
- Improved overall system reliability by identifying bottlenecks and driving optimization initiatives
- Technologies: Micro Focus Load Runner, Performance center, Postman, Wily Introscope, Selenium Webdriver, Java, Selectors hub, Xpath, JavaScript, Data Dog, oracle AWR reports, JIRA, API Testing, Visual Studio, TestNG, Page Object Model, Jenkins
QA Manager
Sunovion, Marlborough, MA
04.2017 - 09.2021
- Defined and drove performance engineering strategy and QA governance for enterprise applications in a GxP-regulated environment
- Established non-functional requirements (NFRs), SLAs, and performance benchmarks aligned with business and compliance standards
- Designed and executed performance, load, and stress testing using LoadRunner and JMeter for web and mobile applications
- Built and maintained performance test scenarios and workload models simulating real-world user behavior
- Analyzed application performance using Dynatrace and Chrome Developer Tools to identify bottlenecks and latency issues
- Conducted root cause analysis across application, API, and database layers using logs and SQL queries
- Led performance validation for Office 365 migration and large-scale content platforms (~700+ sites) ensuring system scalability and stability
- Collaborated with development teams to optimize application performance, UI responsiveness, and backend services
- Performed API and backend performance validation and ensured compliance with defined SLAs
- Integrated performance and functional testing processes within Agile and release management cycles
- Defined and standardized test processes, frameworks, and best practices across QA and performance engineering teams
- Led and mentored QA teams on performance testing tools, automation frameworks, and best practices
- Developed automation frameworks using Selenium WebDriver, Cucumber BDD, and TestNG for regression and functional validation
- Implemented continuous testing strategies to support frequent releases and system stability
- Managed test planning, estimation, resource allocation, and execution tracking using JIRA and qTest
- Ensured GxP compliance and validation standards for all releases and performance sign-offs
- Conducted mobile application performance and functional testing across iOS and Android platforms
- Participated in Go/No-Go decision meetings, providing insights on system readiness and performance risks
- Collaborated with business stakeholders to translate requirements into test strategies and performance validation plans
- Delivered comprehensive test and performance reports highlighting system health, risks, and recommendations
- Identified and implemented process improvements to enhance testing efficiency and quality outcomes
- Acted as a key stakeholder liaison, ensuring alignment between business expectations and system performance
- Technologies: Chrome Developer Tools, Selenium Web Driver, Page Object Model, Cucumber, BDD, Test NG, SharePoint 2016, qTest, Good Manufacturing Practices (GxP), JIRA, Confluence, Sharegate, Mobile application testing -iPAD, iOS and Android devices, SQL
Lead QA Engineer
Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, PA
04.2016
- QA Lead and Scrum Master for the project
- Managed end to end QA activities of the project
- Conducted the pre-planning, planning, Daily scrums, Sprint end demos and retrospectives
- Update the User Stories, acceptance criteria and story point estimations in the planning sessions
- Experience in using JIRA Dashboard, Version One and x-planner tools
- Single point of contact for all QA activities and communications
- Functional automation testing of the new BOP portal for annual enrolments using selenium Web driver
- Mobile testing of the new Board of Pensions portal made for annual enrolments in iPad / iPhone and Android based mobile devices
- Test the Board of Pensions portal for User Experience layout design, test the web application in different layouts such as Portrait mode and Landscape mode in Mobile devices mentioned above
- Test the Board of Pensions portal in different mobile simulators using Google Chrome Developer Tools
- Observe the Screen UI distortions with respect to User Interface on Mobile devices
- Look for any server-side errors during any Submit transactions for example customer enrolment submitted and check the stack trace of the log for that transaction using date time stamp of that transaction for example any Null pointer exceptions, index out of bound exceptions and inform the development team regarding those exceptions while testing in the QA environment
- Performance testing using Fiddler tool to inspect traffic, load time of the pages to check request and response headers and look for status code such as 200,400,500 error codes
- Log the defects in the defect tracking tool here JIRA with details such as issue observed, description, date time stamp, log of the issue, screenshots and build number
- Analysis of webpages using Fiddler to check images, stylesheets to check for optimization in different browsers
- Test to check sensitive data for potential security risks
- Identification of defects against functional requirements and defect tracking in the JIRA bug tracking tool
- Involved in all phases of Software development life cycle and testing life cycle
- Automation of portal using page object model
- Tools used: JIRA, Version one, Chrome Developer Tools, Fiddler, Selenium Web Driver, HP Quality Center, SharePoint 2013, Browser stack, Mobile devices testing, Simulators
Lead QA Engineer
Independence Blue Cross, Philadelphia, PA
04.2014
- Lead the QA team for Benefits Update system and Commissions
- Work through product owner for user stories and tasks
- Prepare and publish the master test strategy and walk through to the business
- Test case creation in ALM
- Execute the test cases in HP Application Life cycle management
- Functional testing, User experience testing and Regression testing
- User acceptance testing
- Defect logging and re execution
- Participate in User acceptance testing
- Discussion on Go-No Go on product release
- Send the test report on pass fail criteria
- Raise bugs in HP ALM and interact with Development team and product owner for discussion on Priority and Severity of the bug
- Retest the application after the defect fixes and send the final summary report to stake holders
- Technologies: HP Application Life Cycle Management, JIRA, Browser stack, Link checker, Fiddler, Y-Slow
Senior QA Engineer
Host Analytics Inc (now Planful)
09.2012 - 04.2014
- Effort estimations in sprint planning meetings
- Functional Testing of User stories
- Involve in scrum activities and acted as scrum master for sprint planning meetings
- Through cross browser testing of the application
- User experience testing
- Regression testing
- User acceptance testing
- Defect logging and re execution
- Participate in User acceptance testing
- Training and guidance to team on scrum activities and user stories
Senior QA Engineer
Cybage Software India Limited
03.2007 - 08.2012
- Employed agile practice with kick off, sprint plan and sprint review meetings
- Lead QA and POC to the client on any QA related issue
- Worked on ad-serving platform (DoubleClick) to implement geographic location targeting of digital ads using GIS-based mapping
- Configured and validated ad campaigns leveraging geospatial data to optimize reach and engagement across targeted regions
- The targeted ads are displayed on the publisher’s platform based on the time of display, content, geo location
- The Publishers dashboard display the Ad status , number of impressions in a day and reach to the targeted audience
- Execute, review and communicate on the test plans and outcomes
- Report about defects status using WQSR to the client
- Involve in weekly calls with the Scrum Master along with Project Manager
- Predicting the Risks in the iteration and discussing them in Weekly team meetings
- Involved in all phases of SDLC and delivered customizations, integration with Facebook and Google sign on
- Predicted and provided the future improvements
- Worked as QA and business analyst for the project
- Understanding of requirement of the new design web application
- Prepared use cases based on requirements
- Prepared Test plan and test strategy
- Prepared Test Cases in HP Quality Center
- Execute the test cases and mark pass fail criteria
- Tools used: Selenium IDE and RC, HP Quality Center, X Planner
Education
Bachelor of Technology - Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Samuel George Institute of Engineering And Technology
05.2001 -
Skills
Test case Management and Tracking: HP Quality Center, ALM Bugzilla, Visual Studio TFS, JIRA, HP ALM, Zephyr, Microsoft Test Manager, X-RAY, qTest
Functional Test Automation: Playwright
IDE: Eclipse IDE, VS Code
Testing Frameworks: TestNG,Cucumber
Non-Functional Testing/Performance: Microfocus Load runner
Language/ Script: Java, TypeScript, JavaScript
Web development: HTML, XML, CSS, XPATH
Database: Oracle 9i/10g, MySQL
SOA Technologies: SOAP, REST, Web Services, SOAP UI, Postman, JSON, Swagger, Rest Assured
Mobile Testing: iPad and Apple mobile devices, Samsung mobiles and Simulators testing and Browser stack
Methodologies: Agile (Scrum), Waterfall
Test Framework: Data Driven, Hybrid, Page Object Model (POM)
Application Monitoring Tools: Wily Introscope, Datadog, Dynatrace, Oracle AWR reports
Other tools: Fiddler, Confluence, xPlanner, version one
Load testing expertise
Agile methodology proficiency
Certification
TOSCA AS1 Certified
Timeline
Senior Lead QA Engineer / Performance QA Lead
Johnson and Johnson, NJ
09.2025 - Current
Performance Test Lead
Elevance Health, Indianapolis, IN
11.2021 - 04.2025
QA Manager
Sunovion, Marlborough, MA
04.2017 - 09.2021
Lead QA Engineer
Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, PA
04.2016
Lead QA Engineer
Independence Blue Cross, Philadelphia, PA
04.2014
Senior QA Engineer
Host Analytics Inc (now Planful)
09.2012 - 04.2014
Senior QA Engineer
Cybage Software India Limited
03.2007 - 08.2012
Bachelor of Technology - Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Samuel George Institute of Engineering And Technology
05.2001 -