Software Test Engineer Lead

Description Job Summary We are looking for a Software Engineer Test Lead with strong hands-on experience in both manual and automation testing. The ideal candidate will lead QA activities, define test strategy, improve automation coverage, validate non-functional requirements, and ensure high-quality product releases.

This role requires strong experience with C#, Selenium, BDD frameworks, performance testing, SQL Server, Azure DevOps/VSTS, and Agile/Scrum delivery. The candidate should bring an automation mindset while remaining strong in manual testing, exploratory testing, defect analysis, and release validation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end QA activities for assigned product areas, sprints, and releases.
• Analyze requirements, user stories, acceptance criteria, and client issues to define effective test coverage.
• Lead the group of 5 or more QA engineers.
• Create and review test plans, test cases, test data, traceability matrix, and test execution reports.
• Perform and guide manual testing across functional, regression, integration, exploratory, smoke, sanity, and end-to-end scenarios.
• Drive automation strategy, framework enhancement, reusable utilities, automation best practices, and regression coverage improvement.
• Create, maintain, and execute BDD-based test scenarios aligned with business requirements and acceptance criteria.
• Define and validate application stability benchmarks, quality gates, release readiness criteria, performance expectations, and NFRs.
• Perform API testing, backend validation, database validation, and performance testing as part of end-to-end quality assurance.
• Manage test execution, defect tracking, QA reporting, and release status using standard QA/test management tools.
• Analyze defects, identify root causes, work with developers through resolution/retesting, and mentor QA engineers on testing practices, automation, defect analysis, and quality standards.
• Communicate QA status, risks, blockers, defect trends, and release readiness while continuously improving QA processes, test coverage, automation effectiveness, and product quality.

Required Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
• 7–10 years of experience in software testing with a strong mix of manual, automation, API, performance, and release testing.
• Hands on experience in leading the team of 5 or more QA engineers.
• Strong hands-on manual testing experience across functional, regression, integration, exploratory, smoke, sanity, and end-to-end testing.
• Strong hands-on automation experience using C# and Selenium.
• Experience with BDD frameworks and ability to write, maintain, and execute behavior-driven test scenarios.
• Experience creating, enhancing, or maintaining automation frameworks and reusable testing utilities.
• Hands-on experience with performance testing concepts and tools such as LoadNinja, JMeter, LoadRunner, or similar tools.
• Strong understanding of NFRs including performance, scalability, reliability, availability, usability, security, and maintainability.
• Experience with API testing, backend validation, and SQL Server queries for data verification and troubleshooting.
• Good understanding of SDLC, STLC, Agile/Scrum, defect lifecycle, release testing, and QA metrics.
• Experience using Azure DevOps/VSTS or similar tools for test management and defect tracking.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Ability to guide QA engineers while remaining hands-on in testing and quality delivery.

Good to Have / Added Advantage

• Exposure to security testing concepts and tools, including OWASP-based testing and vulnerability checks.
• Working knowledge of additional automation tools or frameworks such as Python, Playwright, PyTest, keyword-driven frameworks, or Robot Framework.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and integrating automated tests into build or release workflows.
• Experience testing reconciliation, financial close, accounting, or enterprise SaaS applications.
• Familiarity with AI-assisted tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, GitHub Copilot, Codex, or similar tools for test design, test data creation, automation productivity, and defect analysis.

Cultural Fit

• Strong ownership and accountability for product quality.
• Passionate about manual testing excellence and automation maturity.
• Detail-oriented, analy…