Lead and mentor QA team to define QA strategy and processes. Design, develop, and maintain Java-based Selenium/Cucumber automation frameworks, integrate tests into CI/CD pipelines, test cloud-hosted AWS applications, manage defect lifecycle, define test plans and metrics, and collaborate with DevOps, development, and product teams to ensure software quality across the SDLC.
We are seeking an experienced Senior QA Automation to drive quality assurance initiatives and delivering high-quality enterprise applications. The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in Java-based test automation, Selenium, Cucumber (BDD), AWS cloud environments, and CI/CD integration. This role requires a strategic leader who can define QA processes, mentor team members, and collaborate closely with development, DevOps, and product teams to ensure software quality throughout the SDLC.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and implement comprehensive QA strategies, test plans, and testing frameworks aligned with business objectives.
- Lead, mentor, and manage a team of QA engineers by providing technical guidance, coaching, and career development support.
- Design, develop, and maintain scalable test automation frameworks using Java, Selenium, and Cucumber.
- Establish and monitor quality metrics, KPIs, and reporting mechanisms to measure testing effectiveness and product quality.
- Collaborate with developers and DevOps teams to integrate automated testing into CI/CD pipelines and ensure continuous quality validation.
- Define and implement best practices for functional, regression, integration, API, and end-to-end testing.
- Review and approve test scenarios, test cases, automation scripts, and test execution results.
- Manage defect lifecycle processes, including defect identification, triage, prioritization, tracking, and resolution.
- Ensure testing coverage across cloud-hosted applications and services deployed on AWS.
- Participate in architecture and design discussions to proactively identify quality risks and testing requirements.
- Conduct regular status meetings and provide testing progress updates to stakeholders and leadership teams.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance testing efficiency, automation coverage, and release quality.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure compliance with quality standards and software delivery best practices.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
- 10+ years of experience in Software Quality Assurance and Test Automation.
- 5+ years of experience leading QA or Automation Testing teams in Agile environments.
- Strong proficiency in Java programming for test automation development.
- Hands-on experience with Selenium WebDriver for UI test automation.
- Extensive experience with Cucumber (BDD) and behavior-driven testing methodologies.
- Strong understanding of automation framework design patterns and test architecture.
- Experience working with AWS cloud services and testing cloud-based applications.
- Hands-on experience with CI/CD tools such as Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI/CD, Bamboo, or Azure DevOps.
- Experience integrating automated tests into build and deployment pipelines.
- Strong understanding of software development lifecycle (SDLC), Agile/Scrum methodologies, and QA best practices.
- Experience with API testing tools and methodologies.
- Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills with the ability to present technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced and collaborative environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with test automation reporting and dashboarding tools.
- Knowledge of performance, security, and scalability testing methodologies.
- Experience with containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
- AWS Certification or relevant cloud certifications are a plus.
- Experience implementing quality engineering practices within DevOps environments.
- Exposure to enterprise-scale distributed systems and microservices architectures.
Compensation, Benefits and Duration
Minimum Compensation: USD 38,000
Maximum Compensation: USD 135,000
Compensation is based on actual experience and qualifications of the candidate. The above is a reasonable and a good faith estimate for the role.
Medical, vision, and dental benefits, 401k retirement plan, variable pay/incentives, paid time off, and paid holidays are available for full time employees.
This position is not available for independent contractors
No applications will be considered if received more than 120 days after the date of this post
Photon Chicago, Illinois, USA Office
11 East Adams Street Suite 1100, Chicago, IL, United States, 60603
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