Being a Principal QA Engineer at Keysight Romania - Irina Nitu - “My contributions impact the advancement and future of telecommunications.”
“Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Even as a child, Irina Nitu, Principal QA Engineer at Keysight Technologies Romania, enjoyed playing with electronics, breaking them apart and giving them a new life. Now, that passion has transformed into a job that impacts how people communicate every day.
Find out more in thie interview below:
How would you describe your role as a Principal QA Engineer at Keysight Technologies Romania?
My role as a Principal QA Engineer is integral to our team’s success, ensuring that we deliver a reliable and high-performing product that meets the needs of our customers.
In a practical way, it involves standards scoping, feature design, test strategies, automation, debugging, and addressing diverse customer needs. The dynamic nature of the domain requires handling complex topics and frequent context switching, with a focus on the development of high-quality tools. I rarely get bored.
What is it that you like most about your work at Keysight?
Besides the exciting work challenges, the colleagues I work with are, without a doubt, the most valuable aspect of my job. Being a part of the same amazing team for over a decade feels like a stroke of luck, and I often joke with my coworkers that we'll retire together from here someday. :) I truly believe it’s the most important aspect of any job.
How do you find meaning in your work?
I find my work fulfilling because I know that my contributions impact the advancement and future of telecommunications.
What advice would you give to young IT graduates nowadays?
Stay true to your passions, be curious, explore emergent technologies, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
In your opinion, what skills/knowledge are required in order to become a senior QA engineer?
Attention to detail, ability to explain complex technical topics with simple words, and understanding customer needs and transposing them into functional and easy-to-use product features.
Where does your passion for technology come from? Do you have any particular areas of interest?
I always loved science and technology. As a child, I found joy in playing with electronics, breaking them apart and putting them back together. I enjoy hands-on activities, and it gives me a sense of satisfaction when I successfully troubleshoot and bring devices back to life.
How do Keysight products impact our everyday lives?
For example, we all hate poor call quality and video streaming buffering, right? The product I’m working on, LoadCore, now part of the Keysight Open RAN Simulators platform, enables mobile operators and network equipment manufacturers to qualify the performance and reliability of data, voice, and video streaming transferred over 5G networks.
In your opinion, what would be the focus in terms of technologies in the following years?
5G/6G, AR, AI/ML, quantum computing.