QA Automation - Lead

Job Description

• Works along with client on QA automation strategy and target-state design aligned to automation goals for prioritized applications.
• Lead enhancement of the client in-house Java/Cucumber (RAFT - Rapid Automation Framework for Testing.) framework (architecture, standards, reusable components, and maintainability improvements).
• Define automation standards and best practices (coding conventions, tagging, reporting, error handling, retry strategy, and test data approach).
• Design the CI/CD execution approach for automated suites in GitLab (pipeline stages, schedules, environments, and runner requirements) and guide implementation.
• Establish Jira/X-Ray integration patterns for traceability, governance, and automated reporting (test plans, executions, evidence, and dashboards as applicable).
• Work with application teams to improve testability (stable UI identifiers, test endpoints, feature flags) and to manage automation impact from frequent changes.
• Provide technical leadership for complex automation scenarios (API auth, asynchronous flows, data setup/teardown, and cross-system validations).
• Define the automation coverage roadmap and KPIs (pass rate, flakiness, execution duration, defect leakage, and release readiness indicators).
• Review and assure quality of automation code via standards enforcement, code reviews, and mentoring of QA engineers.
• Define and oversee knowledge transfer and onboarding approach (framework usage, contribution model, and troubleshooting runbooks).
• Provide oversight for non-functional/performance testing foundations (tool selection guidance, initial scripts, and recommended execution/reporting approach).
• Identify and manage automation risks/dependencies (environments, test data, access, runner capacity) and escalate blockers to governance forums.
• Support defect triage and RCA for automation failures in collaboration with client teams, and drive improvements to reduce flaky tests.
• Ensure delivered automation artifacts are production-ready (documentation, maintainability, and handover readiness).
• Knowledge of Playwright with Java is important for success for this role.
• Work with client stakeholders (manual testers, BA’s, product owners) to drive out requirements for automation. Starting with the existing manual regression packs and then beyond. Help unblock the QA automation engineers when information is lacking or clarity/decisions required.

Mandatory Competencies