Principal Quality Assurance Engineer

Position Summary:

The Principal IT QA engineer will be a hands-on, individual contributor responsible for designing and developing our testing automation framework utilizing Python, Playwright, and PyTest. Able to develop and evangelize enterprise-wide testing strategy, standards, and best practices. Define quality metrics (e.g., defect leakage, code coverage, mean time to detect/fix).

The ideal candidate should have at least 5 years of experience in Software QA automation field with proven track record of leading quality and engineering teams to achieve operational excellence. Collaborate with development and ops teams to run and analyze load tests. Embed automated testing in CI/CD pipelines.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Deep expertise in Python, PyTest and Playwright automation frameworks and testing tools like Playwright, Jmeter, Jenkins, Grafana, Jira, and GitHub. Proficient in extending automation framework and enhancing test automation coverage. Develop automation test plan, test strategy, test scenarios and review with pod leaders and business.
• Strong knowledge of software QA methodologies, tools, and processes.
• Proven hands-on work experience with both white box and black box testing. Develops and executes test plan and test cases. Identify and report bugs, and identifies quality issues. Drafts, revises, and approves test plans and scripts. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify and resolve software quality issues.
• Provide technical leadership to QA engineers and developers on best practices. Ensure environment readiness for testing cycles. Conduct root cause analysis and retrospectives for production defects. Accurately estimates test workload and coordinates with development teams on priorities. Evaluates test results against expected results, implements improvements to process and recommend alternative testing as needed. Confirm the correctness of resolved defects and documents results.
• Provides regular updates on progress of allocated test designs and test cases to ensure deadlines are met. Communicates promptly with team, management, and project managers. Experience working in an Agile/Scrum development process. Experience in writing clear, concise, and comprehensive test plans and test cases. Define release criteria and sign-off processes and ensure test coverage and validation in staging/production environments. Perform other duties as assigned.
• Define secure coding and testing practices in collaboration with Security teams. Define and implement smoke, regression, user acceptance test suites, performance testing standards and benchmarks. Define test data management strategy for integration, UAT, and production-like test environments.
• Additional responsibilities as assigned.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree required
• 5+ years of experience in software automation testing.
• Hands-on experience with Python and Playwright to automate web regression testing.
• Knowledge of API and performance testing using Postman and Jmeter is a plus.
• Bachelor's degree emphasis in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering is desired.
• Experience in CPG/Foodservice industry preferred.
• ERP (i.e. JDE EnterpriseOne, SAP, Oracle, etc.) experience preferred.
• Experience with Web automation testing with Playwright, Python, Pytest preferred.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Comprehensive knowledge of the systems development life cycle in the development and/or support of production systems, conversion activities, testing methodologies, and implementation procedures.
• Knowledge of supply chain, order to cash, purchase to pay, manufacturing and/or financial processes.
• Ability to communicate well and demonstrate business knowledge both verbally and in writing, strong time and work management skills and the ability to resolve critical project issues.
• Strong problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Manage daily, weekly communication on testing status to internal and external project stakeholders.