Sr Leader, SDET

Description

Position at loanDepot

Position Summary:

Responsible for defining and advancing the enterprise Quality Engineering strategy through technical leadership, architecture, automation, and organizational influence. Establishes testing frameworks, quality standards, and engineering practices that improve software quality, delivery velocity, and reliability across multiple product and technology teams. Partners with Engineering, Product, Architecture, DevOps, and business stakeholders to ensure quality is incorporated throughout the software development lifecycle. Serves as a senior technical advisor and recognized subject matter expert, driving adoption of modern quality engineering practices and helping shape the future direction of testing and automation across the organization. Drives adoption of AI-assisted and agentic engineering capabilities within Quality Engineering, leveraging intelligent agents and automation technologies to improve test planning, test creation, execution, analysis, and overall engineering productivity.

Responsibilities:

• Defines and maintains enterprise Quality Engineering standards, best practices, governance, and strategic direction.
• Designs and evolve scalable automation frameworks, testing platforms, and reusable solutions supporting web, mobile, API, and enterprise applications.
• Establishes automation strategies, quality metrics, and release readiness standards that improve test coverage, execution efficiency, product reliability, and delivery outcomes.
• Partners with Engineering, Product, Architecture, and DevOps teams to ensure solutions are designed for quality, testability, scalability, maintainability, and observability.
• Provides technical leadership and guidance on the most complex initiatives, helping teams solve challenging testing, automation, and quality-related problems.
• Lead analysis of complex quality issues, identify systemic causes, and recommend solutions that improve overall engineering effectiveness.
• Evaluates emerging tools, frameworks, and technologies and drive adoption of modern quality engineering practices where appropriate.
• Defines and drives the Quality Engineering strategy for AI-assisted and agentic testing, identifying opportunities to improve test planning, test design, automation development, execution, maintenance, and defect analysis.
• Evaluates, implements, and optimizes AI agents, tools, and engineering workflows that accelerate quality engineering activities while ensuring accuracy, reliability, and governance.
• Establishes best practices for integrating AI-enabled capabilities into the software development lifecycle and mentor teams on the effective use of AI-driven testing and automation solutions.
• Influences quality practices across teams and promotes a culture of shared ownership for software quality throughout the development lifecycle.
• Mentors and develops Lead SDETs, Senior SDETs, and Engineers through technical coaching, guidance, and knowledge sharing.
• Represents Quality Engineering in architecture reviews, strategic technology initiatives, and cross-functional planning activities.
• Performs other duties and projects assigned.

Requirements:

• B.S. in Computer Science, B.S. Software Engineering or B.A. in Computer Information Systems or equivalent preferred and a minimum of twelve (12) + years of progressive experience in software engineering, test automation or quality engineering.
• Minimum five (5) + years of experience in a Lead SDET, Principal Engineer, Architect, Staff Engineer or comparable technical leadership role.
• Experience with financial terms and concepts is preferred. Knowledge of mortgage specific terminology, concepts and systems is preferred.
• Experience leveraging AI-assisted development tools, autonomous agents, and large language model (LLM)-based solutions to improve software development, test automation, test execution, test planning, and engineering productivity.
• Demonstrated success designing and implementing quality engineering strategies, automation frameworks, and testing standards across multiple teams or enterprise platforms.
• Expert proficiency with modern programming languages (Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, C#), Playwright and/or Selenium test automation frameworks, pipeline development/maintenance, Postman, Swagger, Git, Jira or Linear, Confluence, and software quality engineering practices.
• Strong understanding of software architecture, APIs, distributed systems, CI/CD pipelines, cloud technologies, and DevOps principles.
• Demonstrated experience designing, tuning, evaluating, or governing AI-enabled engineering workflows preferred.
• Proven ability to influence technical direction and drive adoption of engineering best practices without direct authority.
• Exceptional communication, collaboration, mentoring, and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrates deep experience with advanced methods for analyzing information of almost any kind.
• Ability to execute complex queries to analyze data. Capable of performing sophisticated analysis to find patterns of failure.
• Deep understanding of one or more source/version control systems. Develops branching and merging strategies. Experience with Distributed Source Control.
• Demonstrates expert, deep and broad knowledge of the entire API suite, knows many from memory.
• Ability to effectively lead the most complex and/or significant projects and initiatives.
• Strategic thinker. Self-motivated and assertive. Champions ideas and leads initiatives.
• Exceptional verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills. Comfortable presenting to large audiences with a mixed composition.
• Capable of clearly documenting solutions by following established templates. Improves existing templates and creates new templates as needed. Drives the strategic development of documentation to improve efficiency and transparency.
• Ability to regularly mentor one or more colleagues. Open to coaching, takes direction well.
• Ability to create a network of influences by building solid relationships with others. Helps to drive organizational change and improvement by actively looking for ways to be more efficient and work better together.

Why work for #teamloanDepot:

• Competitive compensation package based on experience, skillset and overall fit for #TeamloanDepot.
• Inclusive, diverse, and collaborative culture where people from all backgrounds can thrive.
• Work with other passionate, purposeful, and customer-centric people.
• Extensive internal growth and professional development opportunities including tuition reimbursement.
• Comprehensive benefits package including Medical/Dental/Vision.
• Wellness program to support both mental and physical health.
• Generous paid time off for both exempt and non-exempt positions.

About loanDepot:

loanDepot (NYSE: LDI) is a digital commerce company committed to serving its customers throughout the home ownership journey. Since its launch in 2010, loanDepot has revolutionized the mortgage industry with a digital-first approach that makes it easier, faster, and less stressful to purchase or refinance a home. Today, loanDepot enables customers to achieve the American dream of homeownership through a broad suite of lending and real estate services that simplify one of life's most complex transactions. With headquarters in Southern California and offices nationwide, loanDepot is committed to serving the communities in which its team lives and works through a variety of local, regional, and national philanthropic efforts. Base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay for this role is between $170,000 and $210,000. Your base pay will depend on multiple individualized factors, including your job-related knowledge/skills, qualifications, experience, and market location. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our company. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.