Sr. QA/Test Automation Engineer
$140000 - $175000 per year | Gaithersburg, MD | On-site | Permanent
A bit about us:
We are a technology consulting and cloud solutions organization specializing in the design, development, and implementation of highly available, secure, and mission-critical systems for government and commercial clients. Our teams partner closely with customers to deliver innovative solutions across cloud strategy, cybersecurity, systems integration, data engineering, machine learning, AI, disaster recovery, and enterprise infrastructure initiatives.
Our approach is built around collaboration and long-term partnership. We work closely with stakeholders at every level of the organization - from executive leadership to engineering and operations teams - to provide scalable, resilient, and secure technology solutions that solve complex business and operational challenges.
With deep expertise in cloud-first architectures, automation, DevSecOps, virtualization, reliability engineering, and large-scale systems integration, we help organizations modernize infrastructure, improve operational efficiency, and support mission-critical environments where performance, security, and resiliency are essential.
Our team consists of highly skilled engineers, architects, developers, and technology specialists who thrive on solving complex technical challenges. We foster a culture centered around innovation, collaboration, continuous learning, and technical excellence while delivering meaningful value to our clients across highly regulated and fast-evolving industries.
Why join us?
Our client offers highly competitive compensation packages, comprehensive benefits, and a collaborative, people-first culture that promotes innovation, professional growth, and long-term career development. We are committed to creating an environment where employees are empowered to make an impact, work alongside highly talented teams, and contribute to meaningful, mission-critical initiatives in a supportive and forward-thinking workplace.
Job Details
Senior QA / Test Automation Engineer – Senior, Lead & Principal Levels
Cloud-Native Applications | AI-Driven Test Automation | AWS | DevSecOps
Location: Gaithersburg, MD (Hybrid)
Employment Type: Multiple Openings
Levels: T3 (Mid/Senior), T4 (Lead), T5 (Principal / QA Architect)
Industry: Federal Technology | Aviation Systems | Mission-Critical Applications
About the Opportunity
We are seeking experienced QA / Test Automation Engineers at the Senior, Lead, and Principal levels to support the development, modernization, and quality assurance of mission-critical software applications within a highly regulated federal technology environment.
This is an exciting opportunity for engineers who are passionate about software quality, automated testing, and emerging AI technologies. You will play a key role in designing and implementing scalable test automation frameworks, validating cloud-native applications, and improving software reliability across complex enterprise environments.
The ideal candidates bring strong hands-on test automation experience, familiarity with Java-based microservices, cloud infrastructure, and DevSecOps pipelines, and the ability to develop innovative testing solutions that support secure, high-performing applications.
A major focus of these positions is AI-driven test-script generation, leveraging artificial intelligence to automate and improve software testing across the development lifecycle.
The engineering teams operate within a Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) environment, emphasizing collaboration, continuous integration, and iterative delivery.
Key Responsibilities
Quality Assurance & Test Automation
• Design, develop, implement, and maintain automated testing frameworks, quality assurance standards, and testing methodologies. • Build scalable automated test solutions covering unit, integration, end-to-end, API, and regression testing. • Integrate automated testing directly into CI/CD pipelines to improve release quality and deployment efficiency. • Develop and maintain reusable test scripts, test suites, and automated validation processes. • Identify, document, track, and troubleshoot software defects throughout the development lifecycle. • Collaborate with software developers, DevSecOps engineers, and technical stakeholders to resolve issues and improve overall software quality.
AI-Driven Test Automation
• Develop and implement AI-powered solutions for automated test-script generation and maintenance. • Leverage AI and large language model (LLM) technologies to improve test coverage, reduce manual scripting, and accelerate testing cycles. • Integrate AI-generated test scripts into existing automation frameworks and CI/CD workflows. • Evaluate the reliability, accuracy, and effectiveness of AI-generated tests. • Help establish scalable approaches to AI-assisted quality engineering across multiple applications and engineering teams.
Cloud-Native Application Testing
• Develop and execute functional, integration, and end-to-end tests for Java-based microservices. • Validate applications deployed across Amazon ECS, Amazon EKS, Kubernetes, and Red Hat OpenShift environments. • Perform environment validation across development, testing, and operational environments. • Test APIs, service integrations, containerized workloads, and distributed application components. • Collaborate with cloud engineering teams to identify configuration, deployment, performance, and integration issues.
Security, Compliance & DevSecOps Testing
• Integrate automated security testing and validation into CI/CD pipelines. • Support static and dynamic application security testing (SAST/DAST). • Validate security controls and assist with vulnerability identification and remediation verification. • Support testing and documentation requirements associated with highly regulated federal environments. • Contribute testing evidence and validation results for continuous monitoring (ConMon) and Authority to Operate (ATO) activities.
Performance Testing & Continuous Improvement
• Develop and execute performance, scalability, and reliability testing strategies. • Evaluate application responsiveness, system behavior, and performance under varying workloads. • Identify testing bottlenecks and recommend improvements to automation frameworks and processes. • Establish repeatable testing standards and improve quality metrics across engineering teams. • Participate in Agile ceremonies, sprint planning, technical reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Required Qualifications
• Strong hands-on experience in software quality assurance, test automation, or software development engineering in test (SDET). • Demonstrated ability to design, develop, and maintain automated testing frameworks and quality assurance processes. • Experience implementing automated unit, integration, end-to-end, and API testing within CI/CD pipelines. • Experience with Playwright, JUnit, TestNG, or comparable automation frameworks. • Strong understanding of REST API testing, contract testing, and performance testing methodologies. • Experience testing Java-based applications, microservices, and distributed systems. • Familiarity with containerized application environments, including Kubernetes and cloud-native deployment architectures. • Experience with AI-assisted test automation or the ability to develop and integrate AI-driven test-generation solutions. • Knowledge of DevSecOps principles and automated security testing practices. • Strong troubleshooting, analytical, communication, and documentation skills. • Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively within cross-functional engineering teams.
Preferred Qualifications
Cloud & Container Platforms
• Amazon ECS, Amazon EKS, Kubernetes, and Red Hat OpenShift. • AWS GovCloud environments. • Testing distributed microservices and containerized applications. • Experience validating deployments across development, testing, and production environments.
Automation & Development
• Java development or scripting experience. • Playwright, JUnit, TestNG, REST API testing, and contract testing. • AI/LLM-assisted test generation and maintenance. • Container-based and Kubernetes test harnesses. • Performance and scalability testing tools.
Security & Compliance
• Experience integrating SAST and DAST tools into automated testing pipelines. • Security control validation and vulnerability remediation testing. • Continuous monitoring (ConMon) and ATO documentation support. • Experience testing applications in highly regulated federal environments.
Methodologies & Industry Experience
• Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). • Experience collaborating across multiple engineering teams and contractors. • Federal government technology programs. • Aviation, flight services, or other mission-critical operational systems.
Available Engineering Levels
QA / Test Engineer III (T3) – Mid/Senior
• Independently design, develop, execute, and maintain automated test suites. • Own assigned testing activities and deliverables. • Identify defects, troubleshoot failures, and collaborate with development teams to resolve issues. • Contribute to automation framework improvements and testing best practices.
QA / Test Engineer IV (T4) – Lead
• Lead testing initiatives across multiple technical areas and application components. • Develop and enhance automation frameworks and testing strategies. • Coordinate testing efforts across engineering and DevSecOps teams. • Provide technical guidance and help establish consistent quality engineering practices.
QA / Test Engineer V (T5) – Principal / QA Architect
• Provide strategic technical leadership for quality engineering and test automation initiatives. • Architect scalable testing frameworks and enterprise-wide automation solutions. • Lead the implementation of AI-driven test generation and advanced testing methodologies.
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