Sulzer US Women in Tech Spotlight Series

Interview with Vidhya Dharmalingam, Quality Engineer

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Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I was born and raised in Vellore, a small city in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. I got my BS in Computer Science &Engineering from Anna University. Since then, I've been working as a Software Quality Engineer for the last 13 years.  I spent the first three years of my career working in India and continued my career in the United States. My experience includes working on Manual, Automation, Mobile and Load Testing. I am AWS Certified with full STLC experience including designing, developing, and implementing Test-Plans, Test-Case, Test- Scripts and Test-Processes. Here at Sulzer US, I get to support a variety of clients and projects – from BMW and Electrify America to the Jane Goodall Institute of Germany.  Outside of work, I love to cook and travel. I am also a loving wife and a mom to 2 kids.

What influenced you to pursue a career in IT?

Since the time I was exposed to computers in school, I have been fascinated by them and the endless possibilities that they offer. By the time I graduated from High School, computers and IT had revolutionized the world around me. The endless possibilities in the IT field inspired me to pursue a degree in Computer Science and eventually a career in this field. When I graduated from college, the field of Software Quality enticed me as I found it to be challenging and fulfilling. You have to be passionate about cracking the application and finding bugs, so that by the time the application is in the hands of users, they can have a seamless experience. Even outside of work I’m a perfectionist, which I believe makes well suited for this career as a Quality Engineer.

What (or who) inspires you in this career?
The thing that inspires me the most is delivering good quality products to clients. I take immense pride in that, and give my all to ensure that the bugs are fixed and the kinks are ironed out before the product lands in a customer’s hands. It gives me great joy every single time the UAT (User Acceptance Test) goes smoothly without issues and the client is happy with the product. I am also inspired and thankful to be part of an organization where my thoughts are valued and gives with many opportunities to learn and grow.  I truly feel that my contributions are playing a small part in the growth of the organization which inspires me even more!

What is one advice you would give to another woman pursuing a career in this field?

One advice I would give is to be passionate about what you do, do your best, and not be afraid to take risks and be eager to learn.

When you dream about future opportunities or possibilities – what do you aspire towards?
Next, I aspire to become a Software Quality Manager, where I can coordinate and manage a team of Quality Engineers building upon my own experience testing applications and helping to direct this growing team. I also would continue to learn and grow my QA skills and adapt to the new changes coming to the software quality field.