Sr. Test Automation Engineer

Position Title: Sr. Test Automation Engineer

Location: North Chicago, IL

Clearance Requirements: Secret Preferred

Pay Rate: $120,000 - $150,000.00 annually

Position Description:

Seeking a mission-focused Senior Automation Test Engineer to support DoD application modernization. The role supports AWS-hosted applications built with Ruby and TypeScript and focuses on automated functional, API, performance, and regression testing using Java, Selenium, JMeter, POSTMAN, and Cucumber.

You will support fast-paced Agile teams by validating releases through automated CI/CD pipelines and maintaining effective test plans, suites, and cases for manual and automated testing.

A live challenge-and-response interview technique is used to identify the right candidate.

This is a hybrid role requiring at least 1 day per week onsite in North Chicago/Great Lakes, IL.

Key Responsibilities:

Test Planning & Strategy

• Develop and maintain test plans, strategies, suites, artifacts, and cases for manual and automated testing.
• Define testing scope, objectives, entry/exit criteria, and risk-based approaches for each release and sprint.
• Estimate testing effort to support sprint planning, release scheduling, and resource forecasting.
• Maintain traceability between requirements, test cases, and defects using JIRA and Confluence.
• Improve test documentation, templates, and standards as application architecture and mission needs evolve.

Manual & Automated Testing

• Execute manual and automated tests across functional, regression, integration, system, and user acceptance scenarios.
• Design, develop, and maintain automated test scripts and frameworks for web and mobile applications.
• Perform API, performance, and load testing to validate secure data exchange, scalability, and stability under operational demand.
• Conduct security-focused testing aligned with DISA STIGs, RMF requirements, and DoD application security standards.
• Use AWS cloud knowledge to shape cloud-native test strategies and validate AWS-hosted application behavior.

Agile DevSecOps Integration

• Participate in Agile ceremonies as a senior contributor, including planning, refinement, standups, reviews, and retrospectives.
• Integrate automated testing into CI/CD pipelines to enable continuous testing and rapid feedback.
• Collaborate with developers, business analysts, and product owners to clarify acceptance criteria, identify testable requirements, and shift quality left.
• Provide testing input during requirements analysis and design reviews to identify gaps, ambiguities, and testability concerns.
• Communicate quality risks, testing status, technical findings, and release readiness clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Defect Management & Reporting

• Identify, document, track, and verify defects through closure across release cycles.
• Use JIRA to prioritize, assign, and monitor defects with development and operations teams.
• Produce actionable reports, summaries, and metrics dashboards for program leadership and Government stakeholders.
• Analyze defect trends and test metrics to identify quality risks and recommend process or tool improvements.
• Support release readiness decisions by clearly communicating defect severity, impact, mitigation status, and residual risk.

Required Qualifications:

• US Citizenship required, with ability to pass an IT-II background investigation; active Secret clearance preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or related field preferred; equivalent education, certifications, and directly relevant experience may be substituted.
• 8140 IAT Level II Certification (Option for post placement compliance)
• 8+ years of professional software testing experience.
• 5+ years of automated scripting experience using Java and Selenium.
• Working knowledge of automation frameworks such as BDD or TestNG and reporting tools such as Cucumber.
• Familiarity with Jenkins and AWS environments.
• 2+ years of experience with performance testing tools such as JMeter.
• 2+ years of REST API testing experience using tools such as POSTMAN.
• Knowledge of SQL for validating database objects.
• Minimum of 2+ years on an Agile software development team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret clearance.
• ISTQB Certified Tester - Foundation Level (CTFL)
• Direct experience supporting DoD enterprise mission applications.
• Experience with performance and load testing tools such as JMeter, Gatling, or equivalent.
• Background in security testing practices, including OWASP methodologies and vulnerability validation.
• Experience with BDD frameworks such as Cucumber or SpecFlow.
• Familiarity with test management platforms such as Zephyr or TestRail.

Work Environment

• Hybrid role requiring at least 1 day per week onsite. Local candidates with higher availability preferred.
• Occasional travel to Great Lakes, IL, as needed.
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods and perform computer-based work using standard office equipment.
• Requires frequent verbal communication, active listening, and visual acuity to perform job responsibilities effectively.
• Must follow site-specific safety, security, and dress standards.

About Seneca Resources

At Seneca Resources, we are more than just a staffing and consulting firm, we are a trusted career partner. With offices across the U.S. and clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to government organizations, we provide opportunities that help professionals grow their careers while making an impact.

When you work with Seneca, you're choosing a company that invests in your success, celebrates your achievements, and connects you to meaningful work with leading organizations nationwide. We take the time to understand your goals and match you with roles that align with your skills and career path. Our consultants and contractors enjoy competitive pay, comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) retirement plans, and the support of a dedicated team who will advocate for you every step of the way.

Seneca Resources is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where all qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.