Principal Test Automation Engineer
About the role
Locations: Chicago, IL / New York, NY / Atlanta GA / Charlotte NC / Columbus, OH (Hybrid). Job Type: Full-Time. Work Authorization: Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship; visa sponsorship is not available.
Overview: We are seeking a highly skilled Automation Architect to lead enterprise-scale automation modernization initiatives, including migration of legacy automation assets to modern Playwright-based frameworks. This role requires deep hands-on expertise in Playwright, Python, automation architecture, and AI-enabled software delivery practices. The ideal candidate has extensive experience building automation frameworks from scratch, leading modernization programs, and providing technical leadership across complex enterprise environments.
Responsibilities
- Lead automation modernization and migration programs, including assessment, planning, architecture, and execution.
- Design, develop, and implement scalable automation frameworks using Playwright and Python.
- Establish architecture standards, reusable components, coding guidelines, and automation best practices.
- Provide technical leadership across Web, API, Desktop, and Database automation domains.
- Partner with business stakeholders, application teams, and quality engineering organizations to define migration strategies and automation roadmaps.
- Drive proof-of-concepts, architecture reviews, technical assessments, and solution recommendations.
- Design and implement AI-assisted automation solutions to improve testing efficiency, migration throughput, and delivery quality.
- Guide CI/CD integration strategies and automation execution pipelines.
- Identify risks, dependencies, and technical challenges while driving mitigation strategies.
- Mentor engineering teams and provide hands-on leadership throughout the modernization journey.
Requirements
- 12+ years of Test Automation and Quality Engineering experience.
- 5+ years of Automation Architecture experience.
- Strong hands-on expertise with Playwright.
- Strong Python development experience.
- Experience with TypeScript and/or JavaScript.
- Proven experience building enterprise automation frameworks from scratch.
- Expertise in Web Automation, API Automation, Desktop Automation, Database Automation.
- Strong experience with CI/CD tools including GitHub, Azure DevOps, and Jenkins.
- Experience leading automation modernization and migration initiatives.
- Strong architecture leadership, stakeholder management, and executive communication skills.
- Experience with AI-native SDLC practices.
- Hands-on experience with Agentic AI, Prompt Engineering, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), Large Language Model (LLM) Integrations.
Qualifications
- Preferred: Experience migrating automation assets from Tosca to Playwright.
- Preferred: Experience with PDF automation.
- Preferred: Experience with Email automation.
- Preferred: Experience with Mainframe automation.
- Preferred: Experience establishing and supporting Automation Centers of Excellence (CoE).
- Preferred: Experience defining automation governance standards and best practices.
- Preferred: Experience developing AI-assisted migration accelerators, conversion utilities, or automation productivity tools.
Skills
Key technical skills: Playwright, Python, TypeScript, JavaScript, CI/CD (GitHub, Azure DevOps, Jenkins), AI-native SDLC, Agentic AI, Prompt Engineering, RAG, LLM integrations, Web/API/Desktop/Database automation, framework development, architecture leadership.
Benefits
- Comprehensive, non-negotiable benefits package for regular, full-time employees.
- Paid time off based on employee grade (A‑F): Vacation 12‑25 days, company paid holidays, personal days, sick leave.
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage (or provincial healthcare coordination in Canada).
- Retirement savings plans (e.g., 401(k) in the U.S., RRSP in Canada).
- Life and disability insurance.
- Employee assistance programs.
- Other benefits as provided by local policy and eligibility.
Pay
Base compensation range: $100,000 – $130,000 per year.