Senior Lead Engineer - SDET

Job Description: Lead SDET

We are looking for a hands-on Lead Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) to lead quality engineering for product teams through an automation-first approach. The ideal candidate combines strong Java programming, test automation, and framework design skills with the ability to work closely with engineers, improve testability, contribute code when needed, and drive reliable delivery through CI/CD in an insurance technology environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead end-to-end quality engineering for product teams with an automation-first mindset.
• Design, build, and maintain scalable UI, API, integration, and mobile automation frameworks using Java and modern test engineering practices.
• Write reusable, maintainable code and work with engineers to improve testability, review technical solutions, and contribute to engineering work when needed.
• Integrate automated tests into CI/CD pipelines, establish quality gates, and improve release confidence and execution speed.
• Translate requirements and architecture changes into effective test strategies covering functional, regression, integration, and risk-based validation.
• Drive shift-left quality practices, root cause analysis, defect prevention, and continuous improvement across the delivery lifecycle.
• Mentor SDETs and quality engineers on automation architecture, coding standards, debugging, and modern QE practices.
• Provide clear quality metrics, release readiness insights, and stakeholder reporting while ensuring alignment with enterprise and regulatory standards.

Qualifications:

• B.Tech/B.E. in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related discipline, or MCA.
• 8–12 years of experience in SDET, test automation, or quality engineering roles within product or platform teams.
• Strong Java programming skills and hands-on experience building or evolving UI and API automation frameworks using Selenium, Rest Assured, and related tools.
• Experience integrating automation into CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins, GitHub co-pilot, DevOps or similar platforms.
• Solid understanding of software engineering fundamentals, test design, SQL/database validation, and troubleshooting across application and service layers.
• Experience working in Agile teams with tools such as JIRA, along with strong problem-solving, communication, and mentoring skills.
• Insurance domain knowledge and mobile automation experience are preferred; ISTQB, Scrum, SAFe, or cloud/devops certifications are a plus.

Must-Have Skills:

• Strong hands-on Java programming and the ability to write maintainable, engineering-grade code.
• Proven experience building or scaling UI and API automation frameworks.
• Hands-on expertise with Selenium, Rest Assured, Postman, and CI/CD-integrated test automation.
• Ability to work closely with engineers, contribute to technical discussions, and step into engineering work when needed.
• Strong understanding of test strategy, regression optimization, defect analysis, and mentoring of SDETs or QEs.

This position can be based in any of the following locations:

Current Guardian Colleagues: Please apply through the internal Jobs Hub in Workday