Job Description
Senior SDET / Senior Test Automation Engineer
We are looking for a Senior SDET (Software Development Engineer in Test) who brings a strong engineering mindset to quality, with deep expertise in test automation, framework design, CI/CD integration, and modern testing practices. This role will lead test automation initiatives, drive quality engineering standards, and partner closely with development teams to ensure scalable, reliable, and high-quality software delivery.
The ideal candidate is passionate about building robust automation solutions, leveraging AI-driven testing, and embedding quality throughout the SDLC rather than validating it at the end.
Key Responsibilities
Automation & Quality Engineering
- Architect, design, and implement scalable test automation frameworks for UI, API, and backend systems.
- Develop high-quality automated tests for functional, regression, integration, and end-to-end scenarios with a strong focus on maintainability and reusability.
- Lead automation efforts using tools such as Selenium, AccelQ (model-based automation), and custom frameworks.
- Apply test pyramid principles and shift-left testing strategies to improve early defect detection.
CI/CD & DevOps Integration
- Integrate automation suites seamlessly into CI/CD pipelines (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI) with clear reporting and failure analysis.
- Work closely with DevOps and engineering teams to enable continuous testing and faster feedback cycles.
- Ensure automation supports parallel execution, environment resilience, and pipeline stability.
API, Database & Backend Validation
- Design and execute API test automation using REST clients/tools (Postman, REST libraries, or frameworks).
- Perform database validation and data integrity checks using SQL / PL-SQL.
- Enable data-driven and service-level testing for complex workflows.
AI-Driven & Modern Testing Practices
- Explore, adopt, and optimize AI/ML-based testing capabilities (including AccelQ Autopilot or similar) to improve test coverage, efficiency, and maintenance.
- Continuously evaluate new automation tools, techniques, and patterns to enhance the overall quality ecosystem.
Defect Management & Quality Metrics
- Own defect lifecycle management using tools like JIRA, Rally etc. ensuring high-quality defect reporting and root cause analysis.
- Analyze automation and test execution results to identify systemic quality issues and drive improvement actions.
- Define and track automation effectiveness metrics (coverage, stability, execution time, defect leakage).
Technical Leadership & Collaboration
- Act as a quality engineering champion, influencing best practices across teams.
- Mentor and guide junior SDETs and automation engineers on framework design, coding standards, and testing strategies.
- Participate actively in design reviews, code reviews, sprint planning, and test strategy discussions.
- Collaborate with product owners, developers, and architects to ensure testability is built into system design.
Release & Production Support
- Provide automation and validation support for high-impact releases, production deployments, and hotfixes.
- Assist in production validation, monitoring, and defect triage as needed.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelors or Masters degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field (B.Tech / M.Tech / MCA / M.Sc) or equivalent practical experience.
- 810 years of experience in software testing, with at least 35 years in hands-on test automation or SDET roles.
- Strong programming/scripting skills and solid understanding of object-oriented design concepts.
- Proven experience in automation framework development and maintenance.
- Strong background in API testing, database testing, and backend validation.
- Solid understanding of SDLC, STLC, Agile methodologies, and defect lifecycle.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
- Willingness to support rotational or night shifts when required.
Preferred / Value-Add Experience
- Hands-on experience with AccelQ (model-based automation, Autopilot, AI-assisted testing).
- Exposure to AI/ML-driven testing tools, self-healing automation, or intelligent test generation.
- Experience testing large-scale, web-based healthcare or enterprise applications.
- Familiarity with Git-based version control, branching strategies, and code review practices.
- Experience working in Agile/Scrum teams with close developer collaboration.
- Knowledge of test data management and environment orchestration.
- Designing and building AI-driven test agents for scenario generation, test execution, validation, or self-healing automation.
- Hands-on experience with autonomous or semi-autonomous agents using LLMs, copilots, or rule-based intelligence for testing or quality engineering.
- Experience integrating agents with automation frameworks, CI/CD pipelines, or test management systems.
- Familiarity with concepts such as agent orchestration, prompt engineering, decision logic, and feedback loops in testing contexts.
Job Classification
Industry: Software Product
Functional Area / Department: Engineering - Software & QA
Role Category: Quality Assurance and Testing
Role: Automation Test Engineer
Employement Type: Full time
Contact Details:
Company: Optum
Location(s): Noida, Gurugram
Keyskills:
Java
Playwright
Automation Testing
Selenium Automation Testing
Selenium Testing
SDET
Selenium Automation
Selenium Java
Typescript
Javascript
Nodejs Scripting
Selenium
QA Automation
SDLC Testing