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A backyard barbecue interrupted by a grill fire, quickly put out by a nearby fire extinguisher. An alarm in the night, alerting every room to smoke. A thermostat adjusting to your routine, saving energy while keeping you comfortable.
Behind each moment is a team of expert quality engineers like Kavita Kalathoor, a senior manager of test engineering. At Resideo, her team helps ensure every product meets the highest standards, so you can protect what matters most.
“Before joining Resideo, I never realized how complex smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are,” Kavita said. “They blend into the background, but they serve a critical purpose. My job is to make sure you can forget it’s there, while trusting it will protect what matters most.”
A Career Built on Curiosity
Early in her career, Kavita had just earned an engineering degree in semiconductor manufacturing when life took her to Atlanta — where an unexpected opportunity in customer support opened a new door. The role gave her a direct view into how customers interact with technology, influencing her perspective on product quality.
Kavita spent her days talking to customers and troubleshooting problems. While the experience was valuable, she knew she wanted to be closer to the development side, where she could help prevent issues before they reached the customer.
“I wanted to go into development and testing,” she recalled. “I moved into a very hands-on test role working with large, manual equipment.”
In that role, she had the chance to troubleshoot equipment in the field and see firsthand what customers were facing. She learned how to think on her feet to resolve issues and — more importantly — understand what caused the products to fail.
Breaking Things to Make Them Better
That shift into hands-on testing changed how she approached engineering and how she thought about product reliability.
“We have a unique mindset,” she said. “When I perform quality testing, I ask, ‘How can I break it?’ I’m not just looking for what works; I want to see what happens when it doesn’t.”
Quality engineers each bring something unique to the table, but creativity is foundational. “I’m not limited to one particular area,” she said. “I’m learning about and supporting the full Resideo portfolio. We have to be creative when designing test scenarios, and we always start with the customer in mind.”
Testing for the Real World
How does temperature fluctuation in a home affect performance? How does the device communicate with the rest of the home? If no one is physically present, how do you confirm that a device works?
For a single requirement, Kavita’s team might write hundreds of test cases to ensure devices perform as expected. Some tests are surprisingly specific, like turning on a hair dryer to see how a product handles electrical spikes.
Quality engineers are one critical piece in a much larger system process that includes alpha and beta testing, field trials, and more. It’s a team effort to ensure everything is up to standard.
Leading With Heart and Mind
When Kavita transitioned into her first leadership role, she was selected from her peer group to lead the team. There was a learning curve as she built trust with her colleagues and confidence in herself.
“How is she going to make tough decisions? Will she lead with her heart or her brain? Those are the unspoken concerns. I worked very hard to make sure I didn’t fall into that without losing that part of my personality,” she recalled.
Navigating that transition wasn’t easy, but Kavita found support in the people and programs around her. She leaned on mentors to continue building confidence in decision-making. Company-backed programs, such as Resideo’s internal mentoring program, and peer groups like the Women@Resideo employee resource group can serve as resources to support professional development.
Teamwork, Belonging, and Inclusion
Today, Kavita manages a team of 12 that includes fireroom technicians and test engineers. Each day brings something new. There are questions to answer, priorities to reassess, and deadlines to meet.
“I’m not walking the halls with them, so I go the extra step to make sure I’m available,” she said. “I want them to feel like they belong. Not every day is the same. I have to put out fires sometimes, no pun intended there, but the people at Resideo are truly what make it special.”
Engineering Your Own Journey
Stay curious. Walk through doors when they open. Find mentors who challenge and support you. Reflect on where you’ve been, where you’re going, and how you can help others along the way.
At Resideo, we believe great engineers are built through experience, support, and a mindset of continuous growth. Explore careers with Resideo online, or visit us at booth 1036 at WE25.
