Brent Payton

 

Detail-oriented, responsible leader who guides teams through complex test efforts while prioritizing customer experience. Skilled at analyzing development documents to generate test requirements, translating needs into test cases, and partnering with vendors, execution engineers, and managers. Demonstrates 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 Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

 

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

ServiceNow, Kirkland, WA
Senior Hardware Test Engineer

 

Worked with minimal supervision to configure server and storage hardware and run automated benchmarks. Responsible for multiple concurrent projects including NVMe storage, Pure storage appliances, server platforms, and NICs across Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC platforms from multiple OEMs.

• Benchmarked new firmware releases for server platforms, SSDs, NICs, and others to ensure changes won't cause performance or stability problems in production.
• Automated processes and analysis tools in Python and bash with the use of AI.
• Participated in cross-functional teams to characterize and resolve production issues.
• Interpreted and communicated benchmark results by authoring reports that influenced multi-million-dollar purchasing decisions.
• Spearheaded the use of AI to analyze and visualize complex data for inclusion in test reports.
• Managed vendor relations and support.
• Used the ServiceNow platform for issue tracking, test effort execution, and recording benchmark artifacts.

 

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.

• Ensured high product quality through in-house and 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 to perform more thorough testing.
• Improved validation rigor and efficiency by leading a team to expand and maintain test case library in Team Foundation Services (TFS). Oversaw creation of hundreds of new test cases.

 

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 including ODMs to meet business goals.
• Enabled more comprehensive testing and identified root causes of issues before product release by designing and implementing requirements management process in TFS.
• Improved quality by leading test efforts for enterprise-class servers and storage products.