Senior SDET

Role: Senior SDET
Location: Chicago, IL
Work Arrangement: Hybrid (3 days onsite per week from Day 1, expected to transition to 5 days onsite)
Interview Process: 2 rounds; the second round must be in person, with no exceptions.
Rate: $69-$76/hr

Position Overview:

Our client is seeking an experienced Senior Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) to join one of our clients in the industrial and manufacturing sector.
The ideal candidate will bring strong expertise in test automation framework development, Java-based automation, REST API testing, behavior-driven development (BDD), and performance testing.
In this role, you will design and enhance scalable automation frameworks, develop comprehensive test strategies, and implement automated testing solutions across functional, integration, regression, and end-to-end scenarios.
You will also contribute to CI/CD practices, collaborate with engineering and business stakeholders, and provide technical guidance to other test engineers.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, enhance, and maintain scalable test automation frameworks using Java, JavaScript, and related technologies.
• Build and maintain automated test scripts and suites for functional, regression, API, and end-to-end testing.
• Develop REST API automation frameworks that support test execution, scripting, reporting, and results analysis.
• Implement BDD-based automation using Cucumber, JBehave, Karate, or similar frameworks.
• Create test strategies, test plans, test cases, and test data based on business requirements and acceptance criteria.
• Develop and execute scenario-based performance and load tests using Apache JMeter.
• Perform API, integration, exploratory, manual, and full-stack testing across applications and third-party systems.
• Write SQL queries to validate data integrity and support database testing.
• Integrate automated tests into CI/CD pipelines and support continuous quality improvement.
• Collaborate with developers, product owners, and business stakeholders to clarify requirements, investigate defects, and resolve technical issues.
• Provide technical leadership, mentor test engineers, and establish automation standards, documentation, and best practices.
• Participate in code reviews and support test-driven development (TDD), Agile delivery, and DevOps practices.

Required Qualifications:

• Test Automation Framework Development: 8+ years of experience designing, developing, and maintaining automation frameworks.
• Java: Strong Java programming and automation scripting skills; ideally 3 5 years of hands-on experience.
• BDD Automation: 3 5 years of experience with Cucumber, JBehave, or comparable BDD frameworks.
• REST API Testing: Strong experience automating REST APIs and testing web services.
• Performance Testing: 3+ years of experience developing and executing scenario-based performance tests using JMeter.
• Test Engineering: Proven ability to develop test scripts, test cases, test strategies, and test data.
• Integration Testing: Experience with end-to-end system testing, full-stack validation, and third-party integrations.
• Database Testing: Proficiency in SQL for data validation and relational database testing.
• Education: Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Hands-on experience with Python and JavaScript.
• Experience developing applications or services in AWS.
• Familiarity with Jenkins, Git, CI/CD pipelines, and DevOps practices.
• Knowledge of Apigee or other API gateway technologies.
• Understanding of microservices architecture and distributed systems.
• Experience with TDD, code reviews, and automated quality gates.
• At least two years of experience working in Agile teams, with familiarity with Agile and Lean methodologies.
• Strong technical documentation and performance analysis skills.

Essential Soft Skills:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong collaboration skills across engineering, product, and business teams.
• Analytical thinking and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Ability to adapt to complex technical environments and work independently.
• Ownership mindset, technical leadership, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Top 3 Must-Have Skills:

1. Test Automation Framework Development: 8+ years of framework design and development experience.
2. Java and BDD Automation: Strong Java skills with Cucumber, JBehave, or similar frameworks.
3. REST API and Performance Testing: API automation, integration testing, and 3+ years of scenario-based JMeter testing.