Software Test Engineer
Posted Aug 28, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026
Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
About your past
Tell me about a time a developer disagreed that something was a bug. How did you handle it?
What they are checking: Whether they can resolve disagreements with evidence and respect.
How do you keep learning about a product as complex as industrial automation hardware and software?
What they are checking: Whether they take initiative to understand the product deeply enough to test it well.
What would you do
You find a bug that only happens once in a while. How do you make it something developers can fix?
What they are checking: Whether they can pin down intermittent issues with logs, conditions and clear reproduction steps.
A release date is close and you've found a serious defect. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they report risk honestly and clearly instead of staying quiet to hit a date.
About the work
How would you test software running on an industrial PC or HMI panel differently from a regular desktop app?
What they are checking: Whether they understand that embedded hardware, firmware and field conditions shape the test approach.
Walk me through how you write a test plan from a set of requirements.
What they are checking: Whether they can turn requirements into organized, traceable test cases.
What test automation tools or languages have you used?
What they are checking: Whether they can contribute to automated testing, not just manual checks.
How do you write a bug report that a developer can act on right away?
What they are checking: Whether their reports are clear, complete and free of guesswork.
How would you test communication between an HMI and a controller or an IoT gateway?
What they are checking: Whether they think about protocols, timing and failure cases in connected industrial systems.
How do you decide what to test first when you don't have time to test everything?
What they are checking: Whether they prioritize by risk and customer impact.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Rockwell Automation.