Senior QA Automation Engineer - Labor Management Forecasting (Hybrid)

Publix Super Markets, Inc., the largest employee-owned company in the U.S., is driven by a dynamic technology team of 2,300+ professionals delivering innovative solutions to 1,400+ stores and 260,000+ associates across 8 states. From IT security and platform engineering to architecture, software development, and infrastructure, we offer career opportunities at every level—internships through technical leadership. Join a company consistently ranked among Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” and help us build the future of technology at Publix.

Become part of the Labor Management team, designing, building, and delivering a robust application that supports Publix business areas in managing labor activities such as forecasting, time attendance, and scheduling. In this role, you will lead end-to-end automation testing for the Forecasting team, with an emphasis on backend, SQL, and Databricks testing/validation.

About the role

• Lead and mentor a high-performing QA team across manual and automated testing disciplines
• Define and drive quality strategy, standards, and best practices across the organization
• Design, develop, and maintain scalable automated test solutions across UI, API, and backend layers
• Own and execute comprehensive test planning, including test case design, traceability, and coverage optimization
• Collaborate with engineering and product teams to clarify requirements, define acceptance criteria, and align on quality goals
• Integrate automated testing into CI/CD pipelines to enable continuous quality feedback and shift-left testing practices
• Identify, document, and manage defects, including root cause analysis and defect prevention initiatives
• Validate end-to-end workflows across integrated, data-driven, and distributed systems
• Drive continuous improvement in test automation adoption, efficiency, and overall product quality
• Communicate testing progress, risks, and quality outcomes through clear reporting to support release readiness decisions

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related analytical field, or equivalent experience
• 4+ years of software testing and quality assurance experience
• 4+ years hands-on experience building and maintaining automated test solutions across UI, API, or backend systems
• 2+ years of experience with defect tracking, root cause analysis, and test management tools (e.g., Azure DevOps, Jira, TestRail)
• 2+ years of experience writing SQL queries and performing database validations and manipulation
• 1+ years of experience validating big data transformations, medallion architecture, and Databricks pipelines
• 1+ years of experience working in an Agile environment
• Strong understanding of QA methodologies, including functional, integration, and end-to-end testing

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience implementing AI for test case generation, automation enhancement, and UI testing
• Experience with test automation
• Experience with Azure DevOps

Location

Hybrid (Lakeland, FL): To support our hybrid work model, candidates must reside, or be willing to relocate, within a commutable distance of Lakeland, FL.

Work Model

Enjoy the best of both worlds - collaborate in person and innovate remotely.

Interview Process

Candidates selected to advance in the interview process will be required to participate in at least one onsite interview at our Lakeland, FL campus.

Why Join Us?

• Hybrid Flexibility: Work remotely when you need focus time and join us onsite for high-impact collaboration and brainstorming sessions.
• Operational Efficiency: Ensure technology solutions support efficient workflows and enable automation to improve operational effectiveness.
• Cutting-Edge AI Projects: Drive innovation in AI platforms, integrating advanced tools and frameworks to solve complex business challenges.
• Empowered Culture: We value autonomy, creativity, and continuous learning - your ideas shape the future of technology in our organization.

Benefits

• Employee stock ownership plan that contributes Publix stock to associates each year at no cost
• An opportunity to purchase additional shares of our privately-held stock
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Group health, dental, and vision plans
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Parental Leave
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Tuition reimbursement
• Free hot lunches (buffet-style) at facilities with a cafeteria
• Year-end bonus: one month’s extra pay (pro-rated in the first year) if employed through the issue date of the bonus check

Visit our website to see all of our benefits.